FAQs

 

  1. What is the vision of “Genesis: The Next Beginning”?
    • The book of Genesis has a constant theme that runs through it: God creating or blessing, sin and man destroying, and God redeeming. The cycle is ultimately generation, degeneration, and regeneration. So the time has come for the next chapter or regeneration in God’s story here at FBC. This building campaign is simply a part of the ongoing story of our mission to “know Him and to make Him known.” It’s the same mission that has led us to recently embrace the mantra from the book of Hebrews, “Have Faith, Endure, and Work Hard.” It’s the ongoing story of our commitment to:
      • proclaim the Gospel through missions to a lost and dying world
      • serve our local body through teaching His Word in the pulpit, AWANA, VBS, etc.
      • build community and disciples through engagement in Life Groups and small groups
      • reach future generations here and around the world and leave a legacy

 

  1. When was our current sanctuary built?
  • The building was built in 1962, with the most recent remodel occurring in 1996.

 

  1. What is the project going to accomplish or what is the need?
    • New Worship Center:
  • Worship center will increase capacity by 69% or 368 seats. This is based on actual existing seat count and statistics that show worship centers with defined seating are able to consistently sustain 90% vs. 70% with pews. The new worship center will have 1,000 new seats
  • Additional rooms for our preschool and nursery ministries that are in close proximity to the new worship center.
  • Larger projection/video screens on both the left and right of stage
  • New off-stage area for worship preparation and rehearsal
  • Larger stage to hold full orchestra, larger choir, and additional instrumentation
  • New lighting to allow flexibility on the worship platform
  • Intimate Worship Center design to bring the congregation closer to the stage
  • Current Sanctuary Renovation:
  • Reshape the stage for the renovated space
  • Addition of a café/lounge area to allow the students to build relationships and relax
  • New flooring
  • Create a practical space for smaller weddings, funerals, and meetings
  • Add up to 12 additional crucial educational classrooms in our East Building
  • Upgraded sound and lighting to enhance the audio/visual environment of the room
  • Welcome area:
  • Create a warm, inviting place to congregate before and after service with visitors and members
  • Creation of a “front door” to our church where visitors and members alike clearly know the location of the worship center
  • A welcome center that is open and inviting to guest
  • Large, spacious entry way with sitting areas, a welcome desk, and coffee bar
  • This area will help alleviate traffic jams before and after services
  • Modern restrooms that are fully handicapped accessible
  • Campus Improvements
  • Handicap accessible parking immediately in front of the worship center
  • Additional parking lots to increase current parking spaces
  • Reworking existing parking lots to maximize parking and ease traffic flow
  • Adequate parking lot lighting and traffic islands
  • Directional signage to help visitors and members navigate around campus
  • Renovation of existing interior and exterior spaces to give a cohesive design between the old and new building
  • Cohesive security system throughout the facility
  • Preschool and Nursery:
  • Easy access from the worship center facility to the nursery and children’s wing
  • Additional preschool classrooms close to the new worship center
  • A nursery room attached to bed baby rooms for young mothers
  • Indoor/outdoor play area and seating for parents to watch kids as they play
  • Upgraded security/check-in systems throughout the facility

 

  1. Why build a worship center when the money could be used for something else?
    • To have a worship space that is culturally relevant for today and the future. Our limited, aging facilities have the possibility of stagnating or reversing our current patterns of growth
    • As an Acts 1:8 church, our Jerusalem (Russellville) is crucial in our missional fabric. If we take care of our Jerusalem to ensure the Gospel continues to be preached here, then it will allow us to continue to reach the nations. Our home base is our core foundation for all future outreach.
    • The current sanctuary, built in 1962, must be renovated and we’ve have been struggling with a shortage of educational space for several years. After two years of research, it was determined that the cost to renovate and add additional educational space was essentially the same cost as building new facilities. After prayerful consideration by the Staff, 21st Century Committee, and Deacons, everyone agreed a capital campaign was the best and only choice. It makes sense from both a strategic and stewardship perspective.
    • This project will not only create a new dynamic worship center, but meet many of our other needs.

 

  1. Does the building project mean we will adjust our budget or make cuts to our mission fund?
    • The building project WILL NOT interfere with our mission giving or budget. If at any time the budget or missions fund is not going to be funded, money will be removed from the building project to fund it. Missions and ongoing ministries are the #1 priority.

 

  1. Why is now a good time to build?
    • FBC is in great shape financially and has regularly exceeded all budget and mission fund needs for several years.
    • The church has great continuity among the Ministerial Staff team following a transition period and has continued to see numerical, spiritual and financial growth.
    • FBC continues to be blessed by God and is a sacrificial church.
    • FBC has experienced growth over the last 5 years:
      • 454 new members, of which 203 came through baptism
      • Preschool total enrollment has increased from 174 in 2009 to 310 in 2014. That’s a 78% increase
      • average Sunday School/Life Group attendance at 871, with over 1,000 in attendance at peak times
      • Church giving continues to increase year over year, and we are meeting the missions fund and budget requirements before year-end.

 

  1. When will the construction begin and be completed?
    • Construction is tentatively set to begin the first of October and be completed Spring of 2017.
    • The new worship center will be completed before the existing sanctuary is renovated.

 

  1. When will Financial Commitments, pledges, and giving begin?
    • You may begin giving to the building fund as soon as you would like. We anticipate collecting pledge and commitment cards on September 27th, 2015 with October 4th, 2015 being the first Sunday to start honoring your commitments.
    • There will be flexibility in the length of each individual’s commitment, but we anticipate the note to be paid off in 5-7 years to avoid any long term debt obligations.

 

 

  1. Can commitments be changed or altered, if necessary?
    • We ask that when you make your commitment, you make it prayerfully trusting God to help you fulfill your commitment regardless of life’s circumstances.
    • You may either increase or decrease your commitment anytime the Lord leads you to do so. We simply ask that if you do choose to alter your pledge, it be made prayerfully trusting God as with your original commitment.
    • If you need to make changes in your commitment, you may contact the church’s financial office at 479-968-1316.

 

  1. If I desire to give stocks, bonds, property, or real estate, who do I contact to arrange for the appropriate transfer of ownership?
    • You may contact Larry Walker, Pastor of Generosity, or Kevin Johnson, Financial Associate, in the church office at 479-968-1316.

 

  1. Will new members be invited to help with this exciting capital campaign?
    • As families and individuals join our church, they will receive information about how they can be a part of the story at FBC, and specifically the campaign.

 

  1. What are we asking the church to commit to?
    • Go above and beyond your normal tithes and offerings and give to the capital campaign.
    • We realize this will be an additional sacrifice for many of you, and as a church we are adamant to not jeopardize our current giving to the budget and/or missions fund.
    • We also believe God is leading us in this direction and following in obedience leads to blessings.
    • The widow’s mite story from Mark 12:41-44, reminds us that everyone has different means. What is a great sacrifice to one may be no sacrifice to another. 1 Samuel 15:22 emphasizes that being obedient to God is more important than the sacrifice.
    • We know that not everyone can make the same offering amount, but every member can make a significant sacrifice.

 

  1. What will the Capital Campaign look like?
    • The funds will be given through member pledge commitments during our “Genesis: The Next Beginning” capital stewardship campaign.
    • We anticipate the bank note to take 5-7 years to pay off; however, we are asking the congregation to make 3 year pledges initially.
    • We do not budget building debt, so it is important that our members give above their weekly tithe and offerings toward the need.
    • All commitments, gifts, and pledges will be confidential and made on September 27 during a celebration service
    • During the First Fruits Sunday on October 4, we will encourage individuals to begin honoring their pledges made on September 27.   This will also be a time for individuals to make a one-time gift to the project.

 

  1. Why don’t we just budget debt retirement?
    • We do not want to reduce the support we give to missions, ministries, and outreach to build buildings. This project must remain above and beyond our normal operating budget and missions fund.

 

  1. Should there be a center aisle in the new worship center?
  • The 21st century team and architect realize the importance of the center aisle to many individuals, and they have carefully thought through this issue. A center aisle can be an extremely big distraction during services and events. It not only can become a distraction for the pastor but the congregation at large.
  • The 21st century team and architect also wanted to ensure we increased our seating as much as possible. With the current seating configuration, placing a center aisle would require us to lessen the number of seats in the worship center. If the worship center had a center aisle, this would leave two primary sections of seating that have extremely long rows. Adding a fifth aisle to allow for a center aisle would require a significant loss of seating.
  • It is important to also note that the remodeled sanctuary will allow for a center aisle and also, a more intimate feel for weddings and events.

 

  1. How many seats are in the new worship center? How does this compare to our current seating capacity?
  • The new worship center is anticipated to have seating for 1000 defined seats. Using defined seating will help guests feel more comfortable approaching empty seating and knowing adequate room is available. The new worship center seats are predominately 24” seats, which is above average size.
  • Historically, the thought has been that our current sanctuary has a practical capacity of around 760 people. The current fire code allows for 900; however, this was based upon the assumption that each person would sit next to each other and occupy 20” of space on a pew. This is no longer accurate and without defined seating, people simply will not sit that close to each other.
  • The current practical capacity of the existing sanctuary seating estimate was confirmed during our recent women’s event in the spring of 2014. This event sold 750 tickets and the sanctuary was extremely full and very crowded.
  • In addition to the 1000 defined congregational seats, the new Worship center will also have the ability to expand by 100-150 seats between the choir loft and temporary floor seating.
  • Statistics show that worship centers that have defined seating typically can sustain week-in and week-out 90% of capacity. The defined seats make people feel more comfortable and in most cases individuals will sit next to others. Worship centers with pews however, only maintain roughly 70% capacity week-in and week-out. This is due to individuals spreading out and not wanting to crawl over others. This equates to basically a 69% increase in seats in the new worship center vs. the current sanctuary. That is a total of 368 actual seats!
  • The new worship center will allow for significant growth over the years to come.

 

  1. Will the new worship center allow us to return to one worship service, combining the three current services?
  • As a church, it would be incredible to be able to all worship together; however, this is just not economically feasible because of our size. Even if we had the ability to build a large enough worship center, the educational space on our campus would simply not allow us to combine the two morning services. We would have to double the available educational space to allow for our two morning services to be combined.
  • Our “3” service has developed a life of its own and serves a demographic that is unique to our Sunday morning services. In order to continue to serve these members of our church, the “3” service will also remain.

 

  1. Are there enough bathrooms in the new worship center?
  • The new Worship center will have two moderate sized bathrooms on the west end of the building. In addition to this, we will be able to access the bathrooms in the current gym from our Welcome Area. The two different areas will provide ample bathroom space on each side of the new foyer.
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