What Pastors Should Do Before Launching a Capital Campaign

August 26, 2019

After 25 years working with faith-based organizations, I’ve learned a few things about churches. Some experience great success in fundraising campaigns, while others leave money on the proverbial table. So what’s the difference? I believe employing the following principles constitutes a good start.

PLANNING

Too often church capital campaigns are driven by immediate or urgent needs…the roof is leaking…HVAC isn’t working, the foundation needs repair, etc., etc. There’s a campaign organized around an urgent plea and it fails. But your level of urgency is not always the same as that of the congregation. Not to suggest that these are not emergencies, but some emergencies are the result of poor planning.

Generally, people want to be informed and have time to understand the need. The most successful campaigns we’ve seen are ones that come from a church-wide planning process, where there’s been time to share the results and subsequent needs that came from that process. People feel better about giving when they know there’s been thought given to the process.

PREACHING AND TEACHING ON GIVING

People who give have been taught to give; it’s part of the Christian tradition. Yet not all pastors believe that. A pastor once told me that he didn’t like speaking about giving in his sermons. It made him “uncomfortable.” Another pastor refused to pass an offering basket on weekends. Instead he put offering boxes around the church. That way when people felt led they could give without being ”hassled.” Evidently not enough people felt led, so he now passes offering baskets weekly.

That rhetoric may sound appealing, but these pastors are really shirking their teaching responsibilities. The weekly offerings support the church’s ministries and therefore their reluctance to teach on financial stewardship diminishes giving and also ministry. Consider that in Luke 6: 38, Jesus tells us to give and it will be given to us. In 2 Cor. 9:6-7 the Apostle Paul tells us that God loves a cheerful giver and whoever gives sparingly will reap sparingly. And there are many more verses on giving. That’s why the churches where we experience the most success are also the ones that regularly teach principles of giving.

VISIONING

It is one thing to articulate a need; it is quite another to convey the vision of what funding that need will help achieve. Vision is more about opportunity than need. Unfortunately, too many pastors focus on needs rather than vision.

Henri Nouwen explained it this way: “Fundraising is, first and foremost, a form of ministry. It’s a way of announcing our vision (a vision that usually comes from God) and inviting other people, (to join us).”

When I was a VP in higher education one of the wealthiest philanthropists told me once, “I’m not interested in your need; I’m interested in your vision and the opportunities it will create.” Whether we’re working on campaigns for a new sanctuary, a multipurpose center, debt reduction, repairs or anything else, we tell pastors to focus on how much more ministry the funding of this project will allow them to achieve or how it will improve the quality of ministry.

COMMUNICATING

The last thing we want anyone to think is that a few people in a back room devised these plans. To avoid this we recommend that pastors be as transparent as possible as soon as possible. From the planning process all the way through the campaign it is crucial to share information openly and frequently. Don’t assume people understand or know everything you know as pastor. As George Bernard Shaw once said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

When pastors plan, preach and teach on giving, focus on vision and communicate they position themselves for success in most initiatives including campaigns.

“I really support The Covenant Group’s strategic planning process because their approach encourages staff-based support with board buy-in, and I felt that was important given what we were trying to achieve. The outcome is an effective plan that builds consensus and provides a clear sense of direction.”
- Jennifer Scott, Director of Development - The Cabbage Patch Settlement House

“The Covenant Group is highly competent, very experienced and knowledgeable. They provided a broad perspective by equipping us with useful data…and best practices in the field. All in all, they are excellent.”
- Dan Jones, CEO - 21st Century Parks

“The campaign has truly been a miracle. People were committed from the beginning, but…even raising $650,000 seemed like a stretch. To nearly double that amount is incredible! When the plan they developed allows you to hit a goal like that, it builds such a sense of community. The momentum built by the campaign is spilling outside the walls of our church and benefiting others in the process.”
-Father John Hollowell - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church

“For those of us who don’t do this everyday, The Covenant Group instilled confidence in us. They helped us get through the fear and apprehension by providing us with a process, training and motivation. They taught us and helped us plan in a way that was for the better. We have built lasting relationships with donors and we will continue to steward these relationships long into the future.”
- Sue Finke, Director of Institutional Advancement - Covington Catholic High School

“No one anticipated we could raise this amount. Even the Archdiocese is surprised. The funds raised represent about 15 times our annual giving. But it’s not just the financial results. People stand around talking more than they did before the campaign. There is also a renewed and energized spirit among the parishioners. It’s the most exciting thing to happen in our parish in the last 100 years.”
- Gary Libs, Campaign Co-Chair - St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic Church

“The Covenant Group’s process involved a lot of people in our congregation doing small tasks … that built ownership. They took our vision and put it into a concrete plan. They helped us understand the importance of making our vision clear and laid out the steps to make the vision a reality. Their process built consensus and showed people how they could help. Their methods are based on a solid theological foundation that includes key documents, prayer support, and requisite training … all of which were invaluable.”
- Daniel Montgomery, Pastor - Sojourn Community Church

“Everything The Covenant Group did to help us…in the initial stages was helpful…the development of the case statement; our materials; the training of our Board members; strategies; all these steps laid the foundation for eventual success. They brought such a high level of professionalism, a wealth of experience and a strong track record of integrity and success… just being associated with The Covenant Group helped us.”
- Nancy Doctor, Development Director - Wellspring

“The structure The Covenant Group provided was excellent. It allowed our members to use their God-given talents to benefit the church community They helped us develop a plan and identify key leadership candidates to chair the effort, as well as engaging between 80 to 100 people to carry out the work of the campaign. It was truly a whole congregation effort and The Covenant Group helped facilitate that. They helped us reach our full potential as a congregation.”
- Ron Poisel, Pastor - Christ Lutheran Church

What Pastors Should Do Before Launching a Capital Campaign

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