The WHY
As we kick off the Compel Initiative, we understand there may be questions and we want to get ahead of many of those questions so you can feel confident in your decision to give generously moving forward. One of the biggest, and most important questions may be, what is the Master Plan and why do we need it?
In the church world, we monitor five (5) “Pinch Points” :
- Sanctuary space
- Kids Ministry space
- Parking Lot
- Foyer space
- Restrooms
If any of these 5 areas become cramped or limited in space, we need to address the issue. If people cannot easily find a place to park or have difficulty finding a seat in the sanctuary, it is likely they will leave and not return. At Be Hope, everyone belongs, therefore we want to ensure we have adequate space. Since our vision is to be someone’s first church, not simply their next church, we will strive to remove all obstacles that may hinder them coming and staying.
Coming out of COVID, we started a third service on Saturday nights. We didn’t need the space then, but we knew we would need it soon. Adding the extra service has helped with the pinch points mentioned above but, with continued growth in the last 1-2 years, is creating a renewed focus on addressing the issue of space—especially in the 11am service.
In recent months our in-person attendance has reached over 1,500 with our Kids Ministry averaging over 300. As of February 2023, we had over 200 first time guests visit Be Hope.
In addition to addressing the 5 pinch points, our current Audio/Video/Light system (AVL) is more than 14-years-old and parts are breaking down. The typical life span of AVL equipment is approximately 10 years. To continue stiving for excellence and because of our commitment to providing a captivating experience, we need to update our AVL system. Not only will this fix the immediate problem, but it will enhance our online ministry with our Ironton, Online, and eventual God Behind Bars campuses.
The Master Plan addresses all 5 of the pinch points!
SANCTUARY: The Master Plan involves moving the back wall of the current sanctuary to extend into the foyer and install stadium-style, raised seating. This will increase our in-room seating capacity from 700 to 1,200 seats.
KIDS MINISTRY: The Master Plan is to construct two new buildings, extending from Door #6, into the south parking lot. These new structures will be specifically for Be Hope Kids—one building for elementary-aged kids and one for preschool & nursery.
FOYER/RESTROOMS: The Master Plan will create an indoor and outdoor foyer area that will include a new Cafe and restrooms.
PARKING LOT: The Master Plan extends 2 new structures into the south parking lot but will also include a redesign of the existing west & south parking lots to substantially increase the number of parking spaces.
Q: How much will the Master Plan cost?
A: The current market cost for the entire Master Plan is $8.8 million. We want to proceed in phases with us receiving the majority of the Phase 1 cost up front.
PHASE 1 SCOPE OF WORK:
- Add 55 parking spaces in the southeast corner of the property
- Paint the roof and front of the building (not the brick) to update the exterior
- Update the front of the building with a design element and new signage
- Remove existing pews and replace with chairs to increase seating by 10%
- Install new carpet
- Paint interior walls
- Remove existing sound booth and build new booth to be positioned in the center of the sanctuary which is more appropriate.
- Purchase and install new AVL system (note: this is the bulk of Phase 1 cost)
Q: What is the cost of Phase 1?
A: $1.4 million
At this time, we could take out a loan and make monthly payments without any financial concerns. But financially affording is not the same as faithfully stretching. It is our desire to give generously and invest spiritually to help lead others into a relationship with Jesus. The Compel Initiative (both Phase 1 and the Master Plan) is not about a project but is about the pace and culture we want to have at Be Hope. And we want YOU to be a part of that. We are asking our Be Hope family to stretch themselves and join us in paying for the $1.4 million upfront, which would allow us to pray, unhindered and expectant, for Phase 2.
Please begin to pray, as a family, for how you can be involved. We encourage you to bookmark behope.church/compel/ and check it often for updates. Please also know, we are available to answer any other questions you may have. We are excited to move the mission forward and compel people to come so that God’s house may be full (Luke 14:23). BE EXPECTANT!
