7 Keys to Conducting Successful
Church Building Projects

Highlights of nationwide interviews with 15 churches that conducted successful building fund drives

By Brian Kluth

The Importance of Instructing & Inspiring

LESSON #1 - PROVIDE BIBLICAL TEACHING:

Most churches found that their people were in need of practical and inspirational instruction and encouragement in the areas of Christian giving and stewardship. Churches found it helpful and very important that these areas be taught from the pulpit by the Sr. Pastor and/or an experienced stewardship speaker so that a proper spiritual tone and biblical basis was in place for the drive.

LESSON #2 - INCLUDE PERSONAL TESTIMONIES:

A number of churches actively included personal testimonies during worship times from people who have experienced the grace of giving in their lives and/or who were specifically led by the Lord to become supportive of the expansion project. Written testimonies, handouts, and articles were also used to help encourage people in the spiritual aspects of their giving decisions.

LESSON #3 - AIM TO MAKE THE FUND DRIVE A RICH SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE:

Many churches indicated that their expansion drives helped deepen people's faith and spiritual commitment (i.e. - especially through the increased vision people received, the interaction people had with others during the drive, and/or their increased or sacrificial giving to the Lord's work at the church).

The Importance of Identifying & Informing

LESSON #4 - HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:

Every successful funding effort had a specific plan on how they were going to instruct, inspire, inform and appropriately involve people within the following groups:

*LEADERSHIP: Church leadership, pastor(s), staff, heads and key leaders of church ministries/committees.

*ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP: People regularly involved in serving and small group ministries.

*POTENTIAL MAJOR GIVERS: People who exhibited the gift of giving in the past or who may have the potential to be a major financial help in the drive.

*REGULAR ATTENDERS: People who attend church at least twice a month.

*FRINGE PEOPLE: Occasional or sporadic attenders.

LESSON #5 - GET EXPERIENCED HELP:

In addition to the active involvement of many lay leaders and present staff, nearly all the churches that raised major dollars for expansion efforts used some level of experienced help to lead them through the funding process.

LESSON #6 - DEVELOP HELPFUL COLLATERAL MATERIALS:

Each church developed materials that effectively informed their congregation what the plans were and what level of help and support would be needed. Items often developed included multimedia presentations, case-statement brochures, question and answer flyers, personal presentation packets, commitment cards, mailings, and update sections in church publications.

The Importance of Inviting & Involving

LESSON #7 - HAVE SPECIFIC COMMITMENT TIME(S):

Following a period of advance instruction, inspiration, and information, churches would invite their people to carefully and prayerfully indicate how the Lord has led them to be involved in the church expansion plans. In a number of cases this was done in two stages, the first stage would be receiving the commitments from the families that make up the church's main leadership and lead givers and the second phase (2-4 weeks later) would be receiving the commitments from the rest of the congregation on a specific target date or event.

© Christian Stewardship Association (CSA). Permission is given to CSA MEMBERS* to photo-copy, fax, or reprint for non-commercial purposes.