What is Capture the Vision?

Every church has a vision for its ministry. Many times, in order to reach their vision, property must be bought or facilities built or refurbished. A capital gifts campaign, Capture the Vision is a BCM/D program that helps churches make their vision a reality.

A 13-week, consultant-led, fund-raising campaign. A trained consultant helps you prepare and train a Steering committee that, in turn, will involve the total membership in making a sacrificial commitment over and above their regular gifts for three years. Maryland and Delaware churches have experienced significant success using this campaign.

  • Bible based. Each person is asked to commit himself/herself to biblical principles of giving.
  • Enriching. The total congregation is enriched in a deeper spiritual life, renewed fellowship, and more involvement of more people in church life.
  • Practical. Churches can measure the people’s commitment to their vision and enable the church to reach their vision without excessive debt.
  • Customized. Each church tells its own story, sets its goals, and rallies the people to their mission.
  • Successful. Between 90 and 105 percent of money pledged is received.
  • Proven! Churches of all sizes have proven the plan—small missions, rural and city churches, language congregations.

What are some advantages?

  1. Capture the Vision helps develop the total stewardship of the church.
  2. A church can expect to raise one to three times their last year’s undesignated receipts. This will result in a significantly lower debt obligation for the church.
  3. This is a spiritually solid program that calls for sacrificial giving.
  4. The costs are minimal compared to any other program. Fees are explained at initial inquiry.
  5. All state consultants have experienced a Capture the Vision program and have been trained to lead. They are nearby and available for training and consultation.
  6. Capture the Vision has not failed to provide significant funds—97 percent of the churches reach their goals.
  7. A state convention development representative will explain the program to your church and assist in getting a consultant to guide your church through the entire process.

Principles of Capture the Vision

Certain basic concepts are distinctive to the Capture the Vision program:

  1. Over and above giving. All commitments must be over and above the members’ regular giving. Thousands of dollars that usually are spent for interest payments are saved because of Capture the Vision.
  2. “Not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice” is the Capture the Vision theme. Not everyone can give large amounts of money, but everyone can give something. The gifts can be equal at the point of sacrifice.
  3. Gifts are neither begged nor assessed. Each family is asked to take the concept of “equal sacrifice” seriously and pray for God to reveal His will for their family.
  4. Commitments are made individually, usually in the privacy of the home. There are no mass solicitations, no comparison of commitments, and no embarrassing pressures.
  5. Every effort is made to make the decision and the giving a meaningful spiritual experience.
  6. The goal of Capture the Vision is the building of the church for the glory of God.

The Four Phases of the Capture the Vision Program

Phase I: Organization/Preparation: Weeks 1-7

Capture the Vision is a program to solicit weekly pledges for capital funds to be paid over a three-year period. The main features of emphasis are:

  1. Evaluation. The consultant guides the church’s leadership in the evaluation of its giving potential. With the results of this meeting and other information, the consultant is able to lead this group to set realistic goals for the church. A church is usually able to raise from one to three times the previous year’s income over the three-year period. Thus, a church with an income of $100,000 can expect to raise from $100,000 to $300,000 over three years.
  2. Prayer Visitation. A prayer visitor organization is established to visit in the home of every church member. Every effort is made to get all church families to be open to God’s leadership in their giving commitment.
  3. Building the Organization and Preparation. For the duration of the first seven weeks, there is a behind-the-scenes building of the organization and preparation.

Phase II: Intensive Period: Weeks 8-11

  1. The second part of the campaign begins with a four-week intensive period. It is a time of communication.
  2. A major brochure (or DVD) and four newsletters (one each week) are mailed to every home.
  3. Every family receives a written invitation to the banquet and two telephone calls.
  4. In the worship services, there are sermons by the pastor and testimonies by committed members.
  5. Special Sunday School/Small Group lessons are provided for the last Sunday.

Phase III: Banquet and Canvass: Weeks 12-13

  1. Banquet (beginning of week 12). Every church family is invited to the banquet paid for by the church. It is a time of fellowship, inspiration, and information. It is one of the great events in the life of the church.
  2. Canvass. In the days immediately following the banquet, canvassers go into every home to receive sacrificial pledges of the people. The canvasser does not go to convince the people to give, but rather goes to communicate the need and opportunity of the church. A two-week period is set aside for the canvass, although it is usually completed in three or four nights of intensive effort.

Phase IV: Follow up

A Follow-up Director leads in a simple, but important, follow-up program during the three-week period. If consultation is needed, your State Development Director is always available.

Cost of the Capture the Vision Program

The cost of the program is explained at the initial inquiry. Congregations with budgets under $50,000 may be offered a consultant at the Convention’s expense. Costs to the churches in all capital fund campaigns involve a brochure, newsletters, banquet, postage, etc. The primary savings in a Capture the Vision program is in the very modest honorarium paid to the consultant.

Interested?
If you are interested in finding out more about the Capture the Vision program for your church, contact Tom Stolle at tstolle@bcmd.org or call (800) 466.5290, extension 207.