|
|
The Stewardship Connection Going Totally Professional by Tuck Aaker
|
|
| Surf my website:
Congregational Mission Endowment Funds Stewardship Adventures: Increasing the Harvest 15 to 30 Percent
|
Some
recent visits to congregations that have either begun, or are about
to begin, plans for a capital fund campaign have left me puzzled.
Everyone of them have hired a professional – an architect, to help
them design and plan their buildings. And everyone of them plan to
hire a professional – a contractor, to build them. They have
retained pros for advice on codes, site preparation and landscaping.
There will be pros hired to do dozens of subcontracts from air
conditioning to acoustics and sound.
In short, they will use pros in every aspect of their program – except one. They are going to do the capital fund raising "in house". Why is it we know that we need expert advice and direction in every part of building a new facility, but are willing to gamble the success of the entire project on our own abilities and judgment when it comes to raising money? The most expensive mistake that many congregations make in expansion plans is to overlook the value of outside leadership in this area. To fail to hire a pro to develop the plan and help motivate the members to generously fund the project is an invitation to potential failure! The cost of a fund raising firm will likely be substantially less than the interest you will pay the first year on the funds you failed to raise! For the advantage of using someone outside your congregation is not only in knowing you have a much greater chance of achieving your goals, but also in knowing your members will grow in their understanding of giving. As new ideas are presented, the members receive a better insight of their role as a steward and a new sense of their personal priorities. When you embark on expansion of any kind, you are asking your congregation to grow – not only in physical size – but in their personal understanding of why growth is necessary. They need to "buy into" the plans for the future and know they are fulfilling God's mandate to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone we can touch! If you plan to expand your congregation's horizons for the future with additional staff, programming, or new facilities and need to raise capital funds to accomplish the project, don't think twice – interview professionals. That's good sound management practice and that's also good stewardship!
|
