Back on August 27th I posted a blog entitled “Why do Mormon (LDS) facilities look so good?” I was very surprised at the number of people that opened and read the blog…about 3 times my normal readership per post…including almost 60 from Utah. I have since found out that the blog was linked on Mormonlife.com…go figure.

Since that time I have had conversations with several national organizations about the post and just posted an excerpt of the blog on the International Facility Managers Association (IFMA) site. That prompted a response from the gentleman that was the webinar leader that stirred my thoughts on this topic (If you don’t know what I am talking about then you are either one of my kids or have not read the first blog…or both). Below is his response to my post on IFMA:

Thank You for the comments and compliments concerning church facilities for the LDS Church.

A few corrections should be made. I do have a large area to cover but it only includes a portion of Montana which includes 33 facilities as well as some responsibilities for a welfare farm. Most of the facilities custodial duties are cared for by the general membership as member involvement. We have a small staff with most of our emphases placed on preventative maintenance, major repair, construction, and future planning., etc. Our main goal is directed towards priesthood leaders and assisting them in facilities care so as to relieve them of that concern which allows them to direct their time and efforts in helping members and their communities in sharing our believes and helping others to grow spiritually.

S. StXXXX XXXXXX, CFM
Great Falls FM Group

I have had a dozen or more responses to the original blog from LDS members and each one has been very insightful regarding the topic of facilities. Many of the responses I got from evangelicals and other protestant readers surprised me. I heard things about the LDS having “deep pockets” or that they are “works based” or that they can spend more on their facilities because they do not pay salaries to their leaders at the local church level. I even had one response indicating that because the LDS are works based that they are “eager” to help at the facilities.

While some of these…maybe all…have some validity or some segment of truth, it makes me scratch my head.

While I am scratching my head (maybe you too) let me ask some questions for your input…or just to ponder:

1. Do those of us who are not LDS believe in the priesthood of the saints as part of an incarnation belief system?

2. Don’t we want to remove the “burden” of maintaining the facilities from those called to preach, teach and lead….whether paid to do so or not? Does this not apply to those who are paid staff as well as lay people called to be ministers of the gospel in any form that may take? Re-review my post about Acts 6:1-7

3. I get the sense that we want to make excuses for not maintaining our facilities as well as the LDS…or other groups. WHY??? If we can not afford to maintain them….then for heavens sake, don’t build them. We have all heard building committees and capital campaign leaders quote the scripture about not building without counting the costs….well…frankly, I think that “counting the cost” goes far deeper than the initial cost of sticks and bricks, but extends to the short term and long term care and maintenance of the facilities. Is that not part of the cost? I would venture to say that if you look at the total cost of ownership of a building, that the cost of operation over a 30 year period will far exceed the initial cost of construction….so are we truly considering the costs or just the initial part of the costs?

4. Do we really believe that stewardship is NOT about what we give, but rather taking care of what we have been given….entrusted with? We should not say that we are “giving” tithes and offerings but rather we are “returning” tithes and offerings. It is not ours to give…but rather to return to the giver of all things. Do we believe that everything on and in the earth belongs to God? I do!!! If we believe that, then what are we doing with the things that have been entrusted to us?

I hope that this makes you/me (because I do not live this principle like I know I should) do more than scratch our heads, but that it will challenge us to the core and have us rethink our paradigm associated with stewardship. Take out a piece of paper and pen and write down all of the things that have been entrusted to you….this list could be huge. Then review the list and ask yourself what you are doing to care for (steward) these gifts from God….as each one was provided by HIM and him alone. We did not create any of these items…but we have definitely been commissioned/called to care for them.

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