Having a compelling vision drives the success of a church building or remodeling project, but success requires more than simply having vision and writing it down.
A vision statement is not designed to collect dust on a shelf. As a church leader, you’ve already demonstrated that you have what it takes to rally an organization around a bold initiative. It’s what makes someone a leader.
So, when it comes time for a church building project, it’s important that you consistently communicate the purpose of the project, the timeline in which the vision must be sustained, and that you also remind church attendees of that vision in a captivating way. All of this will lead to project unity. Here are three tips to make it happen.
Tip 1: Communicate a Clear and Compelling Church Vision
A new church building, and even some church remodeling projects, can take more than a year to complete. However, you have a limited amount of time to get everyone on board with your church vision for ministry. In order to prevent any misunderstandings, it’s important to have a clear and concise church vision statement. We always suggest that the vision statement is written down and shared frequently.
Think about it this way: church leaders get excited about new projects. It’s possible to then talk about them for days, sharing all the details and eventually, possibly, overwhelming people or turning them away. A compelling church vision that can be communicated in a single sentence or paragraph is helpful to give clarity to everyone. It also helps keep everyone on the same page.
Tip 2: Build Unity Quickly in Your Church Community
Unity is critical to the success of any church building project. Getting and keeping everyone on the same page helps your church community keep moving forward. A church building is expensive these days, so it’s rare that everybody gets everything they want the first time around. Instead of arguing over whose ministry is most important and what most needs to happen, church leaders need to help staff, volunteers, and attendees understand that you’re working with a long-range plan.
With a long-range church vision and phased church building plan, everyone understands the vision, the big picture, from the beginning. Then priorities become much clearer. People can see how the first step is needed to support their ministry, which might be in the second or third phase. They understand where their specific ministry plays a role in the overall church vision.
Tip 3: Support Shared Sacrifice During the Church Building Process
As we noted above, any church building project will take a while to reach completion, especially if you’re implementing it in phases. Another key tip to successful implementation of your church vision is clearly describing the end result. When church leaders make the vision compelling, attendees understand what’s going to happen. They know where you’re going. This allows people to put up with disruption for a while longer. They will sacrifice in the present because they know where the church is headed. When they’re inspired by what lies ahead, they’ll put up with the challenges that come with any church building project. They feel part of something bigger than themselves.
As you know, we share tips like this throughout the year, using our free i3 webinars to communicate ideas, insights, and innovations for the church building process. Our 2021 lineup is available here and you can register for the first three upcoming webinars here.