- 1). Determine the needs and priorities of the church. For example, a church with many young children will need extensive space for nurseries and Sunday School. If the church has an active music ministry it will need a place to practice and store instruments. A church experiencing significant growth would need a building that has room for the current congregation plus projected growth over several years.
- 2). Develop a budget for a new location. Know if the church is able to buy their own building, or if it is best to continue to rent a dedicated building.
- 3). Survey the congregation and find out where the majority of the people are coming from. This helps narrow down the location of where the church building should be.
- 4). Create a building committee from the congregants with at least one person who has experience with either construction, realty, or financing. The broader the experience of the committee members the less likely a mistaken purchase will happen that will hurt the church. The committee works with the professionals in the community and reports back to the church members for a final decision.
- 5). Engage the services of a Realtor experienced in commercial transactions and building zones. Some municipalities prevent non-profit organizations from moving into certain areas. It does no good to look into those areas.
- 6). Provide the Realtor with the parameters for the search and have the committee work closely with her to examine and review possible locations she discovers.
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