Planning your Strategy

What is a Master Plan?

When the phrase “Master Plan” is used there is a significant diversity of meanings and understandings associated with the term. For some, it is a simple straightforward process of laying out the site and identifying future buildings. For others, it is a long process of multiple interviews, extensive investigation and recommendations that culminate into a master plan. This process may be carried out by an architect/engineer or a consultant/ planner. There is also a significant variation in costs associated with this process, ranging from a few thousand dollars to tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So how do you determine the appropriate approach to take? What process is worth the time and money that will be invested? There are some scriptural principles that we can use to help make that determination. As church leaders, we are very familiar with what scripture says about the importance of vision. One of the most quoted verses is “Without a vision, the people perish.” The vision that God has given to the local church is foundational to making good plans and decisions. All churches have a common purpose and mission, but the vision should be unique to a particular church with a particular personality and gifting, in a particular location with a particular culture that has particular needs. Any master planning process that does not take this into consideration will fail to serve the church’s needs.

It is important to understand that buildings are simply tools to be used by the church to carry out the vision that God has given them. This is why a master planning process led by an architect/engineer falls short. The focus is on buildings with only a cursory understanding of the vision of the church. It becomes a mechanical process of the architect creating a plan based upon codes requirements, site features, common practices, etc. These are all important issues that must be an integral part of a comprehensive master plan but it fails to give proper attention to the unique vision of the church. The best building design that money can buy that does not fit the church’s vision is worthless.

Another important scriptural principle is “counting the cost” up front. One of the most common mistakes that a church makes is hiring an architect or consultant; telling him everything they want in their building; spending tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in design fees; only to find out that they couldn’t afford the building if they had to. It is an exercise in futility to invest time and money into planning facilities that they could never afford to build. Scripture says that “there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death”. This happens to many churches in the master planning process. They move forward with what seems to be a common sense approach, but run into all kinds of issues that create huge problems that can devastate the ministry and witness of the church.

So how do you avoid these dangers? How do you develop a game plan that does focus on the church’s vision; that does match the resources the church has available and still meets the church’s practical needs, both current and future? One more scriptural principle helps to answer this question. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” The key word in this principle is MANY. There is no one person who can adequately address all the needs and issues that should be addressed in a good comprehensive master plan. It requires a team of professionals, bringing their particular perspectives and expertise to the process. This is the only way to develop a comprehensive master plan that takes all issues into proper consideration.

An effective master planning process requires an experienced church planner that can help the church clarify and articulate their vision and an experienced church architect that can design facilities that effectively meet the needs dictated by the vision and an experienced church builder that can insure that what is being designed fits within the resources the church has available. This three member team, working with the church, can develop an effective, comprehensive master plan that fully reflects the church’s vision; that provides for effective and efficient facilities and fits within the budgetary constraints of the church.

Comments

Send us your comments.