FAQ’s

See below for a list of FAQ’s & answers.

Who is on the decision making team?
We’re very fortunate to have a range of experienced business people within our Grace community that we’ve been able to seek advice from. The group that we’ve leaned on heavily as we’ve prepared for this season to help with facilities and building related decisions is the Property Team. The core of this team are our trustees with other individuals that have experience in specific areas bought in as required.

Find out more about our team here

Why don’t we buy land and build from scratch?
We investigated a number of bare land options prior to purchasing Tuam St and in the end opted to pursue an existing building on the basis of cost and timing and zoning. In rough numbers, the current cost of building per square metre is around the same cost as land and buildings for the existing sites we’ve investigated. We’ve concentrated our efforts on finding a large “shell” (like a warehouse) in a good location that could be fitted out for our needs.

Why has this process taken so long?
Prior to finding Tuam Street, we’d looked at over 30 potential sites, eventually walking away after fully investigating their suitability. As a large church, we have some very specific requirements for finding a suitable site. In terms of council compliance, we need a site with the right zoning. One of the first things we consider when looking at a potential site is “could we get resource consent to operate here?” Parking is another consideration. In terms of traffic generation and parking on Sundays we’re quite unique. Very few businesses with large buildings have almost all their “customers” arrive in the same half hour (as we do before our services start). Other key considerations are; floor area of the building, interior layout and timing until vacant.

What is the soonest we can get in to Tuam St?
That’s difficult to answer yet until the full scope of the fitout is known but we estimate that we could move in as soon as December 2024 at this stage. In the meantime, we have commercial tenants renting out the entire footprint of the site, currently bringing in more than $310k per annum.

Can we get a Resource Consent to use Tuam St as a church?
Yes, we originally obtained resource consent back in 2017, which has expired in March 2022, we’ve just resubmitted for our renewed and updated resource consent including a 5 storey carpark building. Our planners are confident that our activities fit with the zoning of the site. Here is their response to the question “This site is zoned as “Central City Mixed Use” in the Christchurch City Plan. The zone provides for a wide range of uses, and spiritual facilities, community facilities, and cafes are all permitted activities in this zone”.

Why do we need something so big?
Prior to the quakes our morning services at 150 Ferry Rd were so full that we were at risk of exceeding our fire limit (for the maximum number of people allowed inside in the building) on a weekly basis. Sadly this meant turning people away at the door with a “Church Full” sign. In addition to the extra space we want for a main auditorium, we want a facility large enough and flexible enough in it’s uses, to cater for a huge range of activities that are central to our mission. Ultimately, this building and every other property we hold are just a tool for mission. They are spaces where God is encountered and worshipped (UP), community happens (IN) and where people are trained, equipped and sent (OUT). This building needs to be an asset that serves the city. It’s not only for our use, but rather a collection of well designed spaces that thousands of people will utilize throughout the year. It’s going to be a facility that has the space to engage the community in a relevant way.

Will we have difficulties being next to the new Stadium?
The planners and property experts we’ve spoken with only see the construction of the new stadium as a benefit to us. It will draw crowds and sustain many other businesses within close walking distance. At this stage the Southern end of the stadium (opposite the Tuam St frontage) is planned to have trees planted along it and potentially a car park building in the future.

How have we heard from God on this?
Before buying Tuam St our Property Team had considered around 30 potential sites and our key leaders and Pastors have contended in prayer for Gods leading on a new location. We’re absolutely convinced that the journey God has led us on as a church has been for our own good and far more important than simply reaching the destination. We have had to depend on God more than ever, look for his guidance in small steps forward, wrestle with obstacles and challenges in prayer and above all trust that He knows what we need.

A whole series of small miracles have led us to this point.

Why be in the CBD?
We want to be a “Church in the City-for the City.” The words that God has given us over nearly three years add up to a strong mandate that could be summed up as “I want you to help rebuild the spiritual foundations of the City.” We believe that our location relative to the people we seek to serve is very important and in order to be an effective tool for mission, the building must be where the people are.

Where would people park?
Inner city churches always struggle with parking. In our case we have a drive through parking building on the West side providing a small number parks under cover near the entrance (great for unloading people on rainy days). We also have resource consent for a 5 storey parking building on the South side of the site.

Is Tuam St accessible for mid-week for activities?
For mid-week activities Tuam St has more off street parking than the other buildings we’ve looked at. Our intention is that it’s location and layout will accommodate more mid-week than we’ve been able to offer in the past.

Will we be closing down any of the other campuses?
No. Strong multisite churches typically have a healthy central campus that serves the satellite campuses in other parts of the city. As each additional Campus joins the “family” we become stronger and more diverse. Each Campus has it’s own unique characteristics and strengths but are also part of the wider family, sharing core values and most importantly –each campus has a part to play in the wider mission of seeing the City saved and bought into relationship with Jesus.

Will a building campaign divert us from God’s mission?
Not at all. We’re very clear about any buildings we have simply serving us as a tool for mission. People are what’s important in the end. We need buildings to help us serve and love the city we’re a part of.

Why not plant more churches rather than have one big church?
One of the key ingredients to healthy satellite campuses is a strong central campus that provides administration support and specialist expertise. Our size allows us to provide a higher quality of ministries like worship, kids programs and the like because centralized resources and training are available to the campuses. Efficiencies provided by centralized accounting and admin functions allow the satellite campuses to get on with the job of making disciples.

Why not buy back Ferry Rd or lease it long term?
Ferry Rd is just a stepping stone to our permanent site and is not suitable as a long term City Campus location for a number of reasons.
1) We don’t own the Ferry Rd buildings. We lease the spaces at below market rates. For this reason alone Ferry Rd will never be our long term home.
2) Ferry rd is too small. Prior to the quakes our morning services were so full that we were at risk of exceeding our fire limit (for people inside in the building) on a weekly basis. Sadly this meant turning people away at the door with a “Church Full” sign.
3) The land has poor quality soil. Many of the buildings in and around Phillipstown suffered the same fate as ours, whereby the liquefaction prone soil cannot support the weight of the building in a shake.

Wouldn’t it be better to spend all the money on the poor/missions?
People with long term vision understand the need to invest in facilities that enable the mission to continue on and grow well into the future. Helping the poor and providing funds for missions is both important and central to what we’re all about. To be missional and effective at reaching the lost you need tools. Good facilities are just that – a tool for mission. We believe it’s a case of both/and rather than one or another. Both are needed to get the mission accomplished.

A great example of sacrificial investment to leave a legacy of multi-generational blessing is the Living Springs complex near Governors Bay. The faith-filled obedience, foresight and courage of Peter Morrow and David Down has created an amazing asset for the city of Christchurch and has provided a place for hundreds of people to encounter Jesus over many decades.