Property Development, Management and Appraisal as a Panacea to Church Growth Branding and Remodeling in Nigeria

Abstract

This study is focused on examining the property development and management strategy that can lead to Church Growth, identifying both natural and human resources that can resuscitate the state of church properties at the urban, sub-urban and rural levels respectively for a healthy and sustainable environment through employing modern approaches that reveals and explore latent property values imbedded in church properties. The paper adopted both primary and secondary source for data collection. The findings show that lack of some professional skill in modern real estate practice has really affected church properties. The study recommends joint collaboration within the church and professional team, and a routine appraisal of church properties will always restore, preserve and improve God’s property the church.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

A change of original situation, circumstance or structure of an object with an intent to improve, upgrade or elevate its’ usefulness, resourcefulness or value especially when it’s concerned with immovable or real property is referred to, as “development” while the art of planning, forecasting, organizing, controlling and directing, coordinating, motivating and communication with the sole aim of achieving a specific objective under a careful decision analysis using tools and techniques to evaluate the pros and cons of a certain undertaking with the aim of ensuring safety is also known as management appraisal. This endeavor touches across all spheres of human activity. However, the scope of this study is limited to church property and other related properties that can harness, rebrand and reposition church properties in a manner that will improve church growth (physical), maintain a level of peace and concentration (spiritual/social), reveal latent value that need to be explored through creativity, innovation and enterprise (economy).

To a lay man property development may mean installing of electric poles for the purpose of electricity power supply, clearing and installing of access roads together with installation of water drainages, sewerage in the later and plotting a portions of land into plots for various housing purposes in the former (Iloaba, 2009) real estate development is an idea of new innovation that promotes value (Stapleton, 1986; Mike et al, 1995)

Property development is the continual reconfiguration of the built environment to meet various needs of space of society (Ariyawansa, 2009). This phenomenon does not exist in isolation but integrates with other partnering approach in ensuring it applicability, feasibility and viability. Property development involves the combination of various factors of production to bring them into existence these factors include land, finance and labour (management and entrepreneurship) which is translated in a formula as  Finance + Land + Labour = Property Development

Planning, is the philosophy which determines what course of action is to be taken to achieve a specific purpose. It therefore entails making available resources within the context of: labour; materials; machines; finance/money; and management expertise (Nwanekezie, 1996) to sustain a purpose. 

Forecasting, is concerned in looking into the future of the social (public) housing estate to be managed and to try to assess the possible trends of events which are likely to pose management challenges; thereafter to proffer steps to adopt as to overturn the difficulties and achieve the objectives as soon as the challenges occur. 

Organizing, is concerned with those various stages between the planning for a specific task and implementing that plan to take effect in housing estate management. This is best achieved when all the available resources and materials are within the reach of the management team when required.

Controlling and Directing, emphasizes upon the feasible methods to establish and determine that the management task for the housing estate is carried out according to a plan. This process provides the opportunity to compare the actual work done with the original work planned and then make variations which are noted and analysed for future use.

Co-ordinating, is concern on finding an integrating process which ensures that all resources enabling the achievement of every task are involved properly including the housing estate management team.

Motivating, is concerned with encouraging the human resource aspect of the organization to be more dedicated and proactive in performing their tasks. At the same time, Manson (2003) contended that motivation is a principle that continues to hold a very important position in the eyes of scholars. In addition, Beardwell and Claydon (2007) suggested that how motivation is understood and used in the work place is very significant; and it is characterized by a certain level of willingness on the part of the staff to increase their effort, to the extent that this effort also satisfies a predefined need or desire they hold. In this case, the estate manager or the leader of the management team encourages all other team members, as well as, ensuring an enabling environment for work performance. Therefore, staff motivating factors are identified and implemented on each staff for better performance in a given task. To this, Woodruffe (2006) opines that the non-financial factor to staff motivation has remained more significant in staff performance, such as: advancement; autonomy; civilized treatment; exposure to senior members; and others. In all, Redman and Wilkinson (2006) concluded that staff motivation is extremely important in the management of human, financial and material resources performance.

Communication (at the heart of Figure1.2), is significant in itself but it is also the bedrock or driver for the other processes. Communication is a means by which management share information with other stakeholders such as face-to-face communication etc. But, Redman and Wilkinson (2006) opine that communication is a weak form of participation. The use of effective communication approaches has increased substantially in recent years (Millward, et. al., 2000), and it is regarded as a precursor to deeper forms of staff participation (Marchington and Wilkinson, 2005). Therefore, for good estate management of the social housing estate, the adherence to an effective communication approach, in addition to the other principles or processes of management is useful. However, it is assumed that in the sustainable management of housing estates, other issues outside the housing estate characteristics should be analysed and interlocked together using knowledge and experience of how these principles relate to each other; and in this case, monitoring, evaluation and reporting which in Figure 1.2 is not included.

While on the other hand  

appraisal deals with valuation process is a systematic procedure used by appraisers (valuers) to provide answers to clients question about value and related issues. It’s the ability, when the appraiser understands and identifies the appraisal problem at hand and summarize when the appraisal report provides or proffer detailed solution to the client. The methodology or steps taken to solve the problem depends on the nature of the valuation assignment and availability of relevant data (Emenike, 2020). The objective of the valuation process is to produce a well-supported value opinion which proves that the valuer has considered all material factors that affect the value of the asset being appraised (America society of appraisal (ASA,2011; Ekeocha,2012) studies such as Gambo(2014) examined the response of Nigerian Valuers to international valuation standards application; how far the journey? Babawale (2012); an assessment of the current standard of real estate valuation practice in Nigeria Dugeri, et al (2012); internalizing international valuation standards: relevance and applicability issues in the Nigeria context had looked at different issues on valuation standards, in relation to general appraisal.

B. Significance of the Study

1. The finding in this study will improve the physical and aesthetics church property in a manner that will be environmental friendly and cost effective.
2. The finding in this study will reveal other latent value imbedded in church property that need to be explored
3. Finally, this study will educate church leaders on need for feasibility and viability study before under taking any property development.

II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CHURCH IN NIGERIA

Christianity came to Nigeria in the 15th century through Augustinian and capuchin monks from Portugal. The first mission of the Church of England was though, only established in 1842 in badagry by henry Townsend. Christians in Nigeria comprises an estimated 49.3% of Nigeria population Christians are dominant in the southern (south-east/ south-south/south west and central region in Nigeria. According to pew research center Nigeria has the largest Christian population of any country in Africa, with more than 80 million persons in Nigeria belonging to the church with various denominations. However, the first Christian mission that reached Nigeria was during the Portuguese dominance of the Atlantic Coast in the 15th and 16th centuries. However, during that period, the Portuguese Catholics gave priority to economic and political activities, as a result of which Christian mission made no headway.1 Following the British Empire’s abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in 1807, another serious attempt was made to reintroduce Christianity to Nigeria. The liberated slaves who had already converted became instrumental in evangelizing the indigenous population (adamolekun, 2020). The case of Samuel Adjai Crowther, who was the first Nigerian Anglican priest, can be taken as an example. He played a key role in evangelizing in Yorubaland.2 After witnessing the success of Crowther, Anglicans of the Church Missionary Society, Methodists, Baptists, and the Roman Catholics increased efforts to have a strong Christian presence in Nigeria Dada (1986).

As Christianity started flourishing in Nigeria, issues of discrimination, marginalization of African elites and disputes over resources etc. started pitting Christians against Christians and many church divisions resulted. The United Native African Church and the African Church (Bethel) broke away from the Anglican Church in 1891 and 1901 respectively. In 1917 the United African Methodist Church seceded from the Methodist Church. Since 1950, Pentecostal churches have become very visible and include the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Deeper Life Bible Church, and the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church. There are also Pentecostal groups like the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International, Youth with a Mission, and Christ for all Nations.

The history of Nigeria church is divided into five periods namely, one, the period of introducing Latin Christianity in the 15th and 16th centuries; Two, the period of Denominationalism and missionary activities in the 19th century from 1842 onward; three, the period of evolution of Independent churches, Four, the period of Indigenous African Churches; and Five, the period of the birth of charismatic and Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. It is to be noted that the birth of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) which divided the Christian church to five major groups aided the growth of the church in Nigeria. The period between 1980 to 2010 is remarkable as it witnessed the spread, growth and spread of churches in Nigeria. The work ended with suggestion and recommendation. It is established in this work that church growth led to numerical strength of churches as seen in the proliferation of churches in Nigeria. The work ended with suggestion and recommendation. It is established in this work that church growth led to numerical strength of churches as seen in the spring up of churches in Nigeria today (adamolekun, 2020).  That notwithstanding this five period is three categories, they as follows;

1. Pre-Development Stage:

This stage is characterized by period one and two which is the period of introducing Latin Christianity in the 15th and 16th centuries and, the period of Denominationalism and missionary activities in the 19th century from 1842 onward the reason for that was, at the beginning they were seeking for acceptance and for that singular purpose they came with some additional benefit that made their acceptance a necessity example schools, hospitals, and scholarship sachems.

2. Development Stage:

This stage is characterized by period three and four which is the period of evolution of Independent churches, and, the period of Indigenous African Churches; at this point, the level of exposure increased coupled will some measure of difference in ideology and pattern of believe system. As a result many churches started emerging. Due to zeal and quest to be outstanding some churches pay more attention on upholding high value to moral standard which in turn made them to pay little or no attention in acquiring some basic resources.

3. Post Development Stage:

This stage is also the advance stage reason being that its, the fifth period was the period of birth of charismatic and Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. Encumbered with different leadership approach, vision and mission mixed with skills, innovation, creativity and technology. This has brought the church to a stage of sophistication it also create aspiration among churches to meet certain stratification going by the trend especially in Nigeria a country with the highest Christian population in Africa.

Again, the post Development stage offer more opportunities both to the church members and its environs, with a view to promote equal redistribution of resources among committed members.

III. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Data for this work was sourced from both primary and secondary sources. While the primary data was gotten through site visit and careful observation within some churches, the secondary sources of data were related written materials such as journals, conference papers, textbooks, newsletters etc.

A. Sample Size

For the purpose of this work, the sample random sampling was used. Thus the sample size of the study is five (5) Orthodox Church three (3) protestant and 12 Pentecostal churches respectively. We believe that our site inspection is true base on site evidence and objective response of the participant.

B. Data Presentation and Analysis

The challenges facing church property are enormous in nature obviously traced to either poor policy, lack of fund or economic mis-direction. Basically the major problems of church properties are rooted in the following:

1. Inadequacy of finance
2. Weak decision, implementation and communication strategy
3. Cost of building material and other infrastructural development cost.

Any assessment of the challenges that will affect the church development must generally be viewed from these three perspectives. At present the only source of fund for church project is resources from members.

The table below shows the level of facility present and how they affect the church building directly or indirectly, while our site investigation and interview is collected in objective questions

Table 3.1 showing the state of facility in church property (source: field survey).

IV. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The researchers have come up with the following findings:

1. Most of the churches especially, those in some urban and majorly sub-urban and rural areas has little or no idea about heating ventilation and air conditioning this might affect the functional system of any given church.
2. This study found out that some churches have few source of income which has been the primary hindrance to their developmental process.
3. We also discover that so many churches pay more attention to the structural aspect of the church building but, pay little or no attention to it aesthetics and environmental decoration of the church building. Furthermore, the use of renewable energy practice has not been fully explored. This study noticed that most churches lack skilled labour as a team dough having access road, with poor maintenance and renovation approach, having a sustainable facility will be a night mare. The researchers also noticed that the church building lacks the scientific application of natural lightning both (vertical and horizontal) and HVAC facility systems. Most members loved God but hate their experience in church and as such desired for a positive change.

Conclusion

Rebranding of the church properties is a psycho-spiritual and physio-economical responsibility that requires joint collaboration between the church and relative stake holders in the built environment via integrating ideas in line with building reforms. Church leaders should intensify the art of consulting a professional if not organizing a team. Church leaders must from time to time carry out property appraisal so as to keep the church in good state. Finally the church should always remember that God created a wonderful environment before bringing man into it.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2024 Emenike Kingsley Chikwuado, Okoro Michael Kalu. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.