Church First Impressions: 5 Simple, Useful Tips for Pastors to Create Lasting Guest Impact | Church Answers
15 minutes…. That’s all the time you have to make a solid first impression. Long before the pastor ever steps behind the pulpit, people have decided if they’ll be back. This is a generous amount of time compared to how quickly people decide about other aspects impacting your church. Of course, each of these snap judgments can be overcome. But why start from a deficit? What if you could make an excellent first impression – online, in the parking lot, from your greeters, with your interior design – that set you up for success? Church first impressions matter. You may [...]
5 Construction Communication Mistakes Your Church Cannot Afford to Make
How do people know when it’s time for students to return to school? It’s hard to miss, isn’t it? Schools send out all kinds of communication. Parents and legal guardians have their inboxes, mailboxes, and social media feeds flooded with information and invitations. Stores rearrange their displays so you’re tempted to buy #2 pencils whether you need them or not! If you live in America during the fall, it’s nearly impossible to miss the “back to school” season. This happens annually. Intentionally. For a targeted period of time. How effective would “back to school” sales be if they ran year-round? [...]
Overcoming Challenges in Committee-Driven Church Building Projects
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This ancient wisdom from Africa rings true across the centuries and across the ocean. Sometimes, efficiency isn’t what’s needed. Community is. After all, the first - and only - thing God said that was not good in His creation was man being alone. We were designed to engage in life together. That’s why the team at Catalyst Construction believes that church buildings are best constructed when churches adopt a team-based approach to their projects. However, committee-led church building projects are not without their challenges. It [...]
5 Things to Consider Before Starting a New School Construction Project
Hindsight is 20/20. Or so the saying goes. Why? Some things can only be learned through experience and by making mistakes. But what if the stakes are high? What if the future of many human beings is on the line? Embarking on a new school construction project is an exciting endeavor that promises to create a conducive learning environment for students and provide educational opportunities for generations to come. However, before breaking ground and diving into the construction process, it is crucial to take a step back and consider several key factors that can significantly impact the project's success. Proper [...]
5 Common Communication Mistakes in Construction Projects
Have you ever hit “send” on a text message without double-checking it? And has the “autocorrect” function ever failed you so miserably that what you sent completely confused the message? Communication is as basic and essential to humanity as breathing. Unlike breathing, though, sending and receiving messages can get complicated. When it does, progress of all kinds can grind to a halt, including construction projects. Effective communication is the backbone of a well-executed construction project, from coordinating tasks and ensuring safety to managing timelines and budgets. With over 17 years of experience and roughly 45 projects completed each year, we [...]
7 Steps to Cast a Compelling Vision for Church Construction
If your church ceased to exist, would anyone notice? Most pastors enter the ministry out of a devoted love for God, a sweet desire to bless His people, and a drive to adorn all creation with God’s beauty. Why is it, then, that phrases like this are all too familiar: “I only hear from the church when they want money.” “I like Jesus, but not the church.” What if your congregation could write a better story for your community? Do you have the necessary courage and faith to lead your people to follow Jesus to bless your community? Pastor – [...]
4 Costly Mistakes in Your New Construction Project and Expansions
Over the last several years, I have met with a handful of clients who have realized well into the due diligence phase that the vision they set out to achieve for their new construction project or expansion project would not happen. I was brought in to help set up a new course to raise the project from the ashes before the entire vision was either put on hold or canceled altogether. By closely assessing the situation, I uncovered an unsettling reality that the project was stalling out. Unfortunately, this is a situation I have seen far too many times in [...]
Challenges Around Funding a Church-School Construction Project
Kicking off funding for a church-school project is never easy. At Catalyst, we’ve seen firsthand how challenging it can be for these entities to find the right path to fundraising. Often, churches and schools fall for the same mistakes repeatedly. We sat down with Eric Hamsho, Generosity Strategist and Campaign Specialist, to highlight some of these challenges and find alternative solutions. We explored some of the most common challenges around funding a church-school project and laid out tips and strategies to complete a successful fundraising campaign. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the way people contribute to fundraising calls? Surprisingly, [...]
The Successful Groundbreaking Ceremony & How To Plan It
The atmosphere was electric as the groundbreaking ceremony got underway. The warm sun beamed down on the group, illuminating the glimmering shovels they held in their hands. The team members stood shoulder to shoulder in front of a sea of excited faces, ready to start the next chapter of this long-awaited project. There was a palpable sense of anticipation and possibility in the air as they began digging into the ground, marking the beginning of something truly special. As the dirt was lifted and moved aside, the group felt a swell of pride and accomplishment wash over them. It was [...]
Trimming Down Your Commercial Construction Budget
Catalyst Construction has completed projects for some of the Midwest’s most affluent, financially stalwart clients but we have yet to take on a project with an unlimited budget. When it comes to commercial construction projects, saving money and cutting costs is something everyone can get on board with regardless of the size of the numbers involved. Arguably the best way to ensure your budget maximizes cost efficiency and you’re getting the absolute most for every construction dollar spent is to partner with the amazing people at Catalyst and let us use our expertise, insight, and long-standing industry relationships to find [...]
