On Wednesday, March 26th at our Quarterly Staff Meeting, we kicked off a major energy management and education effort. We have been studying and working toward this for some time. This is not the kind of program where major dollars have to be spent up front and are not realized back for a number of years. This is a proven energy management program used by universities and schools all over America, and we have now become the second church in America to use it.

Last summer while on vacation, I got a call form my friend, Dr. Jack Graham, Senior Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas. He invited me to join him in this opportunity due to his belief in this program that had proven to have great success in his church. The campus of Prestonwood has more square feet than our two campuses put together, but in the first 18 months, they have saved over $1.2 million. These are real savings that are now being spent on ministries instead of energy. At the time Dr. Graham called, they were in their ninth month of the program.

News like that obviously captivated my attention, leading to a meeting with the president of this energy management company. After some follow-up meetings with our staff team, plus securing the commitment of our Pastor’s Council and entire staff team, we entered this relationship. Dr. Bill Speer, president of this company, is a proven expert in energy management savings. Oklahoma State University named their School of Business after this gifted business leader. He is a great Christian man and an active member of Prestonwood Church in Dallas.

Projections are that our energy management program may be able to save almost $3.5 million over the next decade. Of course, we must be wise and intentional as a church to abide by the instructions and principles that guide this process. The company guarantees the savings or else they will write us a check for any investments we have made in the process.

The goal of any church would be to take the dollars saved and put them into the ministry of the church. The use of buildings is certainly a part of that ministry, but our goal is to direct as much money as possible into ministering to people.

This kind of commitment goes right along with our ministry operating at the highest level of financial integrity. This is why our ministry has a detailed Annual Financial Audit. Again this year, we received great approval on our practices from the independent auditing firm.

My goal is just to inform you today, asking you to assist in any of these processes if you are asked. Our heart is to win the world to Christ. Even energy management done successfully can help us accomplish our mission more effectively.