Podcast Summary

unSeminary Podcast

Episode: Before You Build: What Every Church Should Know About Facility Expansion with Aaron Stanski
Host: Rich Birch
Guest: Aaron Stanski, Founder and CEO of RisePoint
Date: December 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode tackles a pressing "good problem" for growing churches: when and how to consider facility expansion or improvement. Rich Birch welcomes Aaron Stanski, an experienced church architect and designer, to break down the complexities of facility projects, from deciding if expansion is the right next step to ensuring financial, strategic, and missional alignment. Their conversation is rich with insights, actionable advice, and warning against common pitfalls—especially for churches outgrowing their current spaces.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Is This For? (02:10–04:11)

• The primary audience is church leaders who notice growing pains—full services, crowded lobbies, or pinch points in kid or adult spaces.
• Rich sets up the episode: “I feel like our facility might be holding us back a little bit... there can be anxiety and fear around, Gosh, what do I do?” (04:11)

2. Why Facility Expansion Is So Overwhelming (05:05–05:58)

• Aaron identifies the process as often overwhelming because of the many unknowns:
  • Right solutions (add-on vs. renovate?)
  • Jurisdictional rules
  • Costs and inflation
  • Where to hold services during construction
• Quote:
  “Immediately all of these questions start to kind of well up and it can become really overwhelming for a lot of churches.” – Aaron (05:13)

3. Common Points of Confusion: The Solution & The Cost (05:58–06:51)

• The hardest question is, “What’s the right solution?” Often churches assume they must build, but real needs may differ.
• Uncertainty around construction costs is amplified by inflation and recent market volatility.

4. What Does an Architect Really Do—and When to Call One (06:51–09:29)

• Many assume the first step is hiring an architect, but architects typically offer a narrow set of solutions (“build something new”).
• The missing piece: Most churches should establish clear scope (what’s needed) and budget before detailed design.
  • “Sometimes hiring an architect is like picking up a hammer... [They] might have like one sort of, you know, viewpoint of the world... ‘build you something new’...without first looking strategically.” – Aaron (07:37)

5. Defining Scope and Budget FIRST (09:29–11:47)

• Scope = What specifically needs to change? (E.g., add seats, improve lobby, expand kids’ area)
• Budget = What can the church realistically afford or feels called to invest?
  • “We don’t put those two guardrails on... we’re really missing out.” – Aaron (09:30)
• Aaron recommends a thorough needs analysis to understand the church’s DNA and align solutions.

6. Shortcutting vs. On-Site Analysis (11:47–13:15)

• It’s possible to get ballpark figures by phone, but this misses critical context (unique needs, jurisdictional rules).
• Every church is unique; copying someone else’s plan is risky.
  • “The project that you’re facing is always much larger than you think. I would rather people take time... invest the resources up front... and say, let’s actually understand the question we’re asking before we jump to answers.” – Rich (13:15)

7. When Is It Too Early or Too Late to Start? (14:14–16:18)

• Reality check: New space is usually 2.5–3 years away (sometimes 5).
• Many wait too long—by the time they’re adding a third or fourth service, the process is behind.
• Rushing creates “vision confusion” and missed ministry opportunity.
  • “If you wait too long ...either we’re rushing ... and there’s budget misalignment…there starts to be some vision confusion.” – Aaron (15:41)

8. Internal Red Flags: Knowing When to Reach Out (16:18–18:18)

• Hitting max numbers in key services or considering additional services
• Spaces out of alignment: kids, lobby, parking vs. adult worship
  • “The lead pastor typically is seeing only the adult room... and not, you know, not anything else.” – Rich (18:18)

9. Why Investing Early Saves in the Long Run (18:18–21:13)

• It’s easier and cheaper to adjust on paper than during construction.
• Upfront analysis avoids costly over-building or under-building.
• Renderings and visioning help catalyze donor and team buy-in.
  • “I would rather spend money on the front end with a designer like you because... it’s a lot cheaper to move walls on drawings than it is in the real world.” – Rich (18:18)

10. Aligning Facility with Vision & Mission (21:13–24:09)

• Start by understanding:
  • Who you’re called to reach (contextual ministry)
  • What’s working and what needs improvement
• Deep listening and reviewing all ministries to ensure facilities match the current ministry paradigm.
  • “We have a fantastic set of tools that we use... to talk about: who are we called to reach… what does it mean to do ministry in this place... what are the strategic drivers...” – Aaron (21:50)

11. How Often Should You Re-evaluate Your Facility? (24:09–26:03)

• Historically, ministry models lasted 40–50 years; now cycles are 10–20 years.
• Many churches are in buildings built for an old paradigm—like “wearing cramped shoes.”
  • “We’re moving into a new season and it’s kind of exciting...we get to sit on the front edge of all of that.” – Aaron (25:57)

12. Current Facility Shifts: Personalization & Engagement (26:03–27:21)

• Shift away from institutional, “big box” design toward spaces that foster individual connection.
• Engagement—hospitality, storytelling, hospitality areas—matters more than ever.
  • “There is a shift away from some of the bigger, more institutional types of look and feel and trying to get down to... how are we engaging one-on-one...” – Aaron (26:43)

13. Budget Reality: Dream Big, Build What’s Possible (27:21–30:25)

• Churches must weigh vision vs. financial risk, prayerfully.
• Start with honest assessments of what you can raise and borrow.
  • “As an architect, I might get really excited about drawing $35 million worth of stuff, if he actually can’t afford it and can’t raise it, he’s actually not going to go do it.” – Aaron (29:19)

14. Parallel Planning: Simultaneously Weigh Options and Resources (30:50–31:41)

• Best practice: Weigh project options alongside fundraising and borrowing capacity.
• “If we can bring those two things together and pray through it and get clarity from God about what he’s asking us to do, then I can go help draw buildings and blueprints...” – Aaron (31:41)

15. Resource: 10 Things to Get Right Before You Build (32:22–33:47)

• Aaron offers a free PDF with key questions and checklists to help churches assess readiness.
  • Available at RisePoint.com/unseminary (with a free call option as well).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Every Netflix account homepage is different for every person... There is a shift away from some of the bigger, more institutional... trying to get down to, okay, how are we engaging one on one...” – Aaron (26:16)
• “I would rather people take time, invest the resources up front and time frankly to slow down...before we jump to answers.” – Rich (13:15)
• “If you wait too long...either we’re rushing through the design process...budget misalignment...some vision confusion...missed ministry opportunities.” – Aaron (15:41)

Important Timestamps

• 05:05 – Why facility projects are so overwhelming
• 07:37 – What architects actually do; mistake of calling them too soon
• 09:29 – Why scope and budget must come before design
• 11:47 – Why you can’t always shortcut early planning
• 14:14 – How long does a facility project actually take?
• 18:18 – Spotting internal signs you’ve outgrown your space
• 21:50 – How to dig into whether your facility fits your mission
• 24:48 – How quickly ministry models are changing
• 26:16 – The new paradigm: personalization over institutional
• 29:09 – Aligning big vision with budget reality
• 32:22 – Free resource: 10 Things to Get Right Before You Build

Tone, Language, and Final Thoughts

Rich and Aaron keep the conversation practical, candid, and full of good-natured humor. Both acknowledge the anxiety and high stakes involved, but encourage early, strategic steps and a thoughtful, mission-driven, and prayerful process. Aaron emphasizes partnership, clear communication, and stewardship.

Resources Mentioned

• RisePoint’s “10 Things to Get Right Before You Build” and free consult (RisePoint.com/unseminary)

This episode is a must-listen (or must-read!) for any church leader sensing growth and wondering what comes next for their facilities. The advice: Start early, get clear on scope and budget, align with mission, and lean into partnership with experienced guides.