Posted by Greg Ligon
This morning I had bagels with Jeff Manion, Senior Pastor and Bob King, Director of Venues at Ada Bible Church. Ada Bible has been around for about 22 years and is in its third location on 100 acres that houses the first three phases of their master plan. The cool thing is that their build out to this point is focused on venues. The completion of their first auditorium and offices was closely followed by addition of their first on-site venue – The Annex. This building is constructed of fabricated steel with a façade on the front that makes the building look really cool. 
The total cost of the construction for this venue was less than $150,000 including the technology. Phase three completed this summer includes two additional venues – The Studio and The Chapel – both opened on September 18 of this year. Ada Bible is bumping up against 3000 in attendance each weekend. When I asked Jeff about his vision for what’s next, he indicated that it is more of a suspicion at this time, so don’t hold him to it yet! The suspicion is that in 5 years they will conclude phase four which will include both additional venues and a larger worship setting (2000) and extension to off-site locations.
One of the things that I hear regularly is that venues and off-site locations must have a value-add or a unique draw. Jeff and Bob indicated that with live feed teaching and consistent worship styles in each venue, the distinctives of their venues are the physical environment of the rooms and most importantly, the venue leadership itself. What are the value adds and unique draws that you are employing or have heard that others are using?
Catch you later … getting on a plane to Indianapolis to spend time with the gangs at Grace Community and The Garden.
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