A few weeks ago I had dinner with Dave Gibbons. Dave is the pastor of New Song Church in Irvine, CA, author of The Monkey and the Fish, and all-around nice guy. Just read his cover article interview in Outreach Magazine. Good stuff.

Dave says, “Scarcity brings Clarity. When resources are super-abundant you can proceed with flawed assumptions for a long, long time. In more pinched circumstances, you have to examine your true values.” That is so true and so good.

Few things are healthier for an organization than having to slice its budget. I know that is counter-intuitive. But it forces you to evaluate your priorities. You have to drill down to your core convictions.

I love one other observation Dave made: “It’s not about the buildings. It’s about what happens inside the building.”

Here’s a question: what percentage of your church budget goes to brick and mortar? I know there isn’t a magic number, but I’d be interested in hearing where some others are at. I think facilities comprise about 21% of our budget this year. Our theater leases are pretty cost-effective.