No, this is not a story of an old creepy abandoned church rumored to be filled with ghosts that speak. Rather, it is a story of a new building that is not only functional but purposeful. My family and I attend Chase Oaks Church in Plano, Texas. This past weekend we held the grand opening for our new facility – a building whose design speaks of its purpose and mission.
From the time the campaign to raise the money began several
years ago to the beginning of the design phases to the construction to the
relocation just weeks ago, the building was designed with a purpose. Central to the vision and values of Chase
Oaks is the concept of bridge building – to God, to one another and to the
community.
During the construction phase, we had a chance to walk
through the facility with the advising architect. It was exciting to see and hear how each area
of the building was designed to speak – to speak of the commitments we have as
the body of Christ finding its ministry launching ground at Chase Oaks. The building is located as close to the
corner of a busy intersection as would allow – not because of zoning regulation
requirements but because we wanted to be visible and in the midst of the
community. This desire extends itself
into the large windows that allow the passing traffic to see in and realize
that there is life and ministry happening. Just as important, perhaps more, the windows remind us that our mission,
our call is “out there” – beyond the confines of a physical building. The building itself appears to be a
collection of buildings, 
intended to convey the image of the passage in Matthew
5 where we are called to be the light of the world, a city on a hill. The kid’s areas are themed in a manner that
takes the kids on a quest from the meadows of the nursery to the mountain
summit of the fifth grade area. The
student ministry building has access to the neighboring multiplex theater
parking lot and through cool architecture, multiple decks, indoor basketball
cage and gaming areas and a lighted sand volleyball court this will become a
place where students do life together.
Check out the article from last weekend’s Dallas Morning
news for more.
What does your building say?
Greg Ligon
Leadership Network
Vice President, Church Innovations and Publisher
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