Campaign Stories

A big part of my job is helping churches raise money to build or renovate, or to get rid of debt. While fundraising is the main reason I’m contacted, it’s not why I’m involved in this work. I do this work for the stories.

I’m always amazed at the life change that can happen when God gets someone’s attention, especially when he uses money as the tool for change. Some of you may be entering this stage of church life, also known as a capital campaign. I want you to be excited about it and look intently for the great stories that will come out of it. Here are a few of mine from this season of work.

• A high level businessman told me of how he’s not really involved in the church; he basically shows up for the service and leaves as quickly as he can on Sundays. But he believed this was something he could be involved in, and told me he would be giving at least $250,000 and hopefully $500,000 to his church because God had given him that ability. He knew he had the gift to give, and he was prepared to do it.
• A pastor who supports his wife and six children on his salary told me he would be selling some land and his family’s prized possession, a piano, in order to give $25,000. He could feel God moving in the church and was willing to sacrifice to lead the way. I’ve never seen a pastor so excited about what God was doing.
• A business executive told me at the beginning of one evening her family was planning to give $10,000 to her church. After some time of prayer during our meeting she told me God had revealed how they could give an additional $15,000 for a total of $25,000. Later that night she indicated they hoped to give as much as $40,000 because of what God had showed her. Her faith grew leaps and bounds that night.
• A former Catholic couple had found a home in a small UMC church. They loved the church but were retiring and moving south. Because of their appreciation for how God had blessed them, they gave $17,000 as a final gift to their church before they left.
• One of my churches had received loans from people in the community for renovation of their facility. I was doing a campaign to pay off the debt and heard the following stories… The largest lienholder gives $1000 a month to the church mortgage fund and agreed to not accept interest on his loan for a year. A female atheist in the community who gave a $50,000 loan agreed to not accept interest on her loan for three years. A Jewish man in the community never attended the church but had friends who were members and willed $25,000 to the church, which funded all the capital campaign expenses. That church had an impact in its community!

Now you can see why I feel so lucky to experience these stories. God uses these opportunities to change lives, and mine is constantly changed because of the work I see him do.