I am impressed with how so many churches are rethinking the use of buildings. Many churches are no longer building for “us” but rediscovering the Great Commission and building for the community. There are so many churches, moved by the Spirit, to build places where God’s people can serve the lost and needy of our world–and that is a great thing!
The Dream…Picture these scenes:
- Your Bible study is just finishing your time together in the warm glow of a large fireplace.
- You notice an unchurched neighbor of yours enter the building with a small shopping bag in hand.
- A youth staff member and three students are deeply engaged in conversation while sipping their mochas.
- Twenty people from the neighborhood are gathered in a second floor conference room for a life-skills class.
- A member of the deaf community accesses the only public video phone in the area.
- The building hostess directs a city leader to the planning session in a breakout room.
- Students with backpacks and laptops catch the elevator to the 3rd floor seminary classroom.
- Three Salem Alliance Elders compassionately pray for a grief-stricken family in an upper prayer room overlooking the city.
Now imagine that they are all happening at the same time in a facility owned and operated by a church – your church, Salem Alliance. These are the kinds of experiences that we anticipate will regularly occur in the new building on Broadway – Salem Alliance’s next step towards impacting our community.
The Plan…
• An inviting coffee experience, complete with a fireplace for gathering
• A 400-seat auditorium with kitchen for receptions, concerts, dramas and outreach events
• Numerous large conference rooms for training, shepherding groups, seminary classes, etc.
• Prayer areas for personal and group prayer overlooking the city
• Numerous “breakout” areas for smaller gatherings
• Full handicap accessibility
• Leased professional and commercial space
• Four stories – 50,000 sq. ft. – unlimited uses
The Impact…
The new building on Broadway, yet to be officially named, will have a major impact not only on Salem Alliance but also on the neighborhood and entire city. The events that will be hosted, training provided, agencies served, planning conducted, prayers prayed, ideas generated, relationships built, partnerships formed, leaders mobilized and lives changed will take us well beyond our current limitations.
Many times in planning for Broadway, the church leadership has tried to scale back the dream. Yet, somehow our hearts wouldn’t let us. Our conviction only grew that we must maximize this opportunity. Over and over we sensed “God is going before us, we must follow.”
For seventy years, this neighborhood has been our church home. Now it is time to prepare for the next seventy years. Our future will be greatly impacted by the steps of faith we take today.
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I love it! Love it, love it!
Cool! I am glad to hear it brother!!!
Hi there!
Rick Warren had a portable church for many, many years. Every Sunday the church was put up and then it was taken down. Many churches want to have huge, palatial buildings and campuses because "bigness" is associated with God's blessing upon them (in their minds).
Churches are trying to use their buildings for many purposes (in order to generate additional revenue) and I think that is unfortunate but if their focus is on bringing more people into the knowledge of Christ through different activities, then I am excited for the change!