We recently wrote about a churchthat was in the planning stages for its capital campaign. The church was looking to do building improvements and cosmetic updates to repair and revitalize the church.

At Church Campaign Services, we truly listen to churches and adapt our methodology to fit with that church’s unique needs and congregational culture.

With this church, we experienced three interesting twists in the campaign strategy that allowed them to accomplish their goals.

Increase the Campaign Goal
Before CCS arrived, the church leaders had set an obtainable goal for funds to be raised, and they modified their plans to fit that goal. With CCS’s guidance, and discernment by leadership, the campaign goal was increased by approximately 15%.

A Commitment Sunday
The church wanted to visit every member – and visit as many of them as they could in one Sunday. This all-on-one-day approach was often used in years past in smaller, close-knit communities with much success.

Everyone was asked to “save the date” months in advance. In addition, for several weeks, a “trade show” of booths were available in the church to explain the different areas and nuances of the campaign.

The Commitment Sunday was a great success. Visiting Stewards and those being visited all fed off the energy of the all-in-one-day event. Over half of the members were visited that day and then the rest were finished over the next few weeks.

A Choice in Mission
The church leadership was divided regarding including a mission component in the capital campaign. During the “trade shows,” members were able to learn about the different mission options and help guide the process.

On the pledge cards, donors could choose to have 10% of their pledge go to the mission effort. About half of the money pledged included the 10% mission option.

Overall Results
The church raised the funds they needed and surpassed the new, increased goal for building and maintenance. And, the campaign has generated substantial pledges for additional mission. Giving donors a choice in supporting the mission component, helped boost overall commitments and created good will among members.

One of the biggest accomplishments of the capital campaign was that it unified the congregation around its goal to revitalize the church. Both leaders and members became more focused on the case for support and were inspired by the campaign and the vision, rather than getting lost in the details of building needs, materials, and the logistics of remodeling.

The church accomplished more than they had thought they possibly could financially, and all they prayed for in terms of building community.

According to one of the leaders, “Even though I never considered the church did not have a viable future, the campaign not only brought hope but a very real possibility. It has been unifying. It is wonderful to see God at work. I find personally I think about the church very differently than a year ago.”

To learn more about how Church Campaign Services can help you adapt your campaign strategy in order to accomplish your goals, please email or call us at 888.558.6873.