• The local or national economy
• The church ’ s approach to teaching generosity
Can we use a campaign to “ retool ” for Post- Covid ministry objectives ?
Yes . And perhaps every church should be considering the resources needed for their post-covid reality . For instance , some will want to reduce debt to free up cash flow for other initiatives . Still other churches are making their list of needs for a more digital savvy existence going forward . A campaign is a prime opportunity to recast vision (“ Who are we and where are we headed as a church ?) and then ask people to fund that vision .
“ Churches have had to reinvent their ministry model for most of 2020 to continue to love and serve without a facility .”
Are churches still using the 3-year pledge window ?
Yes and no . The 3-year window has been used for decades and many churches use it because they are familiar with the structure . But this window was shaped at a different time in history and more and more churches are choosing a shorter time period . Churches with younger congregants will tend to do a shorter collection period . And with what seems to be less economic stability than in the past , asking a member of the congregation to think about a three-year horizon regarding their money will not produce a “ larger gift ” in the manner it may have years ago .
Do people actually give the money they pledge ?
A fear can sometimes exist that people will be emotionally moved to pledge a certain amount but have no ability to fulfill that pledge . Disruptive events during the pledge period can certainly stall pledge returns — change in leadership , significant changes to the project , congregational or staff conflict , etc . As a general rule , however , people are faithful to their church . Most churches will receive more than 90 percent of what was pledged .
Must we use an “ outside ” consultant or coach ? Technically , no . The process of securing overand-above capital funding can be done without a consultant . There are basic principles that , if employed , will produce good results both in the spiritual life of the congregation as well as in the financial support . However , few churches ( who may do this once every few years or even longer ) can do this as effectively as a professional who does it every day .
The outsider is an outside strategist that can produce benefits including :
• A well-traveled perspective , bringing both ideas and trouble-shooting tips collected over many campaigns
• Accountability to a time line , process , and tasks that can be customized but are proven to be effective
• A temporary “ staff ” member for the campaign , since the current pastors and staff are very busy with their assigned
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