By PHILIP TIMOTHY, Message Staff Writer
MANDEVILLE – Typically, in these economically depressed times, one wouldn’t think a construction company would be adding divisions or personnel, but Kent Construction Inc. of Mandeville is not your typical company.
The highly successful 15-year-old firm, licensed in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, is not only flourishing, but is expanding its services with the addition of a Faith Division and the hiring of Adam Martin to head it.
[img_assist|nid=6812|title=Kyle Kent, president of Kent Construction Co., and Adam Martin, head of the company s new Faith Division at FBC Covington|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=75]“I had been thinking about doing this for more than a year,” said Kyle Kent, president of Kent Construction. “How appealing would it be to a church for a construction company to come in and work biblically with that church and its congregation?
“What makes Kent Construction different from other companies, you might ask? It’s our employees,” Kent said.
“Kent Construction is driven by personable employees who enjoy working with their clients. We focus on building relationships with people in order to build successful projects.
“It doesn’t matter whether it is new construction, a facelift or just maintenance. We want to work with the pastor, the church and its congregation to help them satisfy their needs,” Kent added. “We understand the importance of stewardship and how church budgets can be stretched, especially in these days and times.”
No stranger to working with churches, the company has been involved in a number of church-related building projects including three large construction projects at First Baptist Church Covington, as well as other churches in the southeast corner of the state.
“They know how to work with churches to help you fulfill your vision and provide for the future. We have used Kent Construction on three large construction projects and have found them to be honest, reliable and efficient,” is the testimony given by Waylon Bailey, senior pastor of First Covington, in the company’s brochure.
This type of ringing endorsement can only help the company acquire more jobs, but Kent Construction, which has earned a reputation of excellence through teamwork, quality, and value, wants to offer even more. The company wants to incorporate faith into its projects, and that is where Martin and the new Faith Division come into play.
“I’ve known Adam for several years now,” said Kent, a member of First Covington. “He brings a lot to the table. He is the ideal fit for this new division. What he has done in the past and what he will do in the future, allows us as a company to have the same mindset and goals as the church
“He was hired to be a visionary,” Kent said. “He understands the construction business, but he also has insight into the ministry. His contacts and his ability to communicate with people in the church make him a key component in our new division.”
A former youth minister at First Covington, Martin graduated from LSU in May 2010 with a Construction Management Degree and is presently taking courses in expository preaching at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
“Seminary will complement my job here,” Martin said. “It will allow me to better relate to ministers and what they go through during any type of building campaign. I want to help build a lasting relationship with these pastors, their churches, and congregations.
“In the new brochure, we use the Apostle Paul’s writings to the church at Colossae (Colossians 2:2 NIV): ‘My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,’ to describe our overall purpose in starting this division.”
The brochure, which recently was completed – along with the redesign of the company’s website: (www.kentconstructioninc.com) also details some of the unique ministry elements the company will offer on the jobsite. They include prayer calendars, godly graffiti, jobsite encouragement and praise, prayer walks, and sharing in the church’s vision.
“We want to make sure whatever project Kent Construction undertakes glorifies the Lord at every step of the way,” Martin said. “One of the ways we plan to do that is by starting with the right foundation. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 says, ‘By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.’”
The motto of Kent’s new Faith Division is ‘Build With Kent. Build on the One Foundation.’
“That’s our promise. Whether it is new construction, expansion of an existing building, a facelift, or just maintenance, whatever a church needs, no job is too large or too small for us,” Kent added. “The advantage to using Kent is simple: expect more, pay less.
“A church will work with one team from concept through completion. It is the Design-Build process. We will take sole responsibility for every aspect of the project,” Kent said.
“Design-Build gives a church greater control, a streamlined completion schedule and improved risk management. We establish cost very early in the process; re-designs are eliminated, and construction is expedited.
“In partnering with Kent, you are not just building facilities, you are building a lasting relationship with us,” Kent said.