How can a church know the right time to build a new building?

TL;DR:

A church should consider building a new facility only after prayerfully seeking God’s guidance. Wise planning and stewardship are important in determining if it is the right time to build.

Deciding whether to construct a new church building requires prayerful discernment and wise planning. God blesses those who desire to glorify His name (1 Samuel 2:30; Psalm 37:4), so if the building is needed and meant to glorify God, God will see to it that the church has the necessary resources. He did this in the building of the Old Testament tabernacle. God blessed workers with skill (Exodus 31:1-6), and the people gave from their heart—so much that Moses stopped them from giving more (Exodus 36:3-7). This example shows us that when a congregation has a heart focused on God, their offerings for projects like needed buildings will reflect that. All resources ultimately come from the Lord (1 Chronicles 29:14), but He blesses us by using us in the gathering and manifesting of those resources. The New Testament teaches this same principle about giving freely to benefit the body of Christ (2 Corinthians 9:6-7; 1 Peter 4:10). Additionally, Jesus’ Parable of the Talents speaks of a man who hides away the resources the Master has given him rather than growing those resources; while the focus of that passage is on sharing the Gospel, it also communicates a broad point about stewarding the resources God has given us. If a growing church needs more room to hold services and God has given the church plentiful resources, good stewardship may include a new church building, after prayerful consideration (James 1:5)..

Today, churches must evaluate practical considerations such as financial stewardship, cultural context, and potential impact on ministry when determining if it is the right time to build a new building. With prayer, counsel, and careful planning, a church can confidently determine whether building is the right step to glorify God and serve its community by building a new church building.

from the old testament

The Israelites were repeatedly instructed to follow God’s direction in construction projects, such as the tabernacle (Exodus 25–31) and Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 5–6), waiting for God’s timing and resources.
The Old Testament building of the tabernacle shows that when the congregation's heart is focused on God through their giving, building projects have more than enough funding: “They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, and said to Moses, ‘The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.’ So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, ‘Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.’ So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more” (Exodus 36:3–7).

from the new testament

In discussing the cost of discipleship, Jesus uses the example of estimating the cost of a project before undertaking it: “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, . . . Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?” (Luke 14:28-31). While the focus of that passage of Scripture is on the cost of discipleship, it shows the importance on planning in practical matters as well.
Paul encouraged believers to work together in harmony and seek counsel (Acts 15:22; 1 Corinthians 12:12–14). Church decisions must involve prayer, wise leadership, and community input.
In all life decisions, including major church decisions like building a new church structure, God’s people should seek wisdom from Him through prayer (James 1:5).

implications for today

The early church did not own or build buildings and grew quite well without them. However, a building can help a local church for many practical reasons. Each local congregation must prayerfully consider both the motivations and reasons behind its desire to build and seek to honor God through any construction project.

Churches must ask themselves how having a new building can help in better fulfilling the Great Commission. If the goal of the church is to honor God and make disciples, how will a new building help make disciples? Evaluating potential construction along with the church's purpose can help better determine whether to build. No building should take place without considerable prayer, seeking wisdom, and planning by leaders and the congregation. Almost any major construction project will take time and will impact every member of the church.

Constructing a new church building could be a good choice when the cost to build is less than the cost to continue renting facilities. Renting facilities and the many hours devoted to setting up temporary rooms and staging will eventually reach a cost that is likely higher than owning a building. One good way to determine the right time to build, then, is to evaluate at what point will owning be more financially beneficial than renting? This could then be a choice based on good stewardship.

In some cultures, people are highly unlikely to attend a new church unless it has its own building. In other cultures, investing a large amount of money in a building is seen as wasteful. A local congregation must consider whether a building would help or hurt in terms of better impacting a local community. This also includes what kind of building to construct.

A church must also ask themselves if God is providing providential circumstances that make it clear it is time to construct a new building. Sometimes the donation of land by a church member or some other unplanned event opens the door to discussing new construction. A partnership with a Christian school or other organization may also make construction or renovation timely to discuss.

If some of these considerations clearly indicate a new building is the best future move, church leaders can move forward in greater confidence, knowing that the project will help them make disciples, impact the community, be good stewards, and follow God's will.

understand

Churches must seek God’s guidance and plan wisely before undertaking a new church building.
Churches must involve church members in wisely determining if it is the right time for a new church building.
Churches must wisely consider finances, culture, ministry impact, and seek God’s leading about whether to build a new church.

reflect

How have you sought God’s guidance in major decisions in your life, and how might that apply to a church considering building a new facility?
What factors do you need to weigh when discerning God’s will for a big project?
What role do you see God calling individuals to play when it comes to building a new church?

engage

How can we ensure that prayer, wisdom, and communal input guide any decision to build a new church?
What factors should we include to evaluate the potential impact of a new building on a church’s ministry, outreach, and the community they serve?
How can we discern whether God indicates that it is the right time to build a new church building?