Although volunteer construction labor can be beneficial in many church building projects, poor planning and lack of vision can limit the success of volunteers, according to church building experts.
Gwenn McCormick, author of “Planning and Building Church Facilities,” advises churches to schedule volunteer crews at least nine months before they are expected to begin work on the project.
“Since many church leaders have never been involved in a building project, they have no idea of the time-consuming process required for local approvals, permits and related matters,” he noted. “They are often shocked to learn of the delays and time requirements for the entire pre-construction process.”
Tommy Puckett, director of men’s ministries at the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, added that church leaders could avoid many unforeseen problems by hiring a contractor to supervise the volunteer team.
“Every church needs to have a paid person answerable to them to make sure that the work is done right by the volunteers and that they are constructing according to the set plans,” he said. “A paid contractor is accountable to the church in making sure that the structure is sound for the people when it comes time to move in.”
SBOM officials encourage church leaders to consider a wide array of issues before any volunteers arrive at the construction site. Asking questions about the volunteers’ ministry callings, ensuring the volunteers have housing and transportation and properly defining the tasks are all important ways to prepare, they said. Another important aspect is to make sure proper insurance is in place.
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