Hiring a Church Building Consultant - Aug. 3, 2010 

For the past five months, the Design Development Team (DDT) has had the challenge of looking at the ministry here at Community Bible Fellowship, and attempting to figure out what is the best way for CBF to proceed in our anticipated move north.  Those months have been filled with meetings, drawings, trips, consultations, and a considerable amount of ongoing conversation and prayer.  Skip Sauder has led this capable team, consisting of Marty Dudley, Brian Duley, Lori Neisler, and Doug Reeves, along with Dale Pokarney and yours truly sitting in as members in an advisory capacity. 

It became apparent to the team as they met weekly that this project needed to be approached differently than was originally thought.  After poring over possible renderings, and spending time talking with those who head various ministries here at the church, we began to see that what we really needed was an approach that looked at who we are as a church family.  Our future building shouldn’t define us;  instead, it should express who we are;  the message we have to share, and the way that God has equipped us to share it.  We are unique, and our Father in Heaven has put us together like no other.  Our “DNA” as a church is unique, and the building we move into must recognize and optimize those special qualities.

At this point, the DDT began to look outside our immediate area, and see who was doing church construction with ministry as the focal point.  They talked to churches and consultants in the field of church design, and through a lengthy process, came to focus on The Aspen Group, a design/build company here in Illinois (headquartered in Frankfort, just outside of Chicago), who work exclusively with churches and Christian organizations.  The DDT met several times with them, and came away with the sense that they too shared the priorities and philosophy of ministry that we have here at CBF:  That a building is a means of ministry, and not the end result; that it should reflect the “DNA” of that church family, be eminently creative in its usefulness, and enhance the ministries that God has called us to.    

After careful and prayerful evaluation, the DDT unanimously recommended to the leadership of the church that we enter in to an agreement with the Aspen Group to spearhead our building project.  The Elders concurred, and this past week, we partnered with Aspen to guide us through this important process.  Much like Cargill and Associates, who helped us with our Stewardship Campaign, the team at Aspen will be working with us in the designing, as well as overseeing the construction/renovation process of our North Campus.  We look forward to seeing God’s hand continuing to be at work in our midst through this.

Some of the team from The Aspen Group will be here at CBF on Sunday, August 15^th, during our Second Hour.  They will give the church family a brief presentation, and answer questions.  You can learn more about them right now, if you would like, by going to their website, http://aspengroup.com  . 

This has been a rather long process, these past five months.  But it has been a thoughtful, prayerful, purposeful time throughout, and I am convinced that God will continue to stretch us, and bless us, as we walk by faith with Him.  I would also like to personally thank Skip, Brian, Lori, Doug, Marty, and Dale, the members of the DDT for their persistent, meticulous work on our behalf.  It has been both a blessing and source of encouragement to me, personally, as I observed this team work diligently, and selflessly, together.  They have exemplified the proverb that says “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17, ESV).   It has been a privilege working with you all in this opportunity.

                                                                                                                                --Pastor Wes