Church Building Discussion

棕櫚灘華人基督教會2005-02-20

Haggai 2:6-9“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little

while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory’, says the LORD Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine’, declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house’, says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace’, declares the LORD Almighty.”

Index• Why do this? Church vision sharing - Pastor• What are the options?• We have an offer• What to do now?• Current status• How can you contribute?• For more info

Why do this? Today’s condition• Church population growth. 1998/60, 2004/170

– Goal: double in 5 years, i.e., 2009/350-450• Space has started to limit the ministry

– 5800 sq ft, 68 parking lots– Sunday school rooms (4), baby/children rooms (2)– Office (1), prayer/counseling rooms– Independent dining hall

• Building was built in 1972– Can’t keep up with new building code– Fire alarm, electricity, insurance– Maintenance is expensive (roof, A/C, etc)

Church Vision• Ministry focus going forward in 5-10 years (not in

priority order):– 青少年牧養 - Youth Pastor– 對上班族﹐餐館中國人傳福音– 兒童事工﹐ AWANA﹐ 可借之吸引大人們– 信徒造就﹐建立领袖团队

• 理想是教會達到三﹐伍佰人的規模之後就植分堂

Church Vision (cont’d)• Specific goals (examples) – tied to 5 visions

– 十个弟兄姐妹受训练装备，可以一對一帶領培訓刚信主的弟兄姐妹们– 小组查经内容的深入化和系统化，教会找出十套具体教材，适合不同需要 ( 傳福音﹐靈命進深 )– 祷告小组的系统化，一个月一次全教会 200 人﹐每個星期 50 人禱告會– 建立核心领袖团队，来支持牧師计划﹐监督﹐挑旺教会属靈事工– 發展完善一個幼兒活動﹐通過每週活動 ( 游戲﹐背經句 ) ﹐ 借之吸引週圍華人參與教會– 主日學﹐成人﹐ Youth﹐ 八個教室

What are the options? • Extend existing building? Add ~ 2,500 sq ft

– Pro: $300K+, affordable, helps current situation– Con: Can’t extend too much, limited by existing

building and new building code– Con: Short term solution only. Have to worry about

this again in 2-3 years• Move to new place, new building?

– Pro: Can build much larger building suitable for another 5-10 years (for 350-500 people)

– Con: Expensive (1.5 ~ 2.5 million) – Con: Do we need that big a space? Tied to vision.

We have an offer • Developer offers $2,000,000 to acquire our land

– Boynton Beach city intends to approve high density land use

– Developer is buying all adjacent lands– Will develop into apartments/condos– End of 2004 sales indicates ~ $1M/acre for nearby

land (US 1 frontage)• Will also find a new site for us• Will help in the new building process for us• Will allow us to stay in existing building until

new one is ready ($1/month)

We have an offer (cont’d)• Timeline

– Find suitable land for our church - asap– Sign sales contract with us – 3-6 months– Build the new church building – 18 months– Move from existing to new building – 2 years (2007)– Developer takes our land

What to do now?• Figure out what God wants the most?

– Great Commandments (Matt. 22:37-40) • Love God, love others• Glorify Him through unity, testimony and spiritual growth

– Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) • Spread the Gospel, grow His kingdom

– Church to find the vision and focus• This will guide everything else we do

– Always remember: building up people is the true focus • More prayers, communications• Experience first hand God’s provisions• Grow spiritually

What to do now? (cont’d)• Figure out what we need to do?

– Thank God for this precious opportunity to grow us– Intense prayers through-out the process

• Seek God’s will and guidance• Seek church unity• Lift up each other• Maintain passion and focus

– Understand the church’s long term vision– Proceed carefully

What to do now? (cont’d)• This is going to be a long battle

– Persistence in maintaining passion and focus is the key– Prayer is the most powerful weapon– Unity and testimony are most important goals– Commitment – time, talent, money

Current status• Coordinated effort from top down

– Pastor– Deacon Board– Building Committee– Department Leaders– Small Group Leaders– Church Members

Current status (cont’d)• Church leadership working on long term vision

– Pastor’s vision sharing– More to come – church wide survey

• Building committee working on details– Current focus is land search

• Regular prayers– Individual – Small Groups– Fasting Schedule

Current status (cont’d)• New site selection criteria

– Support church vision– Central to church members, convenient commute,

improve building usage – Affordable

• Potential sites A. Lantana & Fearnly 3 acres NegotiatingB. Lantana & Hagan Ranch 2 acres $600KC. Boynton Beach & 441 5 acres > 1.2 million

• (Building committee to share details)

Lantana Sites

A

B

Boynton Beach Site

C

How can you contribute?• Prayer

– Daily, Small Group, Fasting Team (please see Yi)• Seek God’s will and guidance• Seek church unity• Lift up each other• Maintain passion and focus

• Talent– Realtor, Architect, Sub-contractor, Organizer, Errands,

Electrical, Painting, Carpeting, Laboring, etc• Money

– Offer to building fund

For more info going forward• Church’s mailing list• Church’s web site• Monthly building project updates• See Deacons & Building Committee members• See Small group leaders

Questions?