Mythbusters: “If you build it, they will come…”
Mythbusters is a new series of articles by the Blueprint Team that targets false information, misinformation, or just plain-old bad advice…and replaces it with a helpful, truth-filled resource.
Let’s play a quick game of “Name that Movie.”
The quote famously goes, “If you build it, he will come,” but it’s often misquoted as “If you build it, they will come.”
If you happened to be around in 1989, are a fan of Kevin Costner, or caught it as a classic later on, you’ll know this quote (and all its associated misquotes), comes from Field of Dreams. Basic plot: Iowa farmer hears a voice encouraging him to build a baseball field in the middle of his corn field–and he actually does it. Both the “he” and a bunch of “theys” do, in fact, show up.
Years later, this quote lives on. Well-meaning people encourage each other to build their dreams, knowing that dreams-turned-realities often inspire others to follow, join, or support a cause.
However, there is an obvious pitfall to this encouragement: it’s not always true. It’s not even usually true.
People build things all the time that no one shows up to see, join, or support, no matter how meaningful, special, or beautiful these dreams happen to be.
Not only has this idea worked its way into our American psyches, it’s even made its way even into our churches and schools. I see it all the time, and it scares me more than a slew of legendary baseball ghosts playing a game in my backyard.
Here’s what I’ve come into contact with over and over again: ministries and their well-meaning teams dangerously assuming that a new building project is the key to reaching more people.
“If we build it (a new school building), they (more students and families in our community) will come.”
Building a new school building - even if your current one is outdated - is not the answer to reaching more families or the cure for a stagnant enrollment. If you build a new building, do not assume they will come.
Your current building is usually NOT the reason your enrollment isn’t growing. In fact, in all the schools that I’ve worked with, I’ve never recommended building as the first step to reaching more people. Building can be one step, but it isn’t the first step. It’s the seventh, eighth, or ninth step.
Here are all the steps that need to be in place BEFORE considering a building project-and the multi-million dollar loan that accompanies it:
Analyzing the current health of your ministry to gain a clear understanding of its stability and opportunities.
Determining a target audience for your ministry.
Conducting demographic studies, community research, and parent interviews to determine needs of prospective students and their families.
Studying area schools to evaluate current educational options, available programming, demand for faith-based education, benchmarks of thriving schools, and opportunities to fill in educational gaps.
Creating a strategic plan for growth and development WITH consensus support from your ministry, stakeholders, and team to pursue this plan.
Constructing a quality educational program based on community research and the needs of families, as well as a clear and differentiated identity. Once you know what your program will be, you’ll have a better idea of WHAT KIND of building you’ll need to build.
Developing resources to market your school’s program to your community consistently and effectively.
Building the financial stability to weather the first years of operation at low numbers while your program builds trust and awareness in the community. This includes having a sustainable financial model that is viable for your school AND your church ministry.
Demonstrating the need for space through full classrooms and waiting lists.
If you can say a confident YES to the statements above, it’s reasonable to believe “if you build it, they will come.”
If not, don’t give up on the dream. Give up on the myth and start working on the steps above.
Blueprint Schools exists to help schools build thriving organizations, including those who’d like to build new school buildings. If you need help getting through the steps in the article above, that’s one of our specialities. We’d love to support you, even if that means you’d just like to ask a few questions to start. Schedule a consultation or learn more about the Blueprint Partnership.
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