A Great Construction Committee
Here's how to build it one member at a time

By David Hatton

As churches seek to expand their facilities to meet worship and ministry needs, the assembly of a capable building construction committee to effectively guide planning and construction activities is of paramount importance.

When selecting your committee members, give careful consideration to the following:

Direction. Look for members that can embrace the pastor's project vision and translate it into thoughtful, prayerful and timely project direction. The phrase, "Time is money" is never more true than in any construction project. Good stewardship will require that the Building Committee be committed to providing the direction and decision making necessary to keep the project moving.

Size. A small committee of three to four members is optimal. To be effective, the committee must be able to routinely review issues and make informed decisions in a timely manner. Avoid the temptation to assemble a large committee in an effort to achieve "buy-in" or create a consensus within the congregation.

Also, be judicious in the creation of additional sub-committees for items like interior finishes or technology systems. Let your building committee make the building-related decisions. Instead, focus additional committees on separable tasks such as fundraising, grand opening preparations and the development and implementation of ministry programs for the new space.

Available time. Be sure that your committee members have schedules that allow them the flexibility to devote proper attention to your project. In any project, timely decisions will be required. In that light, carefully consider whether your pastor should be a committee member. While it is critical that the committee upholds the pastor's vision for the project and keeps him informed, weekly committee meetings are probably not the best use of his time. Instead, let him act as project spokesman for the congregation to keep them excited about the project.

It is also important to arm your committee with the right information, direction and priorities. Be sure that members understand and support the following:

Master plan. In addition to the project vision, be sure that your committee has an understanding of the pastor's long-range vision for future growth and ministry. It is so important to look ahead to identify "next steps" and future priorities. Communicate those concepts to your project professionals and allow your architect and project manager to vest some thought in developing or updating your master plan. This time spent wisely will pay huge dividends in ultimate campus usability and flexibility.

Budget. Set forth a realistic project budget and be sure that your committee, architect and project manager are committed to working within that budget. Arm your fundraising committee with the same information and be sure that they are committed as well.

Schedule. Set forth a realistic project schedule. Confirm the viability of that schedule with your project manager and general contractor. Remember that pushing too hard on an unrealistic schedule can be just as expensive as allowing the project to slow down and drag out. Allow your project manager to provide input and guidance on those important finish items--startup and acceptance testing, installation of furniture and other owner furnished equipment, signage and graphics, and general move-in.

Also be sure to help your committee assemble the right project team:

• Project manager--It takes a tremendous amount of planning, coordination and plain old paperwork to build a job. Your staff already has full-time jobs. Your building committee is intended to provide guidance and direction, not day-to-day management and supervision. A professional project manager acts as the communication focal point for the project and represents the church's interest with all other team members. An experienced project manager guides not only the project but also the decision processes as well, insuring an orderly, predictable and cost-effective construction project.
• Architect and General Contractor--Look for team members with a demonstrated record of similar project experience. Remember that because of the complex design and code issues relating to church educational and multifunction assembly spaces, specific public/private school experience is an important attribute. Remember also that with your architect and contractor, larger is probably better. Avoid the temptation to select a smaller firm, anticipating more "personalized" service or cheaper fees. Construction is a complicated and complex undertaking. Select solid, full-service firms with depth and experience. They will easily offset any fee differentially by providing proper guidance and expert advice for your project.

David L. Hatton is Founder/CEO of Facilities Dynamics, Inc., in Houston, Texas and ChurchWorx, Inc.,a sister company. Reach him via e-mail at www.churchworx.com or call (713) 647-8899.

The Power of One
One church reaps the benefits of efficient delegating

By Jim Hudson, Jr.

Crosstown Community Church's new home in Tampa, Fla., is a multipurpose wonder. Completed in 12 months, it's a two-story, 41,000-square foot steel frame facility. On any given day, we have the capacity to seat up to 1,500 worshippers--or 600 for dinner.

This facility's flexibility has enabled us to host conventions, simulcast meetings and conduct training sessions. As a result, our church is the choice for community-wide functions, and allowing outside groups to use it brings new people into our church on a non-threatening basis. It didn't take an army to build our monument to ministry. The building committee was made up of professionals with specific areas of construction and engineering experience. However, we assigned the chairman the responsibility of managing the construction and gave him the authority to do it. He hired a general contractor to build the building, a site contractor to do the site work, and several specialty contractors--audiovisual specialists, acoustical engineers, security experts, landscapers and so on. Our chairman negotiated the contracts, wrote the purchase orders, approved pay requests and directed the construction. He also negotiated with contractors to allow the church to purchase the materials directly, saving markup and sales taxes. In some areas, volunteer skills and labor were used instead of contracting out the work.

It worked very well. Our project was completed on time and 10% under budget.

--Jim Hudson, Jr., is Vice President, Development and Engineering for DONNE Corporation (Tampa, Fla.).

Lay a Sure Foundation
Educational seminars guide project leaders

If you've been given the task of leading your church through a major construction project, you've likely got a lot on your mind. Where do we start? What's a realistic budget? How much money can we raise? What's the most cost-effective way to build? How can we get a building that supports our ministries? How long will it take? What risks do we face? Why isn't our building committee more effective? It can be overwhelming.

Seminars and conferences can help. They provide answers and training for all phases of a building project, from committee leadership to master planning to completion. Experts from many sectors--architecture, construction, fundraising, financing, acoustics and lighting--are often on-hand to lead sessions and take questions.

Such is the case at Cornerstone Conferences, developed by FBi Buildings, a Midwestern company specializing in designing and building churches. Last year, the company's Indianapolis conference attracted more than 90 attendees. In all, more than 350 church leaders have attended past conferences. Among the most beneficial "lessons" they've learned:

• A capital stewardship campaign is likely going to be necessary when a church's building fund needs are more than 1.5 times greater than its annual giving.
• Designing for multiple uses can dramatically reduce construction costs.
• The building committee should represent a cross-section of the church: young, old, male, female, etc. Also make sure all the church's ministries are represented.
• One parking space is needed for every two to 2.5 seats.
• Between 12 and15 square feet of sanctuary space is recommended per person depending on worship style.
• An effective design "wraps a building around" your ministry rather than "forcing it into" a building.
• Average Christians give 2.8% of their gross incomes to their churches.
• Design/build projects are completed an average of 33% quicker--and for 6% less money--than architect/bid projects, according to a Penn State University study sponsored by the Construction Industry Institute.

For more information on upcoming Cornerstone Conferences in Indianapolis, Ind. (February), and Chicago (September), call (800) 552-2981.