CFS Blog

Bringing Back Young People to the Church

We noticed an article in USA Today on Dec 19, 2014 entitled: “How churches can attract younger people”. This article essentially touts some ideas offered by Naomi Schaefer Riley, author of the new book Got Religion?: How Churches, Mosques, and Synagogues Can Bring Young People Back. As Riley researched youthful congregations, she found a few things. In many congregations, leadership […]

40K SF Church Facility FOR SALE in Littleton, Colorado

Development Advisors, LLC is pleased to announce that The Rock of Southwest is experiencing burgeoning growth and will be relocating. As a result, we have just listed this unique and high quality church facility FOR SALE at 10393 West Alamo Place in Littleton, Colorado 80127. This 40,264 SF church has the potential to accommodate up to 1,800 adults and kids […]

Tax Information: Nonprofits Renting Extra Space

Is your organization thinking of becoming a landlord? You’re not alone. We see various tax-exempt organizations, especially churches, weighing that potentiality. Many churches rent out their extra space, and growing congregations sometimes acquire extra space as they expand, so they can turn a profit on the excess. So, if your church or organization is in this boat, what do you […]

Taking the Offering: Dos & Don’ts

Hate talking about money? Many church leaders shy away from this tricky topic because they’re concerned it may reinforce negative impressions people have about the church. But congregational giving is important in many ways-and not as common as you might think. According to our friends at Kardia Consulting, who’ve been coaching church leaders on stewardship/generosity issues for more than 16 […]

How To Look at Debt Part 2: Debt is a Resource

In our last blog, we talked about how debt is a tricky subject in church circles but it’s an important one for pastors to be able to explain to their congregations. This is especially true when the church itself is taking on debt, as churches often must to complete expansion projects. We explained that debt must be viewed in two […]

How to Look at Debt Part I: It is a Burden

Photo by Steve Johnson A large church expansion project is no joke. Many of our clients take on financial obligations worth millions of dollars. But “debt” can be a dirty word in church circles. After all, many churches have embraced and promoted financial management advice from the likes of Dave Ramsey, who insists that “debt is dumb” and everyone who […]

A Church Expansion Success Story

More than a decade ago when John Snyder came to pastor Crossroads Community Church in Parker, the church numbered about 80 people. These days, Crossroads is pulling in more than 2,000 people per week and running four services. About three years ago, it was clear that Crossroads needed to expand. They’d moved to three services on Sunday mornings with an […]

Creating a Great Strategic Plan for Future Expansion

In past blogs, we’ve emphasized the importance of completing a strategic plan before diving into the design phase of a church expansion project. But what makes a good strategic plan? We believe that, while every plan is a bit different, there are four elements that factor in every good strategy—whether in church leadership, real estate development or business. Below, we […]

Boost Your Credibility: Become Accredited

It wasn’t long ago that most people trusted their church leaders implicitly and without question. But that has changed. Several scintillating scandals involving high profile church leaders dampened public trust over recent decades. Having watched certain respected leaders fall from pillars of society to villains, many folks feel a bit jaded. It is therefore crucial for church leaders—not just pastors, […]

Churches As Economic Assets: The impact of location and traffic

Churches are so much more than houses of worship. They act as community centers, childcare centers and sometimes, even schools. Yet there’s more. Although churches don’t pay property taxes, they can be valuable drivers of local economic development in several ways. One economic impact that’s become more apparent with the rise of the megachurch involves location and church size. Churches […]

First Impressions Part II: Details Matter

As Easter Sunday approaches, consider the message your church’s landscaping, layout and signage are sending. In our last blog we discussed the importance of lobby space for churches to make a good first impression, saying a big “Welcome!” to newcomers and regulars alike. Now we’ll broaden the details surrounding that crucial first impression. Lobbies (aka fellowship space, atrium, café, etc.) […]

First Impressions Count: Lobbies are Key

Consider a tale of two churches: A young couple, relatively new in town and looking for a church home, walks into one, then the other. The first church is a little dingy, with outdated paint and fixtures and a sterile, cramped lobby leading to the auditorium. The carpet looks a bit worn and stained. The second church enters into an […]

A Project Manager: Best Bang for your Buck

When church leaders establish a vision for facility expansion, they typically want to see it on paper immediately. So they hire an architect. The problem with this is that the church is then spending thousands of dollars before they know if the vision is even feasible. Vision is exciting, but the nitty-gritty stuff is what makes it tangible. There are […]

Generosity & Stewardship

Raising money for any purpose is challenging, but a prerequisite for church expansion. As A-to-Z managers for church facility projects, we walk with our church clients through the process of finding a stewardship coach and organizing a generosity campaign.Having done this many times, we have observed some biblical truths that must be communicated. Giving is an act of love and […]

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