Across the nation, pastors and leaders are making their best attempts to disciple congregations and invite the community to connect with the church. In a post-Christian world where Jesus is considered one among many great spiritual teachers, the church’s challenge is to demonstrate how she is different from all the other options. Aspen Group is […]

The Third Place The Third Place, a space for connection and community, but a space that is often overlooked in an ever-changing, digital community. Coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, the third place refers to spaces that are not work or home. From the coffee shop on a Tuesday morning, the pub on a Friday night, […]

As ministers, congregants, elders, and deacons, we often disregard the tangible aspects that design has to offer as it pertains to our church’s spiritual health. This belief becomes a distant measure because the practicalities of preaching, teaching, and worship lead the charge in making disciples. Let it be known that these practicalities are more than […]

Your visitors will encounter many things before they choose a seat and listen to your sermon this Easter Sunday. How is your church facility preparing the way for your guests and helping to draw them in? Seeing your facility through the eyes of your guests will help you create a more welcoming environment and give […]

Chapelstreet Church was looking for a unique solution for the addition and renovation of their North Aurora, Illinois campus. This compact facility required an efficient design so the spaces could be adapted to have more than one function. Aspen was called in to help, after having partnered with Chapelstreet on their South Streetand Keslinger campuses, […]

I am VERY careful who I recommend to pastors and church leaders. I only entrust those relationships to people who I know love pastors, the church, and Jesus.  They do not view the church as “a market” but instead have a deep sense of purpose and mission in regard to helping them reach their full-redemptive […]

Collaboration is a popular buzzword in today’s leadership culture.  However, few organizations do it well.  Recently, I came across a company who is leveraging collaboration amongst its team members with incredible results…. and the customer is the primary beneficiary! The company’s name is the Aspen Group, a ministry focused design-build firm providing integrated solutions for […]

I have the privilege of talking with numerous pastors and church leaders each day.  Not once have I ever heard anyone say that reaching the next generation was not a high priority. Recently, Derek DeGroot, President of Aspen Group, addressed this very issue. Speaking of Aspen, when it comes to facility management there is no organization […]

People find community in many places—at work, in a book club, in a neighborhood group, or by joining a gym—all fantastic ways to connect and build relationships with others.  Our church lobbies play a critical role in building true community by giving people a space to encounter God together. Engaging in a church experience is […]

Pastors who are focused on church planting and multiplying often focus on leadership and ministry as the key aspects of launching new churches.  But one critical piece is almost always missing from the multiplication plan—a facility strategy. Visionary leaders often believe that space doesn’t matter, buildings cost too much, and facilities slow down the multiplication […]

Let’s combine two leadership concepts. First is culture.  Seth Godin says, “Culture is 11 words – This is who we are and this is what we do.”  Second, is continual learning.  Smart leaders are passionate about personal growth and part of growth is constant learning. Combining these two fundamental leadership concepts results in the creation […]

Shepherd’s Heart Care Center, located in Chapelstreet Church’s South Street campus in Geneva, Illinois, serves 1400 people in the Tri-City area. When this ministry began in 1999, it was a simple food pantry closet with pre-packed bags, where families in need could get a helping hand, but the small, tucked away space wasn’t sufficient to […]