The Opportunity
“In every great work of God there are three stages:
first, it is impossible; then it is difficult;
and then it is done.”
J. Hudson Taylor
Redeemer Church has an opportunity to purchase an existing church building in Waterford, on the border of Clarkston, 4.4 miles north of our current location – less than a 10-minute drive from where we presently meet.
Sitting on nearly 4 acres, this 17,000 square foot church was originally built in 1968. A gymnasium was added in 1980. The auditorium was expanded in 1982 to seat 400. The main level has a concrete ramp to the main entrance, a lobby, two full restrooms, and an office. There is a loft above the lobby which is currently being used as a radio/podcast studio. The lower level has two full restrooms, a classroom with a toddler restroom, several classrooms, an area that was formerly a kitchen, an office area, and a barrier-free entrance from the parking lot.
The property has 102 parking spaces, plenty of grassy areas for outdoor activities, and a detached heated garage for storing vehicles and lawn equipment.
The building is double the size of our current building. The property is nearly 4 times the size of our current property.
The Building is Ready to Be Customized for Our Needs
Overall, the property is in excellent condition. The entire roof was replaced in 2022. The heating mechanicals were updated in 2023. There are some exterior doors that need to be repaired/replaced. Some of the gutters and downspouts need to be replaced. We have a “clean slate” to renovate the building to suit our needs.
The Auditorium
A partition wall was added to divide the auditorium in half to create a smaller 200 seat auditorium and a fellowship area. This wall will have to be removed. Because it is not a load bearing wall, this isn’t an issue.
The auditorium does not have a platform, therefore a platform customized to our specifications, including a proper baptistry with changing rooms, would be constructed.
The auditorium does not have an audio/visual system. A customized A/V system with platform lighting would be installed to our specifications.
The “Gymnasium”
The Gymnasium is on the main level with access from the lobby. The room is currently entirely black. The windows are covered. The wood floors were painted. The walls are covered with black material, and the ceiling is painted black. It needs a complete renovation to convert it into a fellowship hall/dining room/large classroom, with an added kitchen. This would not need to be completed immediately.
The Lower Level
The Lower Level is a bit of a maze due to the building being added onto in 1980 and 1982. Most of the classrooms need new flooring. At a minimum the block walls need to be painted, but ideally, we would insulate and drywall the walls in the classrooms. None of this must be done immediately.
There is a room in the lower level that was used as a commercial kitchen which now only contains the remnants of the stainless-steel counters. No appliances/cabinets remain. If we can create a kitchen on the upper level, this space would be converted to storage and a custodial room.
Sending the Gospel into the Future
Given the number of our current members, and our current average attendance, why do we need a building double the size of our current building and four times the size of our current property? The short answer: to secure the ministry of Redeemer Church into the next generation.
When we purchased our current property in 2017 it was with the understanding that it would be our “starter” home. From the beginning, our current location was never meant to be our permanent church home. Our current location has served us well, but it is land locked, and for all intents and purposes has zero educational space. There is no room for the creation of an exciting and dynamic Sunday School and other weekday Christian Education programs for the family and our community.
We have been praying from the beginning that God would give us a more suitable building and property in His time. This new location IS that more suitable building and property. It is still in Waterford, but it borders Clarkston/Independence Township, and is less than ½ mile from two new residential developments. It is around the corner from the school where we started Redeemer Church in 2013.
We are not pursuing this opportunity with a “build it and they will come” attitude. In many ways we have allowed the limitations of our current building to limit the programming of our ministry – which is no programming at all. This new location provides an opportunity for us to “reset” our ministry, to become more community focused, implementing our Christian educational programs, but also becoming much more aggressively evangelistic and outreach oriented. We need to see men and women and children coming to faith in Jesus Christ and discipled in the Christian faith. THAT is how you fill a church building. And it is the ONLY REASON we should desire to have this building.
Counting the Cost
It will take an aggressive step of faith, an investment of money, blood, sweat, and tears, and every member of this church invested, to acquire this property, and to make the necessary renovations.
Our current property is debt-free. We want to remain debt-free. The difference between the current market value of our property (the amount we could expect to sell it for) and the money needed to meet the asking price for this property is approximately $350,000.00. We estimate the costs of the initial renovations at $200,000.00. To be able to purchase this property and complete the necessary initial renovations without acquiring debt, the families of Redeemer Church would need to generously give a minimum of $550,000.00 toward this project. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine.
What part – large or small – will your family commit to in this exciting opportunity to secure the future of Redeemer Church?
Sitting on nearly 4 acres, this 17,000 square foot church was originally built in 1968. A gymnasium was added in 1980. The auditorium was expanded in 1982 to seat 400. The main level has a concrete ramp to the main entrance, a lobby, two full restrooms, and an office. There is a loft above the lobby which is currently being used as a radio/podcast studio. The lower level has two full restrooms, a classroom with a toddler restroom, several classrooms, an area that was formerly a kitchen, an office area, and a barrier-free entrance from the parking lot.
The property has 102 parking spaces, plenty of grassy areas for outdoor activities, and a detached heated garage for storing vehicles and lawn equipment.
The building is double the size of our current building. The property is nearly 4 times the size of our current property.
The Building is Ready to Be Customized for Our Needs
Overall, the property is in excellent condition. The entire roof was replaced in 2022. The heating mechanicals were updated in 2023. There are some exterior doors that need to be repaired/replaced. Some of the gutters and downspouts need to be replaced. We have a “clean slate” to renovate the building to suit our needs.
The Auditorium
A partition wall was added to divide the auditorium in half to create a smaller 200 seat auditorium and a fellowship area. This wall will have to be removed. Because it is not a load bearing wall, this isn’t an issue.
The auditorium does not have a platform, therefore a platform customized to our specifications, including a proper baptistry with changing rooms, would be constructed.
The auditorium does not have an audio/visual system. A customized A/V system with platform lighting would be installed to our specifications.
The “Gymnasium”
The Gymnasium is on the main level with access from the lobby. The room is currently entirely black. The windows are covered. The wood floors were painted. The walls are covered with black material, and the ceiling is painted black. It needs a complete renovation to convert it into a fellowship hall/dining room/large classroom, with an added kitchen. This would not need to be completed immediately.
The Lower Level
The Lower Level is a bit of a maze due to the building being added onto in 1980 and 1982. Most of the classrooms need new flooring. At a minimum the block walls need to be painted, but ideally, we would insulate and drywall the walls in the classrooms. None of this must be done immediately.
There is a room in the lower level that was used as a commercial kitchen which now only contains the remnants of the stainless-steel counters. No appliances/cabinets remain. If we can create a kitchen on the upper level, this space would be converted to storage and a custodial room.
Sending the Gospel into the Future
Given the number of our current members, and our current average attendance, why do we need a building double the size of our current building and four times the size of our current property? The short answer: to secure the ministry of Redeemer Church into the next generation.
When we purchased our current property in 2017 it was with the understanding that it would be our “starter” home. From the beginning, our current location was never meant to be our permanent church home. Our current location has served us well, but it is land locked, and for all intents and purposes has zero educational space. There is no room for the creation of an exciting and dynamic Sunday School and other weekday Christian Education programs for the family and our community.
We have been praying from the beginning that God would give us a more suitable building and property in His time. This new location IS that more suitable building and property. It is still in Waterford, but it borders Clarkston/Independence Township, and is less than ½ mile from two new residential developments. It is around the corner from the school where we started Redeemer Church in 2013.
We are not pursuing this opportunity with a “build it and they will come” attitude. In many ways we have allowed the limitations of our current building to limit the programming of our ministry – which is no programming at all. This new location provides an opportunity for us to “reset” our ministry, to become more community focused, implementing our Christian educational programs, but also becoming much more aggressively evangelistic and outreach oriented. We need to see men and women and children coming to faith in Jesus Christ and discipled in the Christian faith. THAT is how you fill a church building. And it is the ONLY REASON we should desire to have this building.
Counting the Cost
It will take an aggressive step of faith, an investment of money, blood, sweat, and tears, and every member of this church invested, to acquire this property, and to make the necessary renovations.
Our current property is debt-free. We want to remain debt-free. The difference between the current market value of our property (the amount we could expect to sell it for) and the money needed to meet the asking price for this property is approximately $350,000.00. We estimate the costs of the initial renovations at $200,000.00. To be able to purchase this property and complete the necessary initial renovations without acquiring debt, the families of Redeemer Church would need to generously give a minimum of $550,000.00 toward this project. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine.
What part – large or small – will your family commit to in this exciting opportunity to secure the future of Redeemer Church?