Growth is good, but it can require strategic planning and the right partnership.

In 2002, Fellowship Bible Church started meeting at Blackman Middle School with 40 members. By the time Dow Smith Company built the church’s facility in 2014, the congregation had grown to 250. At the start of last year, as Fellowship Bible Church’s numbers exceeded 400, the building was busting at the seams.

Pastor Monty Waldron says the church started talking about space needs more than two years ago and knew it was time to give Dow Smith Company a call.

“It’s been encouraging,” he says. “Every church wants to grow in size and influence. We were as lean as we could be and we were using every square inch.” 

Dow Smith Company began working on an expansion project at the church that added 8,000 square feet, which includes classroom space for kids, a midsize gathering space and most of the staff offices. Even as attendance has dropped to about 330 during COVID-19, Waldron says more space was needed than before because, “we have spread everyone out with social distancing.”

Dow Smith Company Partner and Design-Builder Joey Rhyne said he was so grateful to work with Mantel Teter President David Evans on Fellowship Bible Church. Evans’s architecture firm designed all phases past and present.

“He is a key team member and is vital to the success,” Rhyne said. “He’s a valuable friend and partner.”

The project totally transformed the entrance of the church. In the past, the main lobby has been “wall-to-wall people where members of the congregation gather on Sunday morning,” Waldron says. The project included knocking out a wall, improving flooring and turning the space where offices had been into a hospitality room. Sofas, books, and a fireplace now provide a relaxing environment for regular church-goers as well as visitors.

“We’ve always wanted our campus to be a place where people can connect,” Waldron says. “This will create all of this additional hang-out space where people can sit and chat. It will be warm and friendly. A great place to meet with visitors or have small groups.”

The timing of the project is perfect. Since last March, the church has had more visitors than Waldron can remember in any previous year.

“Amidst all of the stress and anxiety, people are looking for a place where they can get some support and feel encouraged,” Waldron says.

Construction hat and church elder hat

Back when Fellowship Bible Church was still meeting at Blackman Middle School, they hired Mantel Teter, which is based in Kansas City, Missouri, to take them through the design phase of the new church. But when the project got to the construction phase, Waldron says he was motivated to consider local firms.

Waldron had heard about Dow Smith Company’s reputation locally, so he reached out and said, “Hey, we would like to bring this project to you in its current state and see what you think.”

Through constructing the church, Waldron says two things happened.

1. He gained an appreciation for working with Dow Smith Company. “Dow has such longstanding relationships with subs,” Waldron says. “The project came in ahead of time and under budget.”

2. He gained a new friend in Rhyne, who is on the Board of Directors and is highly involved at his own church, LifePoint. “Joey has become a very good friend,” Waldron says. “I trust him like crazy. I feel like he cares as much about our project as we do.”

Waldron says he relies upon Rhyne’s judgment as a design-build professional and relates to him as a fellow man of faith. “I tell Joey, ‘I need you to wear your construction hat, but also your elder hat.’”

Because of these things, Waldron says the church didn’t have to think too hard about who to call when it was time for the church to expand.

“There is tremendous benefit to having a builder who’s already done a great job,” Waldron says. “Now we can just call and say we’re ready for the next phase. They get who we are and what we’re going for. We don’t have to start over.”