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God is giving Living Hope the great
privilege right now to give More Hope
for More People. How this church uses
this historic moment will define to the next
generation who we are and what our children
and grandchildren are able to do for God and
our community.
Our heritage is one of great faith and sacrifice.
Thirty years ago, a group of 26 people set out to
start a church that would reach Bowling Green and
touch the world. They believed in God’s provision
and power and bought the land and built the
buildings that house us now. Today, we are a strong,
healthy church because of their great faith.
The time has come for this generation of Living
Hopers to follow their footsteps and do what has
never been done in southcentral Kentucky —
relocate a church of 2,000 people to reach thousands
more here and around the world.
God is calling us to relocate His church to give
More Hope for More People.
Jason Pettus, Senior Pastor
In Sept 2001, the church enacted the
Next Steps Planning team, which was
composed of two divisions:
•Immediate Steps – gave solutions that
would enable the church to grow in the
immediate future.
They recommended and the church
agreed to build the Children’s Education
Building, dedicating it in August 2003.
•Future Steps – gave solutions that
would enable the church to grow and thrive
in the distant future.
After meeting with a consultant about
the long-range future of the church, the
team recommended seeking out 80–100
acres for future growth. We located 86
acres on Lovers Lane.
In September 2003, 96% of the church
voted to move forward with the purchase
the Lovers Lane property.
In October 2004, 90% of the church
voted in the affirmative to move forward
with relocation.
We did this sensing that God was indeed
calling us to another physical location to
increase the ability of His church to help
people Get to God, Grow in Christ, and
Give to Others.
We have been told by the city we cannot add on to our current
building. We can build up by adding floors, but not out. Were we
to add a fourth floor to the children’s wing and a third floor on the
adult space, it would cost millions of dollars with little return. We
would also have to add a parking structure costing millions, which
would most surely be opposed by our neighbors. Building up would
only provide a two-year answer. Our future plans must provide an
answer for more than two years.
We spoke with our neighbors, The Holy Spirit Catholic Church,
who also plan to move to new property, but not for at least 5 to
10 years. We cannot wait that long, incur millions of dollars in
construction costs and only build capacity for two years worth
of growth. Our new facility will allow us to provide growth
opportunities for decades.
We must move now or the church will begin to decline.
A detailed statistical analysis of our attendance shows that
Sunday worship service has been at capacity for about two
years. Everyone has been to worship service when it has
been full, and seats have been difficult to find.
When the Children’s Building was constructed, we
believed it would allow us to grow attendance in the
8:00am service to the same level as the 9:30am and
11:00am services, which were already 80-90% full. The
reality is that all of the children’s space was maxed out the
day the facility opened.
In August 2004, more than 200 people moved to the
8:00am service to make room for growth. Those vacated
seats were filled immediately. The 8:00am service reached
40% capacity and the 9:30am and 11:00am services
maintained an 80% capacity and more.
By the spring of 2005 every Adult Bible Fellowship
(ABF), children and youth class was full during the 9:30am
hour. Since last spring, we have not had the room to add
needed classes at 9:30am.
How did all the classes fill up so quickly? The 400+
people who attend 8:00am worship go to a class or serve
at 9:30am. Many who attend worship at 11:00am are
serving or in a class at 9:30am. What this creates is a glut
at the 9:30am hour, with the children of adults who attend
8:00am, 9:30am, and 11:00am services in a children or
youth class.
Our consultants tell us that on a typical Sunday we have
800 people more than our facility should accommodate.
There are two problems with this. First, Hopers probably
feel crowded and uncomfortable, but stay with us because
this is home for them. Secondly, people who are visiting
because they have heard the exciting news about our
Church do not return because the Church is full.
Since the fall of 2001 our total attendance – worship attendance plus children & students – has
increased from approximately 1,600 to over 2,400. People are serving, connecting and remaining
faithful to the church.
In the past 4 years, weekly financial gifts have increased from $36,000 to more than $80,000.
Our current budget is similar to the budget we will have for our new facility because we have
increased our debt line item to $1.35 million. We did this to prepare ourselves and to show banks
we can borrow sufficient amounts and afford it.
But before the first spade of dirt is turned on the property at Lovers Lane, we must, as a family of
faith, first commit to making this happen by trusting God and sacrificing like never before.
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