Church Building Gets Preliminary Ok Hearing Examiner Approves Construction Request, Including 1,500-Seat Sanctuary

FOR THE RECORD: June 17, 2000: Story wrong: Kootenai County Hearing Examiner Scott Brown has two weeks to file his recommendation to the county concerning Real Life Ministries’ application for a Conditional Use Permit. The timing of the permit approval was incaccurately reported in Friday’s paper.

Pastor Jim Putman might not have to maneuver a nine-piece stage, lecterns and an entire sound system every single Sunday anymore.

His church, Real Life Ministries, meets every week at Post Falls Cinemas for three services and Sunday school. If there’s a 1 p.m. movie matinee, the group has just 15 minutes to put away equipment and clean all six theaters.

The congregation is growing, and Putman knows it’s time to move the church to a permanent place of worship.

On Thursday, Scott Brown, Kootenai County hearing examiner, approved Real Life Ministries’ request to construct a 25,000-square-foot building, costing $1.2 million, in Post Falls. The request will go to Kootenai County commissioners in two weeks.

A decision on the project had been postponed last month after Brown requested an in-depth traffic study of the area. Spokane-based CLC Associates Inc. presented its data at Thursday’s meeting.

Putman says he expects the nondenominational church, established in 1998, to have 1,000 members by October. Now, about 300 families - 700 members - attend services at the movie theaters on Sunday mornings.

The 33-acre site for the proposed building is on the southeast corner of Pines Road and 20th Avenue inside Post Falls’ area of impact.

Construction plans include a sanctuary able to hold about 1,500 people, plus classrooms and offices, two parking lots for more than 200 cars, a playground, a park with covered picnic tables, a community garden and soccer and softball fields.

“Our outdoor ministry is huge, and we’re in a prime location,” Putman said. “I don’t think you could’ve picked any better land.”

Leaders plan to hold multiple services to cater to church growth.

In November 1999, the church received a $1.2 million loan from the Church Development Fund, a Northern California group of Christian business people, after it had passed several criteria. The church had to be growing at a tremendous rate and have progressive leadership in a rapidly growing community.

Few congregations receive that sort of money, according to Putman. All loans eventually will be paid back by Real Life Ministries. Until then, the fund will retain the deed on the land, said Putman.

People are attracted to Putman’s church because the congregation acts like one big family, Putman says.

“A lot of people go to church, but it’s not the same as being the church,” he said.

Putman came to Post Falls a year and a half ago with no church, no staff and no congregation. After one year, membership had exceeded 500. Putman admits expecting only 100 members by that time.

Now he has a staff of six, 33 acres to build on and growing membership.

“All I can tell you is: I’ve never been a part of anything like it,” Putman said of the membership growth. “To describe what happened here is not doable.”

About 60 percent of the congregation is under age 40, according to Putman. He said he plans to bridge the generational gap so young Christians have the chance to learn from older Christians.

Because only 10 acres at the building site will be used, some land could be available for a community center in the future, said Michael Cramer, church member and project planner.

If the project is approved by county commissioners, Putman says he hopes to have ground broken by July 5. Completion of the building - including a sanctuary with a bit more class than a movie theater - would be planned for January.

This sidebar appeared with the story: WHAT’S NEXT Proposed church

Real Life Ministries’ request to construct a 25,000-square-foot building, costing $1.2 million, in Post Falls goes before Kootenai County commissioners in two weeks.