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Mega-Buying Power
Save money and time by taking advantage of the high-volume purchasing clout of church furnishings distributors.
by John Stahlman
A friend who knows how fond I am of my dog called me the other day and said he wanted to demonstrate his gift of
discernment. "Okay," I said. "Show me what you can do."
He said, "I can tell you what your dog is doing right now even though I am hundreds of miles away."
"Let's hear it," I challenged.
"He's sleeping."
I turned my head and sure enough, there was Alex, a ball of black fur, curled up in the middle of the floor, sound asleep.
My friend isn't clairvoyant, he just knows dogs. It's a safe bet that at any given time, a dog will be sleeping.
It's also a safe bet that you, a church leader, are looking for better ways to manage your existing facility and ministries.
Anything that saves you time, saves your church money, and generally makes your job easier is welcome. Good
news—church furnishings distributors are in business to provide you with those benefits. We talked to some of the
leading church furnishings suppliers to learn how they operate, and how churches large and small can benefit from
their products and services.
First of all, what do we mean by "furnishings?" Furnishings are all the things you put into that new, empty space to
make it useful for ministry. For a sanctuary, these include carpeting, pews, chairs, pulpit or podium, baptistery,
communion table and ware, banners, flags, chancel furniture, crosses, and special colored windows. The choir could
use risers, seats, robes, and sound equipment. Classrooms need seats, tables, chalkboards, and artwork. Nursery
furnishings include cribs, toys, and rocking chairs. Office space needs to be equipped properly for efficient work flow
and ministry.
All the church furnishings providers we talked to for this article emphasize the importance of the church's preparation
before purchasing. You, the buyer, should have specific descriptions of your expectations, both from the products you
need and the service you expect. In most product categories many different options are available, and knowing what
you want, in as much detail as possible, will insure that you get products that will serve your needs well.
Why Use Distributors?
Furnishings distributors purchase items frequently and in large quantities, allowing manufacturers to enjoy a
predictable and steady stream of orders. With that assurance and freedom, manufacturers can focus on production
efficiency rather than marketing, sales, and distribution. Because distributors receive a dramatic decrease in unit cost
from manufacturers, they can pass these savings on to their church customers.
Think of it this way: buying through a distributor, wholesaler, purchasing group, or other one-stop provider allows small
or medium-sized churches to benefit from the same kind of buying power enjoyed by many megachurches.
Why not buy your furnishings from a local discount store or warehouse club? While it's true that a local discount store
might be able to provide you with a few of the products your church needs for its ministry, they won't have the church-
specific products you will need. And even though the local store will have some products at a lower price than many
manufacturers can offer, consider carefully that those products are probably designed for light residential or
occasional business use.
For example, every congregation needs tables, and tables can be purchased at discount stores at low prices. But
consider that these tables from the discount store are generally intended for residential use, meaning light-duty,
occasional use, with long periods of storage in the basement or garage. That's probably not a good description of how
those tables will be used at your church.
The reason you won't find the more durable tables at the "Your Town" discounter center is that it cannot profitably serve
the few churches or businesses in your area that need such durable tables. So a table from a discount store may cost
one-fourth that of a table designed, built, and distributed by companies catering to churches in a broader region. The
more expensive table will be better quality, designed for a church's fellowship hall rather than a neighbor's garage
sale, and is a product the distributor knows has worked well for other churches.
So, although there are many furnishings distributors to choose from, you will usually be best served by a distributor
that understands the unique needs of the church market.
If you're going to be involved in a new building program, expansion, or renovation, you'll put a lot of thought and
planning into the project. But too often project planners think the project is over when the building is done. Then, you'll
have a floor, walls, ceiling, windows, doors, and the necessary utilities—basically, a naked room. Rather than
scrambling at the last minute to choose appropriate furnishings, it's a good idea to give serious thought to the
furnishings while planning the project. And purchasing all furnishings from one distributor has some key advantages.
When constructing and furnishing a new building, a staggered delivery schedule for furnishings is very helpful. For
example, you want the carpeting to arrive after the floors are ready but before the pews are on site. One-stop shopping
overcomes these timing problems. One supplier handling all the furnishings makes it much easier to time deliveries
instead of scheduling a dozen different providers.
Another advantage of one-stop shopping is the consolidated bill for the purchases. Instead of dealing with a constant
inflow of bills, a church using a one-stop provider receives one bill each month, a real time-saver and a kindness to
the treasurer.
More Than One Way to Shop
Most companies have extensive print catalogs with the convenience of shopping via telephone. Other companies have
sales representatives that travel to churches at the church's request. This face-to-face style provides the "people"
factor for those churches that are uncomfortable doing business in any other way. Having the representative come to
the church gives the church a "home field advantage."
A few companies have show rooms for customers to visit and compare different styles, quality, and price. A showroom
allows an entire committee or group to see and touch products at the same time. Another advantage is that each one
in a group of decision makers has the same information as all the others. For large purchases, the travel costs may
be a terrific investment to insure getting products everyone can agree on.
The growing use of the Internet has opened up new and convenient ways to shop. There are no set hours for
shopping, so those responsible for the purchase can investigate and compare companies and products at their
convenience. On the Internet, there are no appointments to schedule, and time zones are of no consequence. Still,
you'll want to work with a company that has knowledgeable representatives available for you to talk with, for those
inevitable questions that come up.
At a company's website, you'll often find information not available in a catalog. The company's history, relationship with
other churches, latest product introductions, and frequently asked questions are standard fare at most web sites.
Compare Cost, Not Price.
Since price is always a factor in purchasing church furnishings, some might be tempted to compare only the purchase
price of furniture and equipment. As stewards of property and resources, church leaders need to look at the lifetime
cost of a product—the total cost over the period of time the product will be used. Lifetime cost is generally a more
accurate estimate of value or true cost than purchase price.
For example, your church will need tables for the next 20 years. A $50 table will need to be replaced every two years.
This table has a $25 per year cost and a lifetime cost (over 20 years) of $500. A table selling for $200 lasts for 20
years, yielding a $10 per year cost, or a $200 lifetime cost. In this example, the better table saves 60 percent in the
lifetime cost of the economy model. It also saves on the hassle and headaches of new table deliveries every two
years, and the disposal of the old, broken-down tables. This illustration shows that, in many cases, buying the highest
quality products your budget will allow helps you achieve the lowest lifetime cost.
John Chestnut of A&O Church Furniture likes to remind customers of the old saying, "The bitterness of poor quality
remains long after the sweetness of low price." Because A&O specializes in serving the church market, they have
significant experience in satisfying the special needs of churches. While discount chains seek customers in the
general population, distributors and wholesalers of church furnishings serve congregations across the nation. This
wide exposure makes them a natural choice to better understand and supply ministry requirements.
Walter Pollack of Adirondack Direct says it's also important to be consistent in choosing the quality level of furnishings.
The narthex, pastor's study, and church fellowship hall should have similar levels of quality. Visitors notice all of these
areas and form an impression of your church based on them. To save money, some congregations focus on a
particular area, overspending on it and neglecting others. Pollack suggests that a better solution is to choose mid-
price furnishings. This category includes furniture built of quality materials by reputable companies but assembled at
the church.
Ministry-Minded
One characteristic shared by many church furnishings distributors is a commitment to ministry, and their intention to
be partners with the local church in the fulfillment of the congregation's God-given tasks.
"We recognize that money is ministry money," says Darrel Meyers, marketing director for National Church Purchasing
Group. "By helping a church save money on products they buy, those savings can be moved straight to ministry
programs." This kind of thinking makes congregations comfortable dealing with furnishings suppliers that cater to
churches.
Cornerstone Supplies not only includes a Christian image in its name, but also encourages employees to participate
in twice-weekly corporate prayer gatherings, and to be active participants in a church with their families. Al Saucedo,
retail product manager for Cornerstone, says not only does the staff of Cornerstone know the language of the church,
but understands the language of the church's heart.
Tom McElheny of Church Plaza, Inc. sees his company as a partner with churches. "The sale is never over," he says.
"To nurture lasting relationships, our sales force is faith-market trained so they can communicate with and understand
churches of different traditions."
Expanded Services
A new development in the value-added emphasis of companies doing business with congregations is the adding of
new services and making new efforts to satisfy larger needs of churches.
Bill Nabers, marketing and business development manager, at L. L. Sams, Inc, says the renovation services offered
by his company since the 1950s are an example of a partnership with churches that goes beyond selling and buying
products. Whether a church wants to renovate the building after a fire or flood or if they have just grown tired of the look
of the church, L. L. Sams works with building committees to plan and complete an entire renovation process.
Church Plaza has added a comprehensive relocation service for church professionals. With one telephone call,
arrangements can be made for packing, moving, and storage of household items. In addition to those obvious needs,
Church Plaza offers counseling for spouses and children who may not be enthusiastic about moving. They will even
make travel arrangements for house-hunting expeditions, and help with every kind of detail associated with relocation.
When a church contacts Cornerstone Supply, the customer not only has access to interior furnishing products, but
also to a comprehensive design and construction program. Cornerstone is a subsidiary of a national building
program that partners ministries with local general contractors and helps negotiate the best possible deal with
subcontractors.
What if a church wants to add identical furnishings to what it purchased twenty-five years ago, but can't find the
paperwork? Adirondack Direct keeps records of every sale they make to a church so they can confidently provide the
same product, made by the same manufacturer, of the same material, and in the same color.
Leasing is an option available to churches with a sirloin appetite but a bologna pocketbook. Rather than forcing a
major capital expenditure at an inopportune time, leasing allows immediate solutions to long-term problems. Church
Plaza, for example, has partnered with several financial institutions to offer a manageable down payment and
predictable monthly payments.
Fair or not, visitors and members will judge their time in church, at least partly, by the quality and aesthetics of the
furnishings. They will decide whether your church is attractive, comfortable, and functional based on the furnishings.
They won't really care about the composition of the shingles or the pitch of the roof. Ask yourself, "Do the furnishings at
our church project a thoughtful, attractive welcome?"
To help you make good furnishings choices, it makes infinite sense to shop with people and businesses that cater to
the church market. Product selection, low prices, one-stop convenience, follow-up service, warranty fulfillment,
consultation with experts, and a professional relationship with architects and contractors are just some of the benefits
of dealing with church furnishings distributors.
BACK TO ARTICLES
Save money and time by taking advantage of the high-volume purchasing clout of church furnishings distributors.
by John Stahlman
A friend who knows how fond I am of my dog called me the other day and said he wanted to demonstrate his gift of
discernment. "Okay," I said. "Show me what you can do."
He said, "I can tell you what your dog is doing right now even though I am hundreds of miles away."
"Let's hear it," I challenged.
"He's sleeping."
I turned my head and sure enough, there was Alex, a ball of black fur, curled up in the middle of the floor, sound asleep.
My friend isn't clairvoyant, he just knows dogs. It's a safe bet that at any given time, a dog will be sleeping.
It's also a safe bet that you, a church leader, are looking for better ways to manage your existing facility and ministries.
Anything that saves you time, saves your church money, and generally makes your job easier is welcome. Good
news—church furnishings distributors are in business to provide you with those benefits. We talked to some of the
leading church furnishings suppliers to learn how they operate, and how churches large and small can benefit from
their products and services.
First of all, what do we mean by "furnishings?" Furnishings are all the things you put into that new, empty space to
make it useful for ministry. For a sanctuary, these include carpeting, pews, chairs, pulpit or podium, baptistery,
communion table and ware, banners, flags, chancel furniture, crosses, and special colored windows. The choir could
use risers, seats, robes, and sound equipment. Classrooms need seats, tables, chalkboards, and artwork. Nursery
furnishings include cribs, toys, and rocking chairs. Office space needs to be equipped properly for efficient work flow
and ministry.
All the church furnishings providers we talked to for this article emphasize the importance of the church's preparation
before purchasing. You, the buyer, should have specific descriptions of your expectations, both from the products you
need and the service you expect. In most product categories many different options are available, and knowing what
you want, in as much detail as possible, will insure that you get products that will serve your needs well.
Why Use Distributors?
Furnishings distributors purchase items frequently and in large quantities, allowing manufacturers to enjoy a
predictable and steady stream of orders. With that assurance and freedom, manufacturers can focus on production
efficiency rather than marketing, sales, and distribution. Because distributors receive a dramatic decrease in unit cost
from manufacturers, they can pass these savings on to their church customers.
Think of it this way: buying through a distributor, wholesaler, purchasing group, or other one-stop provider allows small
or medium-sized churches to benefit from the same kind of buying power enjoyed by many megachurches.
Why not buy your furnishings from a local discount store or warehouse club? While it's true that a local discount store
might be able to provide you with a few of the products your church needs for its ministry, they won't have the church-
specific products you will need. And even though the local store will have some products at a lower price than many
manufacturers can offer, consider carefully that those products are probably designed for light residential or
occasional business use.
For example, every congregation needs tables, and tables can be purchased at discount stores at low prices. But
consider that these tables from the discount store are generally intended for residential use, meaning light-duty,
occasional use, with long periods of storage in the basement or garage. That's probably not a good description of how
those tables will be used at your church.
The reason you won't find the more durable tables at the "Your Town" discounter center is that it cannot profitably serve
the few churches or businesses in your area that need such durable tables. So a table from a discount store may cost
one-fourth that of a table designed, built, and distributed by companies catering to churches in a broader region. The
more expensive table will be better quality, designed for a church's fellowship hall rather than a neighbor's garage
sale, and is a product the distributor knows has worked well for other churches.
So, although there are many furnishings distributors to choose from, you will usually be best served by a distributor
that understands the unique needs of the church market.
If you're going to be involved in a new building program, expansion, or renovation, you'll put a lot of thought and
planning into the project. But too often project planners think the project is over when the building is done. Then, you'll
have a floor, walls, ceiling, windows, doors, and the necessary utilities—basically, a naked room. Rather than
scrambling at the last minute to choose appropriate furnishings, it's a good idea to give serious thought to the
furnishings while planning the project. And purchasing all furnishings from one distributor has some key advantages.
When constructing and furnishing a new building, a staggered delivery schedule for furnishings is very helpful. For
example, you want the carpeting to arrive after the floors are ready but before the pews are on site. One-stop shopping
overcomes these timing problems. One supplier handling all the furnishings makes it much easier to time deliveries
instead of scheduling a dozen different providers.
Another advantage of one-stop shopping is the consolidated bill for the purchases. Instead of dealing with a constant
inflow of bills, a church using a one-stop provider receives one bill each month, a real time-saver and a kindness to
the treasurer.
More Than One Way to Shop
Most companies have extensive print catalogs with the convenience of shopping via telephone. Other companies have
sales representatives that travel to churches at the church's request. This face-to-face style provides the "people"
factor for those churches that are uncomfortable doing business in any other way. Having the representative come to
the church gives the church a "home field advantage."
A few companies have show rooms for customers to visit and compare different styles, quality, and price. A showroom
allows an entire committee or group to see and touch products at the same time. Another advantage is that each one
in a group of decision makers has the same information as all the others. For large purchases, the travel costs may
be a terrific investment to insure getting products everyone can agree on.
The growing use of the Internet has opened up new and convenient ways to shop. There are no set hours for
shopping, so those responsible for the purchase can investigate and compare companies and products at their
convenience. On the Internet, there are no appointments to schedule, and time zones are of no consequence. Still,
you'll want to work with a company that has knowledgeable representatives available for you to talk with, for those
inevitable questions that come up.
At a company's website, you'll often find information not available in a catalog. The company's history, relationship with
other churches, latest product introductions, and frequently asked questions are standard fare at most web sites.
Compare Cost, Not Price.
Since price is always a factor in purchasing church furnishings, some might be tempted to compare only the purchase
price of furniture and equipment. As stewards of property and resources, church leaders need to look at the lifetime
cost of a product—the total cost over the period of time the product will be used. Lifetime cost is generally a more
accurate estimate of value or true cost than purchase price.
For example, your church will need tables for the next 20 years. A $50 table will need to be replaced every two years.
This table has a $25 per year cost and a lifetime cost (over 20 years) of $500. A table selling for $200 lasts for 20
years, yielding a $10 per year cost, or a $200 lifetime cost. In this example, the better table saves 60 percent in the
lifetime cost of the economy model. It also saves on the hassle and headaches of new table deliveries every two
years, and the disposal of the old, broken-down tables. This illustration shows that, in many cases, buying the highest
quality products your budget will allow helps you achieve the lowest lifetime cost.
John Chestnut of A&O Church Furniture likes to remind customers of the old saying, "The bitterness of poor quality
remains long after the sweetness of low price." Because A&O specializes in serving the church market, they have
significant experience in satisfying the special needs of churches. While discount chains seek customers in the
general population, distributors and wholesalers of church furnishings serve congregations across the nation. This
wide exposure makes them a natural choice to better understand and supply ministry requirements.
Walter Pollack of Adirondack Direct says it's also important to be consistent in choosing the quality level of furnishings.
The narthex, pastor's study, and church fellowship hall should have similar levels of quality. Visitors notice all of these
areas and form an impression of your church based on them. To save money, some congregations focus on a
particular area, overspending on it and neglecting others. Pollack suggests that a better solution is to choose mid-
price furnishings. This category includes furniture built of quality materials by reputable companies but assembled at
the church.
Ministry-Minded
One characteristic shared by many church furnishings distributors is a commitment to ministry, and their intention to
be partners with the local church in the fulfillment of the congregation's God-given tasks.
"We recognize that money is ministry money," says Darrel Meyers, marketing director for National Church Purchasing
Group. "By helping a church save money on products they buy, those savings can be moved straight to ministry
programs." This kind of thinking makes congregations comfortable dealing with furnishings suppliers that cater to
churches.
Cornerstone Supplies not only includes a Christian image in its name, but also encourages employees to participate
in twice-weekly corporate prayer gatherings, and to be active participants in a church with their families. Al Saucedo,
retail product manager for Cornerstone, says not only does the staff of Cornerstone know the language of the church,
but understands the language of the church's heart.
Tom McElheny of Church Plaza, Inc. sees his company as a partner with churches. "The sale is never over," he says.
"To nurture lasting relationships, our sales force is faith-market trained so they can communicate with and understand
churches of different traditions."
Expanded Services
A new development in the value-added emphasis of companies doing business with congregations is the adding of
new services and making new efforts to satisfy larger needs of churches.
Bill Nabers, marketing and business development manager, at L. L. Sams, Inc, says the renovation services offered
by his company since the 1950s are an example of a partnership with churches that goes beyond selling and buying
products. Whether a church wants to renovate the building after a fire or flood or if they have just grown tired of the look
of the church, L. L. Sams works with building committees to plan and complete an entire renovation process.
Church Plaza has added a comprehensive relocation service for church professionals. With one telephone call,
arrangements can be made for packing, moving, and storage of household items. In addition to those obvious needs,
Church Plaza offers counseling for spouses and children who may not be enthusiastic about moving. They will even
make travel arrangements for house-hunting expeditions, and help with every kind of detail associated with relocation.
When a church contacts Cornerstone Supply, the customer not only has access to interior furnishing products, but
also to a comprehensive design and construction program. Cornerstone is a subsidiary of a national building
program that partners ministries with local general contractors and helps negotiate the best possible deal with
subcontractors.
What if a church wants to add identical furnishings to what it purchased twenty-five years ago, but can't find the
paperwork? Adirondack Direct keeps records of every sale they make to a church so they can confidently provide the
same product, made by the same manufacturer, of the same material, and in the same color.
Leasing is an option available to churches with a sirloin appetite but a bologna pocketbook. Rather than forcing a
major capital expenditure at an inopportune time, leasing allows immediate solutions to long-term problems. Church
Plaza, for example, has partnered with several financial institutions to offer a manageable down payment and
predictable monthly payments.
Fair or not, visitors and members will judge their time in church, at least partly, by the quality and aesthetics of the
furnishings. They will decide whether your church is attractive, comfortable, and functional based on the furnishings.
They won't really care about the composition of the shingles or the pitch of the roof. Ask yourself, "Do the furnishings at
our church project a thoughtful, attractive welcome?"
To help you make good furnishings choices, it makes infinite sense to shop with people and businesses that cater to
the church market. Product selection, low prices, one-stop convenience, follow-up service, warranty fulfillment,
consultation with experts, and a professional relationship with architects and contractors are just some of the benefits
of dealing with church furnishings distributors.
BACK TO ARTICLES