Helping Pastors With One Of The Greatest Disruptions In Church Life

Helping Pastors With One Of The Greatest Disruptions In Church Life

Nowhere in the Bible does God call any leader to an easy task.  Every Christian leader faces seasons of disruption.  Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with the CEO of Cogun Church Builders Scott Couchenour who gave me some great perspective on ministry disruptions.  
A little background on Scott.  In addition to running an organization whose purpose is provide the greatest value of service possible in creating shelter for worship and ministry, he also runs the website ServingStrong which helps pastors deal with issues related to burnout.  Scott and his family have been friends for years.  If your church is looking at constructing new facilities in the next 3-5 years, I cannot recommend any more than Cogun Church Builders and Scott Couchenour.
I asked him if he would provide perspective for the readers of this site about the disruptions/challenges faced by church leaders during facility construction and planning.  As you read Scott’s comments below, you will see the lessons are applicable to all areas of leadership, not just facilities.
______________________________________________________________________
3 Truths About Construction Disruption
If you have led a church for any length of time, you have experienced seasons of disruption. These are times when the questions are plentiful and the answers are few. Times of misunderstandings. Times of stress and strife and struggle.
Among the greater disruptions in the life of your congregation is the expansion of facilities. Rather than be tossed here and there by the winds of popular belief or strong personalities, here are 3 truths about Construction Disruption to help guide you through:
It Is Inevitable
Disruption will be a part of a building program, mark my words. The magnitude will vary, but it will be present. The process of planning, designing, and building a church facility leaves the leadership and congregation vulnerable to destructive results such as church splits and major donor exodus. Knowing this potential, you can hit it head on with prayer and conversation. Lead your church through the disruption armed with the awareness of the potential for good and bad.
It Produces Opportunity
It is said that doing the unrealistic is easier than doing the realistic. If your goals are realistic, you run the risk of giving up after the first couple of hurdles. Unrealistic goals, by contrast – those that stretch you to where your faith is without borders – provide the adrenalin needed to overcome these trials and tribulations. Why? Because the end result is worth it. View a construction process for the opportunities it provides. Put aside your fear and seize the moment. Inspire others to step out in faith armed with the awareness of opportunity.
It Requires Company
If you set out to conquer a Class VI rapids (the kind of run that exemplifies the extremes of difficulty, unpredictability, and dangers of whitewater rafting where the consequences of errors are very severe) you will need a guide who is both qualified and has been down the stream many times before. You need one who believes in your mission and is 100% trustworthy at every twist and turn in the river.  Same is true when setting out on a construction program. The industry professional you choose will be the difference between a beautiful expression of God’s call on your church and total disaster. The fee you pay to a qualified guide for a Class VI whitewater run far outweighs the feeling of exhilaration and accomplishment at the end. Similarly, the fees you pay to a qualified design-build professional far outweigh the cost of spending too much time and resources on a building that doesn’t suit your mission. Seek out the right company armed with the awareness of risk.
If you’re a growing church, you will likely experience Construction Disruption at some point. When you do, I trust these 3 truths will help you navigate your way to success.