Growing in Faith
Campaign Consultant
Horizons was originally founded to assist churches and other faith-based institutions to make strategic decisions and secure the necessary capital to accomplish their mission. The use of the word stewardship in their company name is very intentional. They believe that we are all creations of a loving God who gave us all gifts that we are “to be stewards of” to enable His will to be done.
Horizons uses approaches that are Biblically sound. In all ways Biblical stewardship is the guide we follow - not fancy gimmicks.
Our Horizons consultant is a highly trained professional with extensive experience in helping churches succeed in raising the stewardship awareness of congregations and is also very active in his local church and is a steward of his own resources.
Horizons Stewardship Company
P.O. Box 627 • Cabot, Arkansas 72023
Why should we retain a consultant?
A professional firm brings the following to the church:
- Expertise. We are lucky to have a Senior Pastor that has received in-depth training in the area of stewardship development. Most ministers and pastors and laity can do a good job of stewardship development for operating budget needs. Because a capital campaign involves giving over and above the operating budget, ministers and pastors and laity can find themselves overwhelmed. A stewardship consultant provides specialized expertise in much the same way a cardiologist does in the field of medicine. Professional firms use proven methods and approaches.
- Time. Ministers and pastors and lay persons usually do not have the large block of time it takes to plan and execute a major campaign for capital funds. Assuming the staff or lay persons have the ability to conduct a campaign well, availability of time to lead the campaign well is a major issue. The stewardship consultant serves as an "adjunct staff member" for a specific period and provides the time needed. Hiring a consultant frees the church to concentrate on its regular ministry programs and activities while still reaching its financial goals.
- Focus. Even if a pastor or lay person has the expertise and the time to lead a campaign, it is difficult for them to focus on it because of their other roles and responsibilities. The consultant has no other role or responsibility in the church and provides the focus the campaign needs.
- Experience. Every campaign will have its challenges. Some are minor challenges, some are major. Every challenge is a potential threat to the campaign and must be handled from the perspective of experience. The stewardship consultant has a wealth of experience that can be particularly useful when challenges arise in the campaign. Additionally, the consultant will know how to position the campaign so it is at the forefront of the church's attention without interrupting the ongoing ministries of the church.
- Accountability. A key part of the professional consultant's role is to hold lay and staff persons accountable for doing their work on time with excellent quality. The timing and execution of events are important in creating a successful capital campaign experience.
What services should a church expect from the consultant?
The companies and professional consultants in this field can provide a wide variety of services. As a minimum, the consultant will:
- Prepare the church staff and the campaign volunteers for the campaign process
- Master plan all aspects of the campaign
- Assist in the identification and enlistment of leadership for the campaign
- Guide in the development of giving charts and projections to show how a church might reach a specific financial goal
- Provide comprehensive manuals and training materials that will be in harmony with the personality and needs of the church
- Train and supervise all persons who become involved in the campaign
- Guide and oversee all areas of communication – print, audio-visual, web site and any other medium the church uses
- Supervise the solicitation of major gifts, advance commitments and gifts of kind
- Guide the campaign to a scheduled completion date.
- Provide follow-up consultation during the pledge fulfillment period to minimize attrition.
