CHURCH CAMPAIGN SERVICES

June 2015 
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Greetings,

Some things are best left to the professionals. Do you fill your own cavities? Or, roof your own house? Most of us rely on professionals to help us with those tasks that require a special skill set. Planning and executing a church capital campaign is no different. When you draw upon the experience of a campaign consultant, you are more likely to achieve better results.

In this issue, we discuss the errors that churches often make when trying to conduct a capital campaign on their own. We also explain the questions a professional campaign consultant will ask to ensure the success of your church campaign.
5 Errors Church Congregations Make...
When They Don't Use a Professional Consultant

Many church capital campaigns follow the "Field of Dreams" movie philosophy: If we build it, they will come. However, your church congregation needs more ongoing guidance and direction to understand the vision for the campaign and how it will benefit the church's mission - now and in the future.

Here are 5 errors churches often make when trying to do it themselves:

1. No one is inspiring the troops.
The campaign timing and schedule tend to follow the availability of the pastor or campaign chair. Campaigns take on a life of their own, and a campaign consultant assures that the campaign builds momentum from day one until the final commitment. When personal conflicts arise, the show must go on!

2. The mission and vision fall to the wayside.
The building task force tends to morph into a campaign team, and gets easily sidetracked with architects and contractors instead of their real mission - to meet the needs of members to contribute to making the campaign a success.

3. The church is afraid to ask for money.
Financial goals are often understated and underestimated. Members of stewardship committees tend to "assist" in setting financial goals and don't realize that funding occurs from different sources than annual campaigns. Congregations most often raise significantly more dollars than during annual campaigns, but won't be successful unless they believe that they can do it, and ask for it.

4. Ownership is never transferred to the leaders and congregation.
Congregations tend to get paralysis by analysis and never get off the ground. Most often this is caused by a lack of committed leadership. No one is willing to step forward and say "It is I Lord, I will lead your people."

5. Financial discussions are considered taboo.
And the most egregious error? Congregations take an approach that not only is the past history of giving confidential, but they believe that each person can somehow deduce their own appropriate level of giving without being challenged or knowing what it will take for the congregation to be successful. No targeted expectations for giving = no record of success.

It is no wonder that consultant-led campaigns result in at least two to three times the giving in church major funds campaigns. Consultant fees are an investment in your success, not a campaign expense.

5 Questions a Campaign Consultant Will Ask
Many church campaigns become sidetracked or lose their momentum during the process. An experienced campaign consultant can avoid the pitfalls of planning and help guide the campaign from start to finish. Learn more in our blog: 5 Questions an Experienced Campaign Consultant Will Ask.

 

To learn more about how Church Campaign Services can fund major change in the life of your congregation, please call us at 888.558.6873 today or email us today.


Yours in Christ,

 

Bob Kukla

Church Campaign Services

 

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