In the excitement of preparing to build, churches may miss one important consideration: reasons not to build.
From following the crowd to getting ahead of themselves, churches may find themselves beginning needless building projects for the wrong reasons.
Following are some of the most common — and detrimental — reasons churches choose to build.
-Everybody has one — The church down the street did it, and we have to keep up.
-Crisis cure-all — Our church is struggling financially or having problems in the fellowship.
Maybe a gym will bring in more people and thereby more money, or at least unify our membership and help us overcome dissension in the ranks.
-Cart before the horse — We’ll build the building, then get someone to run it and do the programming.
-Our community needs recreation — Be careful that you do not feel responsible to make up for the lack of recreational facilities in the community.
The church is commissioned to reach, teach, win and develop people for Christ.
Recreation should always be used as a method to achieve the purposes of the church.
-Let’s do something for our youth — Youth will enjoy an adult building. Adults will not relate as well to youthful building decor. The majority of drop-ins will be adults.
-Sports-only mind-set — Church recreation is more than sports.
-We will win souls — If you don’t have an evangelistic church now, a recreation facility will not make it evangelistic in the future.
Source: John Garner and Wendell T. Newman, “Guidebook for Planning Church Recreation Facilities” 2nd Edition, LifeWay Church Resources Group
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