Thursday, October 11, 2012


Case Study:  Harvest Bible Chapel Granger, IN

Harvest Granger began with 13 people interested in founding a new church.  They launched in an elementary school in February of 2009 with 250 people.  They settled in at 150 and then began to grow. 
They formed a facility team.  They collected a $13,000 facility offering initially, and began searching.  The team got excited about a 24,000 sf. warehouse on a major road.  However, the Elders were not excited because the site was landlocked, and the price was high.  The owner stopped communication, and God closed the door.
But Pastor Trent was building a relationship with the Pastor of a local church that was dying.  They began to discuss a “Church Adoption” where this church would join Harvest.  They worked on a plan for an entire year, and things were looking promising.  Then in January of 2011, the pastor resigned abruptly, and the deal fell apart. 
Nothing happened for 6 months.  Then, Pastor Trent got a call on Friday.  The elders of this other church said, “We’re in.”  The leaders from two churches met on Saturday, and announced the adoption on Sunday.  God did it in just 3 days. 
This happened while Granger was at about 300.  The new building needed to be renovated and expanded.  It was only 4,000 sf., so they hoped to add another 3,000 sf.  The new building would seat 600.  The project would cost $850,000. 
In July of 2011, they held a facility offering and collected $400,000 in cash and $200,000 in pledges over a 3-year period.  They had saved up $250,000, and they borrowed $200,000. 
After 3 years of worshiping in a school gym, they moved into their new facility in February of 2012. 
They had 470 at their last Sunday in the gym.  They had 601 people at their first service in the new building. 
The new facility accelerated the ministry.  “Whiplash” is the word Pastor Trent used to describe the experience.  The new building is surrounded by 60 acres.  The owner attends the church, and the leaders are praying he will donate the land to the mission.  

Case Study:  Harvest Bible Chapel Davenport

Harvest Davenport began in 2004 with 20 people.  Their launch team worked hard to start this new church, and over 400 people attended their first service.  They began looking for a facility shortly after launch.  They found a big box store sitting on the busiest intersection in the quad city area.  Previously, the building was an electronics store.  The building was 53,000 sf. 
The original asking price was $10 million.  Six weeks later, the owners dropped it to $5.1 million.  They settled on a final price of $4.7 million. 
The church had about 600 people at the time of purchase.  They needed $150,000 in earnest money.  They needed a down payment of $1.3 million.  They had six weeks to do it.  They were only one and a half years old.  They didn't even have elders yet.  After a massive blitz, they collected $1.7 million and made the down payment.   
The building was a mess.  They had a one year build out process.  Their total project cost was $8 million dollars. 
The whole deal almost collapsed when their financing fell through, but then a local bank gave them a loan.  After the building was done, they had $123 dollars in the bank. 
They had 600 people at the time of purchase, 1,000 at their move-in service, and one month later 1,500 showed up to worship.   
They are currently flat out of space.  They have three services and are averaging 2,300 people each weekend.  They have no rooms available, and the building is being used every night of the week.  They are praying to plant one new church every year.  

Saturday, August 25, 2012



 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.  
                                                                                                              --Proverbs 11:14

One of the best parts of being in the Harvest Bible Fellowship is the connection we share with many thriving churches.  Several churches recently began or completed building programs.  The Harvest Palos Future Facility Team contacted a few churches to hear their stories and to receive any advice they had for us.  This is one testimony we heard that we wanted to pass along to you:

Harvest Bible Chapel North Phoenix
Pastor Bill Borinstein
Launched 2008

When Pastor Bill arrived, Harvest Phoenix had 50 adults, and they met in a cafeteria.  Within four months, the church grew to 160.  Over the next year, they grew to 230, then 280.  They knew it was time to upgrade their location.

The market was tough, and it was difficult to find properties that would meet their needs.  They soon discovered three prime locations that seemed promising.  Just when things seemed to be moving forward, all three sites fell through.  It was very discouraging.

They then discovered an old furniture warehouse that sat empty.  Pastor Bill's first response was, "This is not going to work."  But the idea began to grow on him.  The warehouse was big.  It had 80,000 square feet of space.  The location was great.  It sat at a major intersection by a regional mall.  However, the price was astronomical.  It would have cost them 10 million dollars to purchase the entire facility.  This was impossible for a church of 280 with a budget of $600,000.

So they decided to draw up a lease agreement.  They decided to lease 15,000 sf of space for 5 years.  They then hired an architect familiar with church design and built a church inside the warehouse.  They collected a building fund offering of $127,000.  The landlord contributed $286,000 to the work (it was worked into the lease amount).

They finished the work, moved in, and God began to grow the church.  They hit 400 in January of 2011, then 500 by April.  In 2012, they moved to 3 services.  On Easter of 2012, they had 840 people.  They now operate on an annual budget of $1.2 million.  They have 8 full-time staff members and are baptizing people every month.  

When asked about the lessons they learned during the process, Bill replied, "Faith."
It took a lot of faith to move the church 12 miles away, and several families decided to leave.  But they were originally in a community of 40,000 people.  They moved to a community of 250,000 people.  The change was worth the risk.

It took a lot of faith to hire staff to keep up with the growth.  "We've never had the money for the next hire."  But God provided again and again.

When asked about the idea of leasing instead of purchasing, Bill said there is great value to an "intermediary step."  Their current building is allowing them to grow what is really important---the people.  One day they hope to have their own building.  They are currently praying that the landlord donates it to the church.





Summer Recap,

The Future Facility Team was hard at work this summer.  Our first set of leads emerged last spring, but none of them panned out.  So, we took a map of the entire region, divided it up, and assigned a team member to scout out properties in each of the sections.  This produced a bunch of new leads.


We now have a stack of papers, pictures, and printouts that seems overwhelming.  So many options to consider, and so many variables to think through.  The biggest question we discussed this summer was, "How do we pick the RIGHT ONE?"

We turned to the Bible and read a profound short story in the book of Matthew.  Peter had a run-in with some tax-collectors who "audited" the giving of Jesus himself.  After Jesus confronted Peter about the conversation, the Lord said this:

  "However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel.  Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself."  Matthew 17:27

While this is not one of the greatest miracles on record, it was an amazing demonstration of God's power.  Peter had already seen great miracles.  He was in the boat when they had a miraculous catch.  The nets broke and the boats began to sink because so many fish were caught.  But on this occasion, Peter didn't need a net.  Jesus told him to cast a hook.  He would catch only one fish.  But within that fish, he would find the exact coin needed to pay both Jesus' tax and Peter's.

How will we find the RIGHT ONE?  The same way Peter caught the right fish.  We believe the Lord Himself will direct us to a property that is "swimming toward us."  We believe the Lord is already preparing the place in advance.  While we diligently follow-up on every lead and cast our hook in the water, we are waiting for something divine to happen.  We want nothing less.  We want God to find the location for us.  We want God to affirm His choice as only He can.  We want a "miraculous catch."  Pray that the Lord will bring this to pass according to His timeline.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

A call to prayer and fasting

The Future Facility Team is very excited because we have our first official "lead" on a possible church home.  We feel this is the perfect time for prayer and fasting.  Before we even pick up the phone to begin chasing our first lead, we want God to know the decision is in His hands.  Even though the facility hunt has just begun, we have some BIG options on the table.  Faith-stretching for sure.  So, please pick a day this week, and lift your voice to God through prayer and fasting.

Pray:
-That God would open doors no man can close.
-That God would write our entire facility story in a way that glorifies Him, not us.  
-That God would give us all necessary faith and wisdom to see the process through.
-That God would provide all necessary finances and resources through the generosity of His people.  
-That God would give us the greatest possible tool to make the greatest possible impact for the Gospel, no less.  

Jeremiah 32:27  "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?"

Matthew 19:26   "But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 

Luke 8:25   "[Jesus] said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?"

Psalm 65:5  "By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas."

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Welcome to the Building Program Blog

On Sunday, December 18th, we took up our first future facility offering. Everyone was challenged to give by faith, as we have no details at this point. The elders wanted to make it clear that we are following God's plan by faith as it unfolds. That is why we took up the offering before we began the search. God's people truly rallied to the vision. Perhaps it was the sauna service that took place in the gym 2 weeks prior, when the heat had been left on all night long. Or maybe it was the parking fiasco 1 week prior, when a wrestling meet took up every parking spot in the lot by 8am. Whatever the reason, God's people were highly motivated to give sacrificially to the new building fund. The total initial building fund offering collected was:

$114,234.79

 This is an astronomical offering for a church our size at the beginning of the process. Half this amount would have been impressive. It is clear that God's people are "all in." God loves cheerful givers, and He loves faith. And so it begins...we have stepped out by faith, trusting God's plan will unfold in the months ahead.

What's next? In January, we will form a Future Facility Team. This team will survey the Palos region for all available buildings and land. They will also study the demographics of the congregation. They will meet with bankers, interview other churches for advice, and will pray fervently for God's widsom. They will present their research to the elders, who will in turn keep the congregation updated and involved in the process. We want to take our time, so things will develop gradually. We have no idea how long the process will take, or where God will lead, but we are off to an amazing start. Check back here regularly for updates.

Meet the new Future Facility Team

Meet our new Future Facility Team!

Scouting out Properties

Recently, our Future Facility Team hit the road to survey some available buildings and properties.  Let us know if you have any sites we should add to our list!  Here are a few types of property we are looking at:


1.  Open Land
Advantages:  We have total control of the design.  We would own the property, adding security.  We could grow larger by adding on in the future.
Disadvantages:  It costs a lot more to build from scratch.  It takes a lot more time to build from scratch.  The process can get far more complicated, demanding much time and attention from key leaders. This could distract us from the ministry.  Zoning can be a problem.  



2.  Existing church buildings

Advantages:  They are built for worship, so the design is often compatible with our needs.  This means little construction is required.  It "feels" like a church inside.  People usually like churches to feel like churches.  They are already zoned as a church.  
Disadvantages:  It is tough to find a church that is big enough.  Often churches don't have land to expand.  Parking can also be a problem.  



3.  Warehouse space
Advantages:  The cost is much cheaper compared to building from scratch.  Owners often will lease for an affordable rate.  Often these buildings are located near major expressways, giving tremendous visibility.  We design the interior space anyway we want.  

Disadvantages:  Location can be off the beaten path.  Zoning can be a problem.  Parking can be a problem.  Might not be a permanent solution.  Resale could be complicated.  



4.  Other available buildings    
Advantages: there are buildings like this available everywhere-grocery stores, department stores, office buildings, etc.  The supply is abundant.  These buildings often have adequate parking and good visibility.  

Disadvantages:  zoning can be an issue.  The interior would have to be greatly altered to become a church.  The owner may want to lease instead of sell it outright.  



So there you have it!  Let us know if you come across any available options for us to consider.  You can add a comment to this blog, or you can email Pastor Ryan at rhall@harvestpalos.org.