Talking to Architects

We had a two special meetings last week about the future of our church buildings and property. The matter before us is to decide what our long-range plans are for this campus and these facilities. Should we be planning the next phase of construction? What would that look like?

The first meeting was with a local construction management company that builds churches. They would manage our entire project, provide an architect, and generally make things go. They gave a fantastic presentation and seem especially capable, having built a large number of churches in the Kansas City area.

The second meeting was with a smaller architectural firm out of Nebraska that specializes in churches. They're presentation wasn't nearly as strong but they were much more personable and engaging, i.e. they knew us, read our blogs, remembered little details from previous conversations, and generally seemed more sensitive to our particular ministry.

Both companies are staffed by good Christian men and women. Both know what they're doing and specialize in churches. Both teams were friendly and professional. Both seem to be good picks.

The key difference is in the way these two companies are organized. With the first company, the architect works for the general contractor. With the second company, the architect is ultimately in charge of the project. This may be a vital distinction but it's admittedly a philosophical one.

My practical side favors the local construction company; they just oozed competence and expertise. But in my gut, I prefer the architectural team from Nebraska. Hands down, the Nebraska company seem like a better fit with our type of congregation; I feel there's a natural like-mindedness with these guys that's more than skin deep. They call us by name and have been so attentive to the little details. One church member noted that he preferred them because as a smaller company they would try harder to make us happy.

I think the local construction company doesn't need to woo us because, frankly, they know they make an almost unbeatable offer. They're not trying to get their foot in the door, they already dominate the local market, and rightly so.

But in spite of this, I still feel a preference for the guys who seem to just "get" us. It's just my opinion. We'll pray about it and make a decision in November.