Over the years, I have met with dozens of administrators, executive pastors, operations directors, and facility personnel. Through my experience, I have seen a discrepancy between how people define these two phrases: facility management and facility maintenance. While...
I have had a number of churches request proposals for a Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) who then tried to compare our offering to a Reserve Study. There is actually a HUGE difference between these two reports, and I thought it would be prudent to help...
How many of you have ever watched the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day? Year after year, I would watch this in preparation for the Rose Bowl and college football. Around the time of World War II, the theme of the parade was “Be Prepared,” according to...
Seriously, stop. If you are not seeking and following energy saving guidelines, you are spending money you do not have to. Money spent on facilities, when not necessary, take away dollars available for your ministerial mission. The logical response to this opening is...
Churches are largely supported financially by the members that belong to their communities, and the money members can give — whether it’s put in a collection basket at service or deducted automatically from a checking account — is contingent on a lot of factors. That...
Has your church ever thought of starting a school? I have worked with dozens of churches that at some point thought they would best serve their local community by starting a school...usually in their existing church facilities. While this can be exciting, there are...
If you attend a church with multiple services (whether that is multiple worship services or worship with educational), you probably have limited time between your services. One church I've worked with in Charlotte has 3, back-to-back-to-back, worship services with...
Just as our bodies contract diseases that can lead to problems and cause pain and discomfort, many diseases can infect church facilities so that the church can experience functional problems and great discomfort. Rarely are these merely cosmetic, but are often outward...
Have you ever heard the old adage about the 2 happiest days of boat ownership? “The day you buy it and the day you sell it." If you're a boat owner, this saying may best describe your ownership experience. So what about our ministry tools? While most of us will never...
If you have read my blogs for just about any time at all, you know that I am a big Seth Godin fan. A few years ago he posted a blog entitled "Cheap Shower Curtains" that really caught my attention. Here is an excerpt: The unskilled cost accountant might suggest you...
You have probably heard that first impressions of your church facility happen very quickly when a first-time guest comes in. So, we push our facility team to keep entrances clean. The concern is, what does clean mean to you? Clean is one part of a proper cleaning...
There's a phase with every church facility project that is all about raising money. While that may sound unappealing in ministry, the practical reality is any building project will require a significant financial investment. Thankfully, raising funds...
With the warm summer months arriving churches will be turning on the AC in most of the country, increasing utility bills, possibly drastically. Tim Cool of Smart Church Solutions met with Certified Energy Manager Colby May to discuss how to control that impact, while...
Have you ever been in a building and seen a list of events or announcements on a TV monitor or other device? Maybe even something as simple as the WiFi password or an inspirational quote? For many first-time guests, digital signage makes a first impression. But,...
I have been reading a book by John Maxwell entitled How Successful People Think. It's a short and easy read...you should pick up a copy. One of the sections of the book is on Creative Thinking. I have always thought of myself as a creative thinker and so this section...
Many churches are dealing with aging buildings and a declining attendance/membership. When this happens, they find themselves in a situation with more building than they need. This issue is generally caused by a couple of factors: 1. The church has declined in...
Christmas Stewardship: two words you most likely have never seen put together. In fact, I don’t believe I have ever used them together in a sentence. I talk a lot about stewarding our facilities and managing money well. But, stewardship is more than that. Take a...
In addition to preventive maintenance, there’s another critical aspect to stewarding the resources entrusted to you: safety. While you can’t guarantee everyone’s safety 100% of the time, there are practical actions you can take to reduce the likelihood of...
If you have been a part of any management classes, you have probably heard the term “Management by Wandering Around.” This concept really took off in the early 80s, and is characterized by management in taking the time to wander around their company and engage in...
Facility Management Software is a vital tool to aid with the monthly, daily, and periodic tasks of church facility maintenance. While there are many good products on the market, there are some features that you should consider essential as you go through your...