Walking Through the Mine Fields of Walking Through the Mine Fields of Project DevelopmentProject Development

Mark BrooksMark Brooks

Founder and PresidentFounder and President

The Charis GroupThe Charis Group

Mistakes that churches and Mistakes that churches and Christian leaders makeChristian leaders make

• Not starting soon enough

• Single Focused vs. Multi-focused • Premature launch • The Lone Ranger mentality

Mistakes that churches and Mistakes that churches and Christian leaders makeChristian leaders make

• Going cheap

• Funding fantasies

• A design that does not fit

• A vision that does not inspire

Three Primary Areas of FocusThree Primary Areas of Focus

• Project

• Financing

• Funding

These Factors Need to Be in Your These Factors Need to Be in Your ThinkingThinking

• Economy factor

– Pledges will be less

– Banks are taking longer

• Bird in the hand factor

• Momentum factor

• History factor

Purpose of a Capital Campaign Purpose of a Capital Campaign

• Communicate the Vision

• Envision how ministry will be advanced

• Provides opportunity to give cheerfully

Objectives of a Capital CampaignObjectives of a Capital Campaign

• Spiritual Growth

• Financial resources

• Clarify vision

• Build/Strengthen relationships

• Celebrate God’s blessing

Biblical BasisBiblical Basis

• I Chronicles 29 – David raises the funds to build the temple

• II Corinthians 8 & 9 – Paul raises funds for the poor

Keys to SuccessKeys to Success

• Vision Casting

• Prayer

• Set the pace with leaders

• Solicit willing givers

Pitfalls to AvoidPitfalls to Avoid

• Avoid a premature launch of the campaign

• Avoid inexperience in the unique process of capital campaigning

• Avoid tactical strategies that violate the ministry’s value system or style

LEADERSHIP SUPPORT

• Leadership Summit Meeting - Make Insiders of Leaders

- Cast Vision - Connect Project/Campaign to God’s Preferred Future

• High Capacity Strategy - Legacy Donors – Individual meetings - Key Donors – Small group settings

• Leadership Commitment Event - Vision - Link Leaders to God’s Preferred Future - Challenge - Commitment

Vision Alignment

• Objectives - Clarify vision of campaign

- Establish time line of campaign

- Financial analysis

- Probe leaders and congregations awareness of need and willingness to sacrifice through Assessment Study

- Establish communication points

- Establish campaign plan

Congregation

• Vision Sunday Launches campaign

• Message Series Communicates:

Let’s Embrace What God is Doing Let’s Move Beyond What We Can Afford and Respond in Faith Let’s Trust God to Expand Our Scope of Reach

• Commitment Sunday

Follow Up

• Assessment and Evaluation- Financial Analysis of giving

- Giving emphasis

• Strategic Plan established

-Focus on Core-Encouraging Undecided-Bringing on new members

• Strategic Plan reviewed and refined

Two to Three Months Three to Six months Four to Six weeks Three years

Follow Up

Typical Campaign Time Line

Leadership SupportVision Alignment Congregational Commitment

The most important factor The most important factor for you to consider…for you to consider…

The God Factor

“Unless the Lord builds the house…”

“If God be for us, who can be against us?”

A businessman from Michigan said about whether his A businessman from Michigan said about whether his church should build the new sanctuary given the economic church should build the new sanctuary given the economic

climate of Michigan…climate of Michigan…

“This has been the worst three years of business for me in the last thirty. Yet I think that as people are hurting they will be looking for some place for an answer. We must build this building to be ready to meet that need!”

Walking Through the Mine Fields of Walking Through the Mine Fields of Project DevelopmentProject Development

Mark BrooksMark Brooks

Founder and PresidentFounder and President

The Charis GroupThe Charis Group