Chapter 9 – Other Comeback Factors
This chapter includes a variety of other “comeback factors” like facilities, marketing, resources, and the age and size of the church. The only thing really worth mentioning here is facilities.
Comeback churches often changed their facilities to help facilitate growth. The authors use an apt metaphor of a bonsai tree whose size is dictated by the size of the pot it is planted in. Like the bonsai tree, inadequate facilities can keep a church from reaching its true growth potential. To this effect, over half of the comeback leaders surveyed believed changing their facilities (remodeling or building) was a significant factor in their church’s comeback growth. The biggest reason contributing to a facilities change was to enhance children’s and youth ministries.
Hmmm.
The authors offer this important principle: “Let your vision determine your facilities. Never allow facilities to dictate your vision.”
Hmmm.
It seems I’ve heard all of this before but I can’t remember where….
Hmmm.
Okay! Okay! It was me! I’ve said these things before!
We need to build so that we can better minister to our youth and children; so that we can show them and our community that our children are a priority. I truly believe that our growth potential is severely limited by our facilities.
Our facilities do not currently fit our vision of being a “3rd place” for the community – a place where people can and want to go; a true community center. Right now our vision is limited only by our facilities and our vision necessitates that we make some serious facilities changes.
