Forming the Executive Building Committee

Forming the Executive Building Committee

by Don Emmitte, DMin

The Wisdom of Solomon states: Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22 NIV). Another way of saying that in reference to a building project is excellent leaders create excellent facilities. Selecting the right leaders, assigning the right responsibilities to the right people, recruiting, training, evaluating, and retaining the working body are some of the keys to a successful church building project.

First Steps

One of the most important steps for the Executive Building Team (EBT) is organizing how it plans to work together on the project. In order for the team to be a cohesive unit, each person on the team needs a clear description of what they plan to contribute to the team. In general, the following characteristics play a specific and vital role in making the team effective:

• Compelling Purpose (please see the article: The Strategic Master Planning Process – Clarity in the Process of Growth for more information).
• Clear Roles.
• Recognized Leadership.
• Effective Processes.
• Sound Relationships.
• Accurate Communication.

Team Selection Criteria

Within your congregation God has already gifted the individuals necessary to work together for a successfully campaign. Each person to be chosen has the talents and knowledge into which you may draw. This eventual coalition is the Executive Building Team. There will ultimately be “spin-offs” of this team into task forces which will consider, investigate, take action on and report all aspects of the building project as assigned. As you can see the responsibility of this delegation is a heavy one.

Some basic criteria to use in choosing those who would serve on the EBT are as follows:

• They must look at the whole, not merely the parts.
• They must have a love and passion for the mission of the church.
• They must be people of grace, compassion, and prayer.
• They must have the capacity to look long range.
• They must share reciprocal trust and respect of the congregation and community.
• They must work well together as a team.
• They must bring wisdom, judgment, vision, and common sense to the team.

The Organization of the EBT

There are many ways to organize a building team, but by far the best model is a small team with congregational task forces related to the core team. The optimum number for most churches is somewhere around seven to nine members. Each core team member represents larger task forces organized around specific ministry needs. Some suggested responsibilities to be represented on the EBT are:

• Pastor(s) and/or Chairperson
• Prayer
• Communications
• Growth and Ministry
• Finance and Legal
• Furnishings
• Existing Property
• Existing Facilities
• Recorder

Obviously, the choices are numerous and varied according to the individual needs of the church. The key is to provide leadership to the project without becoming large and unwieldy. The utilization of task forces will allow maximum congregational participation while maintaining effective team working relationships. Each of these task forces should be guided by the vision and mission of the church as it relates to the distinctive areas of concentration (i.e.: worship, small groups, age groups, community ministries, etc.). Task forces typically should consist of eight to fifteen people. Depending on the scope of the project, you may find the following types of task forces helpful:

• Parking, landscaping, exterior lighting, and signage
• Worship, sanctuary, chapel
• Music groups
• Audio/video/lighting
• Interior design
• Fellowship, recreation, community centers
• Food service
• Children
• Students
• Single adult ministries
• Senior adult ministries
• Adult ministries
• Administration and volunteer’s work areas

After the EBT is Organized

After each Executive Building Team member has accepted their role, it would be wise to assist the chairperson in selecting potential task force members. The leadership should agree that each EBT member should enlist one or two key persons whom they want on their committee, and then provide an opportunity for every person who wishes to volunteer to serve on the committee in which that person is most interested. In some cases the Committee on Committees appoints members for all committees, and then attempts to secure their agreement to serve on the committee. Whatever method is used it is important to involve as many persons as possible in this phase of the church building project. Do not rely on public announcements or newsletter articles alone to secure volunteers. Some people who ought to be involved will not volunteer. Members of the EBT should make personal calls on any persons who have not volunteered, and encourage them to “sign up” as a member of the committee of their choice, or one suggested by the team.

Once the leader of each task force is organized it is time to have a general meeting to get everyone on board. It is strongly recommended that the entire scope of the project be discussed early in this phase of the program. There must be no question of unity or purpose. If consensus cannot be reached with every member on the need to build, then they should not be part of the building program. Members can and will disagree on many details, but they must be unified in the purpose and goal for building.

The next meeting of the group should be for training and education. Each task force should be instructed as to the specific responsibilities in the presence of other chairpersons. The purpose of this meeting is so that each task force understands how it works together as a part of a larger whole in order to make the project successful. Each task force member has a circle of influence, and as they spread the information about what they are doing and enlist the support of others, they will be able to do so in the context of the entire program. This process builds consensus and confidence in the success of the program. Remember one of the goals of the project is to increase member involvement in the church. Increasing member involvement increases ownership in the church. Increased ownership in the church increases stewardship.

Final Reminders

1. Set target dates for progress reports, and for the task forces to have their work completed and their written reports presented to the Governing Body.

1. The EBT and/or the Governing Body of the church should provide the task forces with as much resource material as possible for their work.

1. IF YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TECHNICAL COMPETENCE AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY ALWAYS CHOOSE SPIRITUAL MATURITY! I cannot emphasize this point enough. Inevitably, in any construction project, there will be issues that arise that were not anticipated. The manner in which conflict is resolved will often determine the success or failure of the project! With that in mind, I offer the following review of conflict resolution for Building Committees based in the Apostle Paul’s instruction to the Church at Corinth:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1 NIV).
Conflict is not necessarily bad or destructive. As people reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we believe that we are called to respond to conflict in a way that is remarkably different from the way the world deals with conflict. (cf.: Matthew 5:9) The most important question in conflict is, “How can I please and honor the Lord in this situation?” We should believe that glorifying God happens when we take time to remember God’s role in our conflict and then respond to it His way. As Christians, we believe that God sacrificed dearly, involving himself in all our conflicts. Therefore, we have the privilege and responsibility to consider God’s perspective on the issue by trusting, obeying, and imitating Him. (cf.: Proverbs 3:4-6; John 14:15; and Ephesians 5:1). Therefore, here are some steps to take in appropriate conflict resolution:

• § Prepare (pray, get the facts, seek godly counsel, develop options)
• § Affirm relationships (show genuine concern and respect for others)
• § Understand interests (identify others’ concerns, desires, needs, limitations, or fears)
• § Search for creative solutions (prayerful brainstorming)
• § Evaluate options objectively and reasonably (evaluate, don’t argue)

It does take a lot more work to “do it right,” but it is always worth it in the end. When James Garfield (later President of the U.S.) was principal of Hiram College in Ohio, a father asked him if the course of study could be simplified so that his son might be able to go through by a shorter route. “Certainly,” Garfield replied. “But it all depends on what you want to make of your boy. When God wants to make an oak tree, He takes a hundred years. When He wants to make a squash he requires only two months.” Lots of folks are willing to produce squash. However, the church needs to produce oaks in our day. Short cuts often end in disaster.

A Note about the Author: Don Emmitte, Church Navigator with Trinity Design Group, is a new “old hand” in church growth, facility design, and management. After serving for over thirty years as a pastor of churches with over two thousand resident members, founder of Grace Restoration Ministries, and author of Morning Devotionals, he joined the team at TDG in 2009 to expand his passion: helping churches reach their God-given goals by making the most of their resources. For more information, contact Don at demmitte@trinitydesigngroup.com, or visit the web site at www.GraceRestoration.org.

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