July 16, 2001

GREEN ACRES BAPTIST CHURCH in Tyler used a commercial fund-raising firm to help finance a major building project, which included this new worship center. Texas churches use a variety of resources for fund-raising, including assistance from the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Churches tap multiple options for fund-raising
___By Ken Walker
___Special to the Standard
___SAN ANGELO--With marble floors, a three-story atrium and skylights, First Baptist Church of San Angelo's new education center resembles a spacious hotel lobby. Its reception area hosted a youth choir concert in early June.
___Such amenities come with a hefty price tag, which is where fund raising consultants enter the picture for many Texas churches.
___"We recognized we needed help," Pastor Jerold McBride said of generating $5.6 million to pay for the building. "As a church, you need help. If you don't think you need help, you need it worse than you think."
___Every year, numerous Texas Baptist churches raise millions of dollars, an estimated 70 percent for new buildings. The remainder goes to debt retirement and renovations.
___Because many choose their own method, statewide totals aren't available. However, for the past three years, the Baptist General Convention of Texas alone has helped 50 congregations a year raise $45 million to $50 million annually.
___The BGCT's senior fund-raising consultant, Terry Austin, advises caution when asking members for large gifts.
___"If you don't do a capital fund-raising campaign carefully, you can run people off," said Austin, director of personal stewardship. "Money's a sensitive issue for people. If you're not careful, they get offended and leave.
___"We never encourage people to give a certain amount of money. We tell them to follow the Lord. People respond well."
___Churches need to be aware that money represents an emotional minefield, echoed Rocky Pope, pastor of Mimosa Lane Baptist Church in Mesquite.
___Easter Sunday, the church kicked off its second drive in five years, the newest for a $3.5 million, 1,300-seat sanctuary.
___"There's a natural hesitance to talk to people about financial resources," Pope said. "It takes wisdom, preparation and thought to talk about these things and communicate them effectively."
___But who should a church hire to direct its fund drive?
___Austin thinks churches should choose the BGCT's "United We Build" program because it represents the economical alternative.
___"The cost is an enormous benefit," Austin said, pointing to convention costs of $7.50 per resident member, with a cap of $7,500. "Most private firms won't talk to a church for less than $20,000 plus other fees."
___With a minimum consulting fee of $1,000, the convention is particularly attractive to small churches, he noted.
___But the BGCT handles larger amounts too, he said. For example, First Baptist Church of Fairview collected $3.8 million in pledges during a 1999 United We Build campaign. That surpassed a pre-campaign goal of $3 million.
___"We were very pleased," said Associate Pastor Lyn Cypert.
___ Four and a half years ago, Mimosa Lane paid a commercial firm $60,000 to help raise $1.2 million for another building.
___This time, Pope said, the BGCT offered a major savings. Even with brochures, banquets and other campaign costs, this year's costs totaled half its prior consulting fee.
___"We had a relationship, and they knew the culture of our church," Pope said of the BGCT. "We felt they could do as good a job for us as anybody."
___Not everyone agrees, though.
___Larger churches, especially, continue to turn to commercial fund-raising firms for expertise.
___Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler recently dedicated a 3,500-seat auditorium that was part of a wide-ranging building project. The church raised $21 million of the projected $26 million cost with assistance from Resource Services Incorporated, one of the largest church fund-raising firms in the nation.
___Church Business Administrator Everett Brazeal said the church never considered using the state convention for the fund-raising program, which cost $98,000.
___"I don't think they're into raising that kind of sum," he said.
___Commercial firms readily admit that their fees are higher than denominational agencies charge, but they sell themselves as producing greater results.
___Fort Worth-based Cargill Associates, for example, reports that among Protestant churches, its campaign pledges are fulfilled at a rate of 88 percent to 95 percent, allowing the churches to raise twice their annual income 90 percent of the time and three times their annual income 50 percent of the time.
___For some churches, it's not a matter of one approach exclusively. Pope, for example, said he's glad his church used both a commercial firm and the BGCT.
___During Mimosa Lane's previous campaign, there were some problems within the church that the firm's on-site consultant tactfully handled, he said.
___First Baptist Church of San Angelo turned to the Rogers Company to raise nearly $2 million of its $5.6 million project four years ago. This year, United We Build generated another $1.8 million in pledges.
___McBride lauds both Rogers and the BGCT.
___"United We Build was less, but we couldn't complain about the Rogers Company," the pastor said. "You either pay it in interest or you pay those companies. You have to spend money to make money. You're going to cut off your nose if you're afraid to spend money."
___Pastors and administrators across the state agree spiritual matters drive any fund-raising effort.
___"We want to help people understand it's not just about raising money," said the BGCT's Austin. "It's about following God's will."
___As part of its capital campaign, Ash Creek Baptist Churh in Azle made prayer visits to the home of every member, said Pastor Wesley Shotwell. "The spiritual preparation weekend was one of the best things our church has ever done.
___Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas chose Fort Worth-based Cargill Associates for a campaign that generated nearly $3.4 million for remodeling, parking expansion and debt retirement.
___Business Manager David Norris said Cargill didn't use high-pressure tactics and kept the focus on God's leadership.
___"One of their consultants said, 'Stewardship is misdefined as making a sacrifice, but I'm telling you it's taking something you already have and lifting up to a higher purpose,'" Norris recalled. "That stuck with me."
___Green Acres' staff met with RSI to plan its program, which included prayer, devotional books, video mailings and a sermon series.
___Leaders never pushed members to give a particular amount, calling them to pray and seek God's guidance regarding their gifts, Brazeal said.
___And that ties in with a common understanding about the success of any capital campaign: The final result is due to God's leading and the commitment of members.
___"I insist the glory go to God," said Brazeal of Green Acres. "I would tell RSI they were a great group and got us off to a great start. But the rest of it was the commitment of the people and total dedication from pastor, staff and deacons. They have to support it or it won't go."
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