A New Way For Churches To Measure The Value Of A Human Life

JUNE 13, 2013 0 COMMENTS

Yesterday I had the pleasure of having dinner with the CEO of Cogun Church Builders Scott Couchenour.  In addition to running an organization whose purpose is provide the greatest value of service possible in creating shelter for worship and ministry, Scott also runs the website ServingStrong which helps pastors deal with issues related to burnout.  He and his family have been friends for years.

During our conversation, he said, “Brian, we want to change as many lives per square foot as possible.”  I love that phrase.

Every successful church has a ministry plan, a facility plan, and a funding plan.  If your facilities can no longer support the ministry God has called you to do, you have two options –expand to reach more people or not.

Some of the most frustrating conversations I have had involved facilities.  It becomes an exhausting exercise in self-control when I am forced to participate in these type of debates:

• debt or paying cash
• sanctuary, children’s building or Family Life Center
• anything regarding furnishings

Facilities by their very nature are dividing.  For example, some like blue carpet while others like red.

I guess someone has to have these conversations but not me.  My focus is on the reality that expanded facilities allow larger numbers of people to hear the life changing message of Jesus Christ.  That is why Scott’s comment resonated with me.

Cost per square foot easy to calculate.  But how many lives will be changed in the new facility?  Understanding this requires some extra effort with a facility other than a sanctuary.  Then divide that number by the square footage and ask – Does the value and number of lives changed per square foot outweigh the cost per square foot?”

I want to know how many lives can be changed per square foot in our church.  That is the real measurement of value.

My dad died last year, most likely without Christ.  I often wonder what it would have been like having a church building under construction near his home which captured his attention.  Once completed, he might have visited one Sunday morning to find out what was going on inside.  And unbeknownst to him, my dad just might have been ambushed with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

How much would that square footage have been worth?  How much was that human life worth?

Think about that next time a discussion about the need for expanded facilities arises at your church.

Finally, if your church needs to build or renovate, I can’t recommend Scott and the team at Cogun enough.  In my opinion, they are the finest church builders you can find because they understand how to best connect ministry and changed lives to facilities.  Give them a call at 800-258-5540.  You will be glad you did.