No. 3 - Select a Building Committee
Keep it small. It has been said that "a camel is a horse that was designed by a building committee."
I could give many examples of projects that would have avoided all kinds of troubles if there had only
been fewer people on the building committee. It is very important that everyone in your church have
the opportunity to voice their opinions regarding the new building. However, there are other, better
ways of accomplishing this than letting everyone be on the building committee. For example, subcom-
mittees are effective and have proven to take much pressure off of the building committee (e.g. kitchen
committee, finance committee, nursery committee, audio/visual committee). It is important that the
members of all the subcommittees understand that the "executive" building committee has been given
the authority to make the final decision on all matters. Another good way of involving everyone is to
have a one-day planning session with the architect. Announce to your people that on a certain Saturday,
the architect will be in the fellowship hall and available to talk to anyone about their ideas for the building.
The architect can gain valuable information, hear new ideas, draw sketches, show pictures, and tactfully
defuse "bad" ideas that are inconsistent with the direction the building committee is already heading.
