Have you ever seen the mega churches that appear overnight and thought “there is no way their members could have raised enough for that”? Then see how full their parking lot was only a few short months later.
There is so much talk about being financially responsible and having the money available before spending any of it. While that is mature and a very good philosophy to follow in life, sometimes we have to be willing to take smart financial risks to receive the payoff.
Looking at a church two miles away from the church we did last year for “Think Big, Take Small Bites”, let’s look at how they used debt as a tool for investing in growth instead of taking small bites.
This is a church where they had a sanctuary around the same size as last year’s church to begin with, and several classrooms with a fellowship hall. Their new facilities include multiple large meeting rooms, a multipurpose contemporary service space, daycare facilities, a giant sanctuary, and more that are often found at mega churches.
The loan the church took out allowed them to complete all of these projects at once. The church has grown exponentially in membership in a short time, and reached out into the community to build outreach projects. They have opened their doors to numerous other ministry opportunities, and have paid back the loan.
They worked to keep all members informed on what projects were happening, and where funds were needed on repaying the loan. Allowing members to choose which areas to focus their time and resources on.
Both churches have succeeded in membership revitalization. Both methods are effective. The goal is to choose which method works best for your congregation and community. How can your church benefit from a capital campaign or membership growth mission?
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