FOR

FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Why?

Too many people in our community don’t have a life-giving relationship with Jesus. Roughly 100,000 people who live within a five-mile radius of our church are not actively involved in a local church. The FOR Campaign is designed to make room for them and create environments where they can connect to Jesus and the community of faith.

 2. Why Now?

By 2025, almost 31% of our population will have been born after 2002, and over half are already 40 years old or younger. The largest portion of our community is young families with children and teens in the home. The time is right to leverage our excellent ministry in Mountaintop Kids and Mountaintop Students to reach the Next Generation in our backyard.

 3. What is the problem? Why do we need to expand our square footage to reach more people when the auditorium is not full on Sundays?

Exactly. We believe one of the reasons the auditorium is not full-on Sunday is because our kids ministry areas are not adequate for the size of our auditorium; therefore, Mountaintop Kids becomes very crowded during peak services. The kid’s ministry building footprint serves as our largest barrier to growth. By moving the nursery and preschool into a new wing, creating a dedicated entrance for families, and opening the other spaces to K-6th graders, we have devised a plan to grow to 2,000 people on Sundays (double our current attendance) in two services. In addition, we will add as many parking spaces as economically feasible to provide more parking and less golf-carting. Would you and your family consider parking at the Chambers office building regularly to make room for new guests?

 4. What about the other improvements to the exterior and Student Center?

We want to create environments that engage newcomers and display our value of generosity and excellence. Our Student Center was not originally built for students, so they’ve lived in ‘adapted space’ for over a decade. In Phase 2, we want to retrofit it for excellent worship space, gathering space, activity space, and adequate small group rooms. We believe our small group environments are vital to students’ spiritual growth, and this new space will create a space for every age group to meet. Moreover, as our congregation grows, the atrium also becomes over-crowded. The beautiful weather in Birmingham allows us to use outdoor space for fellowship and gathering. As we continue hosting food trucks in warm weather, this creates an even better venue for breaking bread together. This will be the first major exterior update since our facility was built over 20 years ago.

 5. Were other options to overcome our ministry challenges considered? 

Moving Mountaintop 56 to the Student Center has opened a little space for peak services, but it’s not a long-term solution. Part of this plan will create permanent space for 5th & 6th graders. We also explored adding a third floor to the atrium, but it was cost prohibitive and not as accessible as the new kids’ wing with a dedicated entrance. Mountaintop has also explored options for relocating and decided that we have a wonderful facility in a great location that has yet to be maximized in terms of use.  

6. Where do I fit in?

This God-sized vision will take all of us. Will you pray? Will you prayerfully consider what you might give over three years? Will you discern where God is calling you to serve as the ministry expands to reach new people? Will you seek the Lord about who He is calling you to invite? We GET to be a part of what God is doing at Mountaintop. And God’s just getting started.

7. Did we get outside help or advice?

Yes! A lot! We have gained help and advice in several areas. Our Demographic data and considerations began by working with Art Speak Creative Group and Precept in 2020 during our rebranding process. Our staff took a field-trip to look at some like-minded churches and what they were doing to serve the Next Generation with their spaces. We identified nine architects we felt were capable, interviewed three, and chose to work with Equip Design Studio. Equip has so much experience and expertise in creating environments for modern churches that want to connect with their community. We started the design process with a Charette experience led by Equip Design Studio in late 2021. 

The Charette process included a survey of key lay leaders, a day-long listening session with different members of the staff team, and a two-day concept planning event that included real-time plan drawing and feedback. In 2022, we created an interview team of Board of Directors members with construction backgrounds and some church members with construction expertise. In addition, we invited nine general contractors and interviewed four. The team enthusiastically chose to work with Johnson Kreise. The company has built over 200 churches, including several prominent churches in the Birmingham area. They have an A++ reputation in the industry. We have also brought CDG Civil Engineering Group and the ESG Audio, Visual, Lighting Group on board as part of the team. We are confident we have an excellent team put together and are working hard to make sure that planning is in place long before groundbreaking to ensure the smooth completion of the construction project.   

8. What is the campaign goal and how can we achieve it?

THREE YEAR EXPENSES

ANTICIPATED MINISTRY BUDGET (March 2023 – February 2026) $10,500,000

Continue providing robust week-to-week ministry initiatives in every area of the church as we invite and equip people to follow Jesus. You name it – groups, serving, worship, outreach, missions – let’s keep focused on what God is doing in the lives of our neighbors right now! The FOR Campaign seeks to grow the general budget by about 5% per year to maintain and expand our excellent ministry environments. In addition, we seek to provide additional staffing in student and digital ministry and additional outreach to nearby communities.

ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COSTS $9,500,000

Expanding kids ministry by 16,000 sq ft, creating a new place for nursery and pre-school ministries and a dedicated family entrance for check-in. Plus, we’re remodeling our existing environments for elementary kids and Mountaintop 56.

Creating more social gathering spaces to help facilitate more connection and community.

Renovating the student space to create more areas for students to establish a relationship with Jesus through worship and grow with their peers and small group leaders in new small group spaces.

Expanding our parking to make easier access for our guests.

TOTAL COST: $20,000,000

THREE YEAR GOALS

FOR CAMPAIGN   $17,000,000

Additional Funding   $3,000,000

From reserves, sale of a parcel of campus property, and a reasonable loan if necessary

TOTAL FUNDING $20,000,000

9. How do we intend to pay for this project?

While $17,000,000 is undoubtedly a lot of money, it represents $8,130 per year over three years for every person who has given to Mountaintop during 2022. 

10. Is there a path to finish this project debt free?

• Accelerated giving to the FOR campaign exceeds expectations and covers all expenses. 
• Expenses are kept on track in the context of inflation and cost engineering as the project unfolds.
• We allocate a large portion of our reserve funds to this project. Through your radical generosity and the good work of our Board of Directors and Finance Staff, which has included selling the Chambers office building, we’ve been able to set aside $1,000,000 in reserves over the last two years in anticipation of a potential campaign or needed renovations.
• We find a buyer for 19 acres of church property that is currently for sale.

11. What if we don’t raise enough money?

12. Are there additional ways, besides cash, that I can give to the FOR Campaign?