Does your church want to build a recreation facility but need help designing the structure that is right for the congregation?
To build the facility that best suits your church, professionals suggest beginning by thinking people and programs.
“Any church can build a multipurpose building, but every church does not need the same building,” said Doug Acton, president of DL Acton Construction in Pelham. “Every church has different specific ministry goals that they want to achieve. Every church is different.”
Instead of just adding a new building to their property, churches should seek to construct the best recreation facility for their purposes, according to Tommy Haralson, church building services special worker for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
To help churches decide what building type will be best for them, he advises leaders to conduct surveys early in the planning stages to determine what the church needs and what church members expect.
“Always survey the general church membership to find out what should be included in the building instead of depending solely on the building committee,” Haralson said. “Also, research recreational facilities in the community to see what services are offered.”
Rick Batson, president of TurnerBatson Architects in Birmingham, concurred and added that church leaders should review current ministries, future outreach efforts, area demographics and staff requirements before making any major decisions.
“I personally believe that it (the facility) needs that outreach component to really be worthwhile for the church to do it,” he said. “You need programs to attract people, a staff to organize and run the program and the facility to accommodate the needs.”
After compiling and evaluating the information, the building committee should create a wish list to get an idea of construction costs, building experts say. This process helps the church determine exactly what it needs and can afford.
Too often churches go into construction wanting more building than they can afford and end up with a facility that costs too much or doesn’t meet their ministry needs, Acton noted.
“Construction is generally approximately 75 percent of the project cost,” he said. “The other costs include fees for the architect and engineers, interest on the construction loan and furnishings for the facility.”
Building costs are also affected by finishing materials, Batson added advising churches to make the space as flexible as possible to save money.
“They need to be aware of maintenance, which affects the types of finishings they are going to put on the floor, walls and ceilings,” he said. “They need to be aware of operational costs. The more flexible it can be the more activities it can accommodate.”
Once the building committee has a relatively clear idea of the church’s needs, a skilled architect should be brought in to put his or her vision on paper, according to building experts.
John Garner and Wendell T. Newman express this idea in their book, “Guidebook for Planning Church Recreation Facilities.”
They wrote, “Buildings all over the country are designed by well-meaning committees, church members or architects who never have worked in or used a church recreation facility.
“Improperly planned buildings are difficult to program, are difficult to supervise, create ill will and miss the mark for ministry potential.”
For the greatest success, professionals also advise church leaders to involve a recreation minister or facility supervisor early on to assist in the design process.
Also, appointing one contact person to work with the contractor and architect can help the building process move as smoothly as possible.
Churches publicize new facilities
After building a recreation facility, the next step is alerting the community to its existence. In their book, “Guidebook for Planning Church Recreation Facilities,” 2nd Edition, John Garner and Wendell T. Newman of the LifeWay Church Resources Group offer some suggestions for increasing community awareness about the new recreation center.
- Invite someone experienced in church recreation in a facility to give testimony to ways recreation has ministered in a facility.
- Prepare a model or large bulletin board to describe features of the new facility.
- Plan special days to mark progress in construction.
- Ask the pastor to preach on the possibilities of witness, in-reach and outreach through the facility.
- Schedule testimonies by recreation ministry committee personnel concerning their concept of potential through the facility.
- Enlist a volunteer coordinator to work with staff to enlist and train volunteers.
- Plan a banquet three or four months before completion of the facility for all volunteers and their families.
Invite someone who specializes in church recreation to bring several volunteers to share their experiences.
- Prepare a volunteer manual to standardize facility operation.
- Develop guidelines for facility use. The committee should compile and adapt guidelines from other facilities.
- Develop a philosophy of recreation to give direction to overall ministry.
- Invite volunteers to discuss the guidelines with the staff and recreation committee in a forum-type meeting.
- Make the proposed guidelines and philosophy available to all church members.
- Have an all-church discussion meeting to give members a chance to react, ask questions and make suggestions. The committee members will also have a chance to explain and in some cases defend the guidelines.
- Revise the guidelines as necessary in light of member input. Recommend the guidelines for church approval.
Building experts offer churches advice on recreation construction
If a church has leaders and members who are committed to the activities that would take place in a multipurpose facility, then the church should seriously consider providing a building to accommodate that passion. You need the people, purpose and plan before you build the building.”
—Gary Swafford, director of new work and church building services, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions
To be effective, recreation programs must be planned to satisfy the needs of those whose interests lie in music, dramatics and creative activities, sports, physical fitness and social activities. The program must be integrated into the total work and life of the church.”
—T. Lee Anderton, “Church Property/Building Guidebook”
Constant fine-tuning is necessary in projection, implementation and perpetuation of a ministry-oriented recreation facility. It is tempting to enjoy immediate benefits along the way and forget the ultimate purpose. This might become a comfortable mountaintop unless a sensitive leader gently and frequently evaluates and redirects for greater ministry.”
—John Garner and Wendell T. Newman, “Guidebook for Planning Church Recreation Facilities,” 2nd Edition
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