Most church leaders know in their heart when they need more space for their growing ministries, but it can be difficult for pastors and ministers to know exactly what it is they need in a new space.

A common reason for this is that churches often feel like they want to respond to an internal need called for by parishioners, but that desire isn't always what's best for the church and its core mission and ministry.

It's easy to get excited when you're thinking about a new church building or an expansion of your old building. Many pastors or building committees want to rush out immediately and talk to an architect so they can get plans drawn up to share with their congregation.

Finding the right architect can be a tricky proposition because church committees or ministers often don't know exactly what they need or want or what their total project budget is, and architects are used to dealing with people who know exactly what they need and can afford.

If you don't happen to find an architect who specializes in church design, he or she might not know that about 40 percent of the cost of building a church doesn't go into the building, but rather into permits, landscaping, utility hookups and many more requirements that are a vital part of the church building process.

Simply choosing a prominent architect in your community may not be the best choice for your church building project. Most architects simply don’t specialize in church design and are not used to working with clients who don't know exactly what they want, and they won't be able to ask the guiding questions that most pastors or church committee members need to have posed to them in order to get the best building for the church's needs.

Finding an architect with church experience is a better place to start than just picking an architect out of your local phone book. But knowing that an architect has worked in church design and knowing that he or she is successful at church design are two different things.

As with any other job opening your church might be trying to fill, picking an architect for your church building process should involve lengthy interviews, seeing finished churches and checking references—in this case following up with the congregations and ministers at churches the architect has designed to see if the space meets their needs and is what they asked for.

You really can't spend too much time doing your homework when it comes to finding the right architect for your church building project. Even though you're itching to get started, take the time to find a designer you are sure will meet your needs and help you design the church of your dreams.