[Recorded live at Exponential] One of the most critical decisions a church planter has to make in its early years is when to purchase a permanent location. Church planting leaders Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee discuss their experiences moving from portable to permanent, along with the possible positives and negatives that come with the move.
0:33 – Lee talks about the transitioning aspect of moving from portable to permanent
1:16 – Danny shares about his experience of moving from portable to permanent and vice versa
2:01 – Lee talks about his experience of purchasing a property after being in a portable location for three years
3:04 – Lee shares about one of the most critical decisions a church plant has to make in its early years of ministry. When do we buy a building?
3:48 – Lee and Danny talk about the importance of establishing your church before buying a building and not putting too much emphasis on the building itself
4:59 – Danny and Lee discuss the advantages of being portable (financial, freedom to move)
6:32 – Danny and Lee talk about how moving to a permanent location won’t solve all of your problems
7:34 – Danny and Lee talk about helping volunteers stay connected after you move from portable to permanent
10:28 – Lee cautions that even though moving from portable to permanent is a positive change, you’re still going to lose people
11:49 – Danny shares about how God’s timing was perfect in his church’s move from portable to permanent
14:14 – Danny talks about the challenges of finding a location in an urban environment
15:14 – Lee talks about how you never know how God is going to open doors when the timing is right
18:43 – Lee likens the move from portable to permanent to a surfer riding a wave. The challenge is: Are you a surfer who can ride that wave? Are you ready?
19:26 – Danny says that if your church is not healthy in a portable location, moving to a permanent location will only magnify those problems
21:02 – Danny talks about the process of purchasing their first permanent building
24:02 – Lee talks about the growth spurt his church experienced after moving to a permanent location and the challenges that presented
24:28 – Lee gives six signs that you’re ready to ride the wave generated from moving to a permanent facility
29:14 – Lee and Danny share about some problems/challenges (expected/unexpected) that are created by moving to a permanent building
40:07 – Danny recommends that church planters who are looking for a permanent facility contact the Converge Cornerstone Fund
41:20 – Q&A: "Could you share about some of your failures?"
47:40 – Q&A: "How you do you balance taking the plunge to get ready for taking on more but making sure you have a good enough system in place to handle incoming growth?"
51:00 – Q&A: "Is there a certain amount of money or a percentage that is healthy for a church to borrow when moving to permanent?"
