WEST ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
In this economy, plenty of households have had to downsize, but a house of God? While members struggle with the economy so are many churches. One West County church has learned that lesson the hard way as it has gone from mega to meager.
"In the Proverbs there is a line that says man is prone to make plans but god makes the purposes in the end," says West County Christian Church pastor Kevin Braswell.
It doesn't take Braswell long to find the passage that helps he and his flock deal with a colossal change.
"How many times have we thought oh we got it all together," he says, "and as the plans unfold you see thank the lord that he was protecting me in this situation we've seen that to be true with our church."
The now vacant 45,000 square foot mega church on Wild Horse Creek Road was home. Now, home is more humble surroundings. Instead of separate buildings there are now separators in the same building at their rented space at Manchester and Barrett Station Road.
"It's nice not to have the monetary responsibility associated with a 45,000 square foot facility as opposed to one that is 8,500." says Braswell. "We have learned to value one another all the more because of the smaller space we had to go from a space that was ideal to one that is slightly better than workable."
As the economy soured, so did devotion to donations. Fewer jobs made for more difficult decisions.
"We looked at our situation and over time it made more sense for us to get into a smaller space thank the lord this one came available."
This congregation is not alone. The building the church is temporarily renting in Des Peres is itself for sale, left vacant by another congregation.
"As I've visited with members of this congregation and other pastors it's definitely true that what is happening in the economy with the 10.2 unemployment we see that reflected here," adds Braswell. "Sense of place is important but you are likely to see more of those signs in the future as churches like families have to adjust based on the revenue they have to work with."
For now their current space will have to work. Despite missing the mega church building, bible passages remind them it is just that a building.
"It's about the people that are there that want to follow after Jesus as opposed to bricks and mortar and our congregation has never been particularly passionate about bricks and mortar instead with what goes on inside those doors," the pastor says. "We are clearly looking ahead and not behind."
"In the Proverbs there is a line that says man is prone to make plans but god makes the purposes in the end," says West County Christian Church pastor Kevin Braswell.
It doesn't take Braswell long to find the passage that helps he and his flock deal with a colossal change.
"How many times have we thought oh we got it all together," he says, "and as the plans unfold you see thank the lord that he was protecting me in this situation we've seen that to be true with our church."
The now vacant 45,000 square foot mega church on Wild Horse Creek Road was home. Now, home is more humble surroundings. Instead of separate buildings there are now separators in the same building at their rented space at Manchester and Barrett Station Road.
"It's nice not to have the monetary responsibility associated with a 45,000 square foot facility as opposed to one that is 8,500." says Braswell. "We have learned to value one another all the more because of the smaller space we had to go from a space that was ideal to one that is slightly better than workable."
As the economy soured, so did devotion to donations. Fewer jobs made for more difficult decisions.
"We looked at our situation and over time it made more sense for us to get into a smaller space thank the lord this one came available."
This congregation is not alone. The building the church is temporarily renting in Des Peres is itself for sale, left vacant by another congregation.
"As I've visited with members of this congregation and other pastors it's definitely true that what is happening in the economy with the 10.2 unemployment we see that reflected here," adds Braswell. "Sense of place is important but you are likely to see more of those signs in the future as churches like families have to adjust based on the revenue they have to work with."
For now their current space will have to work. Despite missing the mega church building, bible passages remind them it is just that a building.
"It's about the people that are there that want to follow after Jesus as opposed to bricks and mortar and our congregation has never been particularly passionate about bricks and mortar instead with what goes on inside those doors," the pastor says. "We are clearly looking ahead and not behind."
