Ministry of Construction Builds God’s Kingdom

Churches and Christian schools in the Greater St. Louis area are discovering a new opportunity to witness and expand their ministries. While building new facilities using biblical stewardship principals they are also

changing lives. The Building God’s Way program (BGW), based on the biblical principals found in the book of Nehemiah, offers Christian ministries a way to build new facilities saving millions of dollars and, at the same time, reach out to construction workers with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.    Willott Road Community Church in St. Peters is the first St. Louis area church to break ground under the Building God’s Way program. Administrative Pastor Steven Sparks was excited to see workers raise the steel beams that support the new 23,000 square foot addition to their

church but was even more excited about the ministering opportunity to the construction workers. Pastor Sparks tells with enthusiasm how he brought 23 third graders from their Christian school out to the edge of the construction site and had them shout ”thank you” to the workers. Watching the worker’s smiles was gratifying to him and the children.

The construction workers have come to appreciate other ways that the church is thanking them. A hospitality committee, headed by Christi Christea and established just for the building project, serves a hot lunch to workers every Friday. The Friday before Thanksgiving her lunch for the 16 workers included Cornish hens, wild rice, green beans and pumpkin pie topped with chocolate turkeys. She says when she began serving the lunches the workers were a little shy and held back as she delivered the food. Now she says they are all waiting eagerly for her arrival with warm thanks of their own. She finds this a great compliment and loves serving in this way.

The founder of the Building God’s Way program, Daniel Cook, says, “Through this ministry hundreds of construction workers are coming to know the Lord and many more are increasing their Christian walk. It’s about stewardship, faith, relationships, and showing our Light to the construction community.”

Lafayette Church of Christ in Ballwin has just begun the Building God’s Way program as well. The church was excited to participate in a three-day design process known as a charette. A team of architects working with the building committee on site at the church designed Lafayette’s new facility customized to fit their ministry’s needs.

Open Door Baptist Church in Kansas City completed their Building God’s Way facility with a cost savings of over three million dollars. Their 66,300 square foot building was completed in February of 2002.

Building God’s Way churches and schools are typically completed with a 30% to 50% savings over traditional construction costs. An additional benefit is the fact that the savings continue year after year for the ministries involved because the buildings are designed to operate with maximum energy efficiency which costs approximately 50% less than traditional facilities.

For ministries who want to know more about Building God’s Way, a private presentation can be scheduled with Debi Demien, BGW Director of Marketing for Demien Construction. In celebration of the Christmas season, they offer a helpful, complimentary book, Funding Your Vision, as a gift for scheduling a no obligation presentation. Call (636) 332-1991 to schedule an appointment or for more information.