Choices are everywhere. Americans love choices. Someone once told me we are faced with between 5 to 10 thousand choices everyday. Some are obviously so benign we give them no thought whatsoever; we simply make a choice mindlessly and move on.
Other choices, however, are huge! They are monumental. They define us. Such monumental choices can determine the future by either unlocking or limiting future options.
Take the choice of whether to go to college after High School, for example. The experts (whoever they are), tell us that college grads make far more money over their lifetime than do only High School grads. Choosing to stop one's education at the High School level limits what jobs will be available in one's future. Of course, choosing to return to the educational environment opens up more options; thus, changing the course of one's future.
That's a simple thing to see. What's more difficult to recognize are subtle choices. Groups often make subtle choices without being aware they are doing so, or of their profound impact.
Take churches for example. When a group of Christians decide it's time to build a new facility, they often make the subtle choice of searching for traditional architects before they think through what's actually in their best interest. They assume the architect will look out for their best interest. After all, that's his job; it's what he's paid to do. He/She is an educated professional who has been trained to know what is best for churches, similar to how an Internist knows how to diagnose the physical needs of an ailing human body and prescribe a cure. Right? WRONG!
Far too many architects have been trained only in the art of drawing their visions. For the most part, they are creative people who want to use their skills, training and education in drawing a facility that utilizes meets a need while expressing their artistic capabilities. That may not translate into the best interest of a church.
Before a single dollar is spent on architectural services, a church should ask key questions such as: How many churches has the architectural firm in question done previously? How many churches of our persuasion has that firm designed? Does the firm do a complete church health analysis before they begin to conceptionalize a new facility?
Not all architects understand the unique nature of church buildings. Church buildings are peculiar animals. An architect can be a genius at designing residences, shopping centers or commercial office buildings and be a total flop with church facilities.
You can see how choosing such an architect would be disasterous for a church. It can also be extremely costly. For instance, mistakes in the design of a worship facility can cost the church for years to come as one measure after another is implemented in an attempt to "fix" an original design flaw that makes it extremely difficult for worshippers to hear the pastors message or respond to it.
Even the type of worship a church conducts in a facility will determine the design of a building, and it's not just the difference between contemporary or traditional worship styles. One pastor invites worshippers to come to the altar for personal ministry, while another only invites them to come for prayer, and still another does not give such an invitation at all. Some have massive choirs, other have choirs plus orchestras, while others have only a band. These are subtle differences of which many architects are completely unaware, and the building they design will reflect their lack of understanding of those subtleties.
When choosing someone to work with your church in designing a facility, be sure to work with a firm that understands the nuances of church facilities. Cosco and Associates have specialized in designing and constructing churches and christian schools since 1969. We've done over 1,000 projects across the United States. That gives us a vast base of experience from which your church will benefit. Choosing Cosco and Associates just makes sense!
For more information, check out our new website: www.churchdesign.com. Or, email me (DrRon@churchdesign.com) and I will get materials to you that will explain how we can take your church's dreams and turn them into reality.
Choices are critical for all of us; especially for churches. The architect your church is no smal matter. Such a choice will determine the future options of your ministry. It's that important!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
C or G is a huge difference
I pulled up at the light; actually, at the end of a string of cars waiting at the light. In the lane next door, sitting impatiently like a little boy waiting on the recess bell, was a biker sitting on his semi-customed Harley. He wasn't your typical "Hog" jockey so I guess that's why the whole thing caught my attention. He was rather small framed, so he looked odd and out of place.
Most of the time, you see guys riding those wondrous throaty machines that are large enough to spill out on either side of them. This guy was almost dwarfed by the gas tank alone, not to mention the massive rumbling engine he perched atop that made the bike shake noticably as it not so patiently waited to come roaring alive once the pie turned green.
As I studied the unusual site, a question welled up inside me. I wondered how much horse power per pound he had at his disposal? My mind wouldn't get off that thought. I estimated the horse power rating of the bike's big V-twin engine and I looked again at it's controller, who more and more took on the appearance of an astronaut attempting to steer an Apollo rocket with hand throttles.
Then I noticed the other machines around me - most of whom, like so many American motorized vehicles, had only one person occupying space within them. "Let's see, weight to horsepower... I bet that guy, pound for pound, has a higher rating than even that huge truck over there."
About then the stack of idled autos started to lurch forward. We were once again moving. I expected my biker buddy on the right to roar off the line (almost as if NASA control had hit the launch button). But he didn't. The roar was that unmistakeable and patented Harley Davidson rumble, but it had been tamed, like that of a big cat in a zoo. Obviously holding tremendous power at bay, he pulled smoothly off the line; straightening back up off his temporary left foot tripod and onto only his two wheels again.
That's when it hit me like a bolt of lightning - C versus G! Why would someone want to drive something so powerful when it wasn't really necessary to get him from point A to point B? After all, wouldn't a fraction of that horsepower get him to the same place? Of course, the same was true for the rest of us, too. I didn't need all the space I was occupying on the road either.
What causes us to cling to cars, SUV's, motorcycles and such that are so obviously manufactured with overkill engines? They aren't in the best interest of the planet. Therefore, they aren't in our best interest in the long run. The answer was clear - just change the idea of being eco-efficient with ego-efficient and you have your answer. It's a very small change - just a C to a G, but what a huge difference to our world.
Someone once asked me what I thought was wrong with our world. My answer was, and is, very simple: we are! At the very root of things, human beings are selfish. That's the original sin Adam and Eve discovered in the Garden. It's the basis for every other sin, misdeed, crime, hurtful relationship, etc. It runs so deep in us we're not even aware of its presence most of the time. To surgically remove it would kill the patient.
That's why God alone is the only one qualified to fix the problem. He alone has the ability to perform such a delicate operation without destroying the very one He is attempting to save. As one Bible verse puts it: "A bruised reed He will not break."
All self-effort at improvement, therefore, is nothing more than window dressing on selfishness; changing what was once putrid into palatable, according to taste. It never addresses the root cause but merely coats the sinful essence with a measure of tolerability.
God's plan to redeem us from our sin through the sacrificial and completely atoning death of Jesus is still the only cure. Even with that, we'll not see the total restoration of a pure nature until we stand before Him in eternity. But, at least we know that freedom from selfishness is possible, and promised in Him. The next time you sit at traffic light, think about it. You might spend that time talking to God about getting free in Christ yourself. It's that important!
Most of the time, you see guys riding those wondrous throaty machines that are large enough to spill out on either side of them. This guy was almost dwarfed by the gas tank alone, not to mention the massive rumbling engine he perched atop that made the bike shake noticably as it not so patiently waited to come roaring alive once the pie turned green.
As I studied the unusual site, a question welled up inside me. I wondered how much horse power per pound he had at his disposal? My mind wouldn't get off that thought. I estimated the horse power rating of the bike's big V-twin engine and I looked again at it's controller, who more and more took on the appearance of an astronaut attempting to steer an Apollo rocket with hand throttles.
Then I noticed the other machines around me - most of whom, like so many American motorized vehicles, had only one person occupying space within them. "Let's see, weight to horsepower... I bet that guy, pound for pound, has a higher rating than even that huge truck over there."
About then the stack of idled autos started to lurch forward. We were once again moving. I expected my biker buddy on the right to roar off the line (almost as if NASA control had hit the launch button). But he didn't. The roar was that unmistakeable and patented Harley Davidson rumble, but it had been tamed, like that of a big cat in a zoo. Obviously holding tremendous power at bay, he pulled smoothly off the line; straightening back up off his temporary left foot tripod and onto only his two wheels again.
That's when it hit me like a bolt of lightning - C versus G! Why would someone want to drive something so powerful when it wasn't really necessary to get him from point A to point B? After all, wouldn't a fraction of that horsepower get him to the same place? Of course, the same was true for the rest of us, too. I didn't need all the space I was occupying on the road either.
What causes us to cling to cars, SUV's, motorcycles and such that are so obviously manufactured with overkill engines? They aren't in the best interest of the planet. Therefore, they aren't in our best interest in the long run. The answer was clear - just change the idea of being eco-efficient with ego-efficient and you have your answer. It's a very small change - just a C to a G, but what a huge difference to our world.
Someone once asked me what I thought was wrong with our world. My answer was, and is, very simple: we are! At the very root of things, human beings are selfish. That's the original sin Adam and Eve discovered in the Garden. It's the basis for every other sin, misdeed, crime, hurtful relationship, etc. It runs so deep in us we're not even aware of its presence most of the time. To surgically remove it would kill the patient.
That's why God alone is the only one qualified to fix the problem. He alone has the ability to perform such a delicate operation without destroying the very one He is attempting to save. As one Bible verse puts it: "A bruised reed He will not break."
All self-effort at improvement, therefore, is nothing more than window dressing on selfishness; changing what was once putrid into palatable, according to taste. It never addresses the root cause but merely coats the sinful essence with a measure of tolerability.
God's plan to redeem us from our sin through the sacrificial and completely atoning death of Jesus is still the only cure. Even with that, we'll not see the total restoration of a pure nature until we stand before Him in eternity. But, at least we know that freedom from selfishness is possible, and promised in Him. The next time you sit at traffic light, think about it. You might spend that time talking to God about getting free in Christ yourself. It's that important!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Why use a professional firm?
I've recently started working for a company that exclusively designs and builds church facilities. They've been around since 1969 and have built over 1,000 projects in that time, so they are a highly reputable firm with a wonderful track record.
Recently I spoke to a pastor whose church has chosen to "borrow" another churches building plans for their new facility. He said they have been looking around and taking notice of buildings they liked and didn't like. On several occasions, the same building seem to crop up. Upon closer inspection, they discovered it was actually the same building plan that was built in different locations. After talking with one of those churches, they discovered they could get access to those plans at no cost for their next building.
It seems like a reasonable idea - borrow plans to save money. However, does it really work that way and is that the best way to approach something as important as a new facility?
Respectfully, anything that saves money can be helpful and I certainly don't blame that pastor for trying. However, here are three very important reasons for using a professional company, like Cosco and Associates, instead of borrowing someone else's plan.
1. One size doesn't fit all. It will actually save money in the long run to use a professional firm to draw a Master Plan for each church specifically designed toward that church's future needs and property configurations. From that plan, that church can maximize every inch of its property for ministry. Using such a plan can reduce the amount of money that must be spent bringing older buildings and parking lots into line with new additions. And, it can help a church to not under or over build during a particular project (sometimes saving hundreds of thousands of dollars).
2. Borrowed plans aren't always free. Even if one church gives their working drawings to another church without charge, someone still has to modify those plans to fit the contours of the property in question and to submit to authorities for approval. If those plans are stamped, reputable architects cannot make such changes without the approval of the owner (architect). With all that, it can be less costly just to start from scratch than "revise" an existing plan.
3. Finally, the right professional firm can customize a building for the budget and space needed. Cosco and Associates, for example, not only has its own architectural department, they also have their own construction department. This means there is no guessing what something will cost when its designed (like most architectural firms do before they submit a plan out for bids). That's how Cosco and Associates can offer a guaranteed maximum price after a design is agreed upon. There are no expensive change orders needed and the church knows exactly what it will pay before they enter into a project. Because there is no competition between the architectural firm and the construction company, the work is done to exact specifications and the end-result is exactly what was expected. Translation: no wasted dollars! No disappointed church members! And, no loss of contributions because "what we got wasn't what I committed to give to."
There are plenty more reasons than just these three, but that's a start. For more information on why your church should use a professional firm like Cosco and Associates, go to our website (www.churchdesign.com). You can see plenty of examples from: Sanctuaries & Worship Centers; to Family Life Buildings; to Educational Complexes; to total Master Plans that we've done over the years. Give us the opportunity to speak with you about how we can help your church get the facility of its dreams while saving money for ministry!
Recently I spoke to a pastor whose church has chosen to "borrow" another churches building plans for their new facility. He said they have been looking around and taking notice of buildings they liked and didn't like. On several occasions, the same building seem to crop up. Upon closer inspection, they discovered it was actually the same building plan that was built in different locations. After talking with one of those churches, they discovered they could get access to those plans at no cost for their next building.
It seems like a reasonable idea - borrow plans to save money. However, does it really work that way and is that the best way to approach something as important as a new facility?
Respectfully, anything that saves money can be helpful and I certainly don't blame that pastor for trying. However, here are three very important reasons for using a professional company, like Cosco and Associates, instead of borrowing someone else's plan.
1. One size doesn't fit all. It will actually save money in the long run to use a professional firm to draw a Master Plan for each church specifically designed toward that church's future needs and property configurations. From that plan, that church can maximize every inch of its property for ministry. Using such a plan can reduce the amount of money that must be spent bringing older buildings and parking lots into line with new additions. And, it can help a church to not under or over build during a particular project (sometimes saving hundreds of thousands of dollars).
2. Borrowed plans aren't always free. Even if one church gives their working drawings to another church without charge, someone still has to modify those plans to fit the contours of the property in question and to submit to authorities for approval. If those plans are stamped, reputable architects cannot make such changes without the approval of the owner (architect). With all that, it can be less costly just to start from scratch than "revise" an existing plan.
3. Finally, the right professional firm can customize a building for the budget and space needed. Cosco and Associates, for example, not only has its own architectural department, they also have their own construction department. This means there is no guessing what something will cost when its designed (like most architectural firms do before they submit a plan out for bids). That's how Cosco and Associates can offer a guaranteed maximum price after a design is agreed upon. There are no expensive change orders needed and the church knows exactly what it will pay before they enter into a project. Because there is no competition between the architectural firm and the construction company, the work is done to exact specifications and the end-result is exactly what was expected. Translation: no wasted dollars! No disappointed church members! And, no loss of contributions because "what we got wasn't what I committed to give to."
There are plenty more reasons than just these three, but that's a start. For more information on why your church should use a professional firm like Cosco and Associates, go to our website (www.churchdesign.com). You can see plenty of examples from: Sanctuaries & Worship Centers; to Family Life Buildings; to Educational Complexes; to total Master Plans that we've done over the years. Give us the opportunity to speak with you about how we can help your church get the facility of its dreams while saving money for ministry!
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