build outside the box

Your building is a tool to aid in your ministry. When your church gets to the point of renovating or building a facility, it is because God is moving you to bigger and better things. That's exciting!

In Matthew, Jesus teaches that people don't put new wine into old wineskins, because the wineskin would burst and both would be ruined. "But," He explains, "they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

As you consider how to build a facility that will support the strengths of your ministry, make sure your team is looking forward as well as back. Plan to continue the good work your church is doing, but remember to talk to God about where He's taking you with this new facility. Get creative teams together and brainstorm. Consider your community and ask yourselves what you may be able to do that you haven't already. Trust God to show you what He wants to do through you and build for the possibilities.

Don't take the new thing God is doing in your church and build an old wineskin for it.

Here's an example: Outreach Cinema. "We help you reach your church and local community by providing a turnkey feature film experience that is easy, 100%, safe, and potentially life transforming." You're probably planning to put seats in your building, and many churches are using overhead screens to aid in worship. If you aren't planning for overhead screens, but you think this is something that could really help you reach your neighbors, maybe you should think about those screens.