About Us

 

Our History

Church Development Services was started 25 years ago and has helped complete more than 400 church building projects. Over that time, we have created a catalog of pre-designed church building plans that we make available to churches at a significant discount to traditional design.

Church Development Services only works with Church and Church related building projects. We often go where others will not and try not to exclude any size project from our services. Our plans have been built in most of the continental United States. Our model of delivery has always been and will continue to be ministry focused.

Back to top

Our Mission

Our Mission is to honor God by providing affordable, cost effective Church building solutions through education and consulting; and by using pre-designed Church plans, customized plans, or turn-key solutions to meet the needs of each individual Church.

We believe a Church building project is a major experience in the life of an individual, the Church leadership team and the congregation. To a great many people, building a Church has opened new spiritual horizons and led to a deeper and closer walk with God. To some it has been a source of bitter disappointment, frustration, and deteriorated spiritual life. The difference in the outcome does not just happen. It happens because of attitude (humble or prideful), wise or unwise planning, timely or untimely administration, and technical expertise or lack thereof.

To minimize the negative results of church building, Church Development Services started an on-site consulting service more than ten (10) years ago to compliment our low cost, “pre-designed” church building plans.  Within the Church, Building Committees often have difficulty leading the church to a final resolution because of vital missing ingredients. Church Development Services and our network of resources consult with Churches to provide proven processes and answers to their specific Church building questions.

How do we accomplish Our Mission?

• through consultations leading to designs that are ministry driven, budget conscious, sensitive to cost-savings techniques, and which are tailored to fit the individual needs of each Church.
• with our Architects and Engineers who specialize in Church and Church-related building design. Most of our relationships have been in place for over 10 years and we have worked together on hundreds of successful designs. Many satisfied Churches throughout the country have used our catalog of proven Church building plans, often at savings of 50% or more.
• with internal and external construction managers specializing in Church, and Church-related construction, using an “open book” delivery method. This method of delivery creates an incentive for cost savings that are passed back to the Church and reinforces the Church’s control over their project.
• through traditional and non-traditional financial resources, including but not limited to loans, mezzanine financing, second mortgages, bond programs, stewardship campaigns, individual investors and lease-purchase arrangements.
• in partnership with commercial developers who can help take excess land and turn it into an income producing asset to fund ministry.
• by being able to provide a complete turnkey solution for your Church development campaign.

 

Church Development Services provides the missing ingredients to successful Church and Church related building programs.

Back to top

Our Team

About Glen Trematore, Principal

Before establishing his consulting ministry with churches, Mr. Trematore’s career in corporate America was spent in hospitality management as a consultant, and on Wall Street. He has led initiatives that reduced operating budgets, turned around business operations overall performance, created operating standards and procedures, and implemented quality assurance programs. He was a recent board member of a small publicly listed REIT specializing in age restricted housing, work force housing, independent and assisted senior living, and commercial land development. A respected leader, he is able to build highly motivated teams focused on achieving specific and measurable goals.

Glen is a member of Spring Branch Community Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is involved in several ministries as a servant, and leads Bible Study at the church, specifically using his spiritual gift of teaching. He is married to Birit, who has blessed him with two beautiful children, Aria and Gunnar. Glen loves to play golf, and can occasionally be found doing endurance events and triathlons.

The Principals of Church Development Services are not architects or general contractors. North Carolina General Statute 83A-1(7) defines the “Practice of Architecture” as performing or offering to perform or holding oneself out as legally qualified to perform professional services in connection with the design, construction, enlargement or alteration of building, including consultation, investigations, evaluations, preliminary studies, the preparation of plans, specifications and contract documents, administration of construction contracts and related services or combination of services in connection with the design and construction of buildings.

Kurt Werth – Director of finance

Kurt learned about Church Development Services (CDS) from his men’s group Bible study leader, Glen Trematore, principal and owner of CDS.  When CDS wanted to find office space and administrative support, Kurt had open office space and an ability to provide the support Glen sought.  At that time, Kurt didn’t know what God was planning for this “office sharing” idea, but God has no small plans!

Kurt became an investor in the Church of the Harvest construction project in Olive Branch, MS managed by CDS.  He then provided CDS with its accounting and back office support as a “favor” to Glen.  It was apparent that CDS needed full time administration because God was blessing CDS with more business than the current CDS staff could handle.  Kurt’s background in investment banking and capital raising was an added value that Glen recognized was needed by CDS.  Glen approached Kurt to become a partner/owner in December 2008 and Kurt became a full partner/owner of CDS in January 2009.

Kurt’s career includes a broad array of financial and operational leadership experiences.  He graduated from Indiana University with a degree in accounting.  After passing the CPA exam, Kurt spent a number of years in public accounting, a number of years with two publicly-held companies, and then as a senior executive with a London-based company owned by private equity.   He became an investment banker in 2004 to help entrepreneurs and small businesses with strategic planning, with raising growth capital and with business transactions.  Kurt has been involved with church finance committees for over twenty years, both as a member and as chairman.  Kurt and his wife, Lori, have three children and are active members of Spring Branch Community Church where Kurt is a member of the Finance Committee and Kurt and Lori are both Small Group Leaders for Children’s Sunday school.

Back to top

Our Beliefs

The Scriptures

We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16). We believe that the whole Bible in those original manuscripts is, therefore, without error.

The Triune Godhead

We believe in the one true and living God, the Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things. He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, and is revealed to us as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Creation

We believe that man was created directly by and in the image of God. We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, by direct act. (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17)

Man

Although man was created in the image of God, he fell into sin and is lost. This is true of all men; and except a man being born again by the Holy Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (Genesis 1:26-27; John 3:3; Romans 3:10, 23)

Atonement For Sin

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a substitute sacrifice and that all who believe in Him are redeemed by His shed blood. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ and in His ascension into heaven; (John 1:1-3, 14; 3:1-7; Hebrews 10:4-14; 1 John 2:2)

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God’s grace. It cannot be gained or made more secure by meritorious works, but is freely bestowed upon all who put their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (John 1:12; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9)

We believe that excellence honors God and inspires people. We purposefully strive for the highest level of value in all areas of our ministry.

We believe that God desires the world to know Him. We purposefully  support evangelism and missions programs that meet people’s spiritual, emotional and physical needs with dignity and respect.

Back to top