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Big Boxes: Big Opportunities for growing
churches
So what is a
big box anyway?
Benefits for Churches
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Searching
for the ideal way to expand a church's building size and outreach to
the community will present many avenues, all of which might be viable
options. Making the ideal decision, the one that satisfies all of the
normal monetary, time, and other restrictions, while still proving to
be the best investment is a large task. Renovation and addition to
the existing building is often the first route considered, but the
option to construct a new building at times may appear to be the only
other possible solution. Another option has been created out of the
growth of many communities, and may present a solution that is perfect
for your situation. Moving a church into a “big box” might sound like
a joke, but when you weigh all the options, it might just be the
perfect fit for your church.
So What is a “Big Box”
anyway?: The image of cardboard rapidly
deteriorating under a steady rainfall may be the first image that
comes to mind, however, this term has been coined to describe the
large structures built by major retailers. When a retailer like
Wal-Mart or K-Mart needs room to grow, they will usually buy more
land at a new location and build a larger building, while simply
leaving the old building sitting empty for months or years until they
can find someone who is not a direct competitor to sell it to. This
situation has created an almost ideal option for churches to look into
– perhaps the first alternative that should be considered. There are
hundreds, perhaps thousands of these buildings across the country,
and it is likely that there is one somewhere in your community.
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Benefits for Churches: There are many reasons why this setup might
be perfect for your church, some of which will be in the following
list. When given prayerful consideration, you may find other reasons
the “big box” fix might prove to be anything but soggy for your church's
specific needs.
- Location
– These retailers often obtain the best possible
location for visibility and access from major roads. This is
ideal for a growing church, often putting you into a location
that will allow many more people to see the church, and provide
an almost instant increase in your sphere of influence.
- Size
– The need for space is usually what drives a retailer
to build a new building, but the space they leave behind is
usually more than adequate for a church, allowing room for even more
growth. These buildings are usually 80,000 to 100,000 square
feet, and the possibilities for unique arrangement of offices,
classrooms, a sanctuary, and other spaces are almost endless.
This ensures that you get the right fit for your needs. This can
also help your church avoid the decision of just how big a
building you need to build, just leaving the planning for
renovating the existing structure.
- Price
- Because a church is not “selling” products or drawing
customers away from the retailers, they will often sell these
vacant properties at great prices to them. This is an ideal
situation for a church that does not want to overspend, and yet
still come up with the perfect solution for each of the other
points in this list.
- Existing
resources – Many things that a church might need are
often already a part of these buildings. Wal-Mart stores that
offer an automotive repair service would already have facilities
that could be ready with little renovation for buses and vans.
Parking lots that hold parking for 400 or more cars are often
already present, as well as water and electricity, and many
other resources that will save time and money for a church.
- Community
Support – Many people in communities have been
irritated with the seeming waste of leaving a large building
standing empty, allowing crime or just deterioration to negate
its value. This could be a way to show the immediate
surroundings of the building that the church is helping restore life
– a message that will be true on more than one level.
- Novelty
Draw – If the structure is left similar in appearance
to the way it was, it will often bring in the curious just to
see how the building looks on the inside, presenting a chance
for the church to reach them. Sometimes it is preferable to
alter it to the point of not looking at all like it used to, and
this can also serve as a draw to people who knew what the
building used to be, or by those wishing to see if the building
is really as different as an attendee might tell them.
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The “big
box” might prove to be an intriguing choice for your church, and
could prove to be the best decision you could make as a steward of God's
money. An example of what can be done with a “big box” can be seen in
the remodeling plans Dwight Brennfoerder designed and implemented for
First Christian Church of Miami,
Oklahoma while at Goodman’s. The linked projects page
provides some information and a flyby video for a look at how big a
transformation can take place. A great place to start might be
checking http://www.wal-martrealty.com
to see if they have a location near you. Other retailers might also
have one, and simply looking around your community could reveal your
church's next home. If you have questions about a big box, or any
other building project, please contact us!
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More Information
Other articles with information may
be obtained by clicking on the following links:
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