The “First” Capital Campaign
A friend of mine often told a story at the beginning of church campaigns. We served as consultants together and were assigned to guide several campaigns across the country. He was the lead consultant and was an amazing storyteller. He shared this passage at story with nearly every client and I would like to share with you. You can find the beginning of the story in Exodus 35:4 to 36:7. Please take a moment to pull out your Bible (or go online!) and read that section now.
It tells the story of Moses calling the people to take up an offering for the construction of the “tent of meeting”. Moses issues the call. He is specific about the vision and the materials that are needed. The people respond. They bring what is needed. Artisans take the donated material to build what God has commanded.
One of my favorite lines from this story is in verse 21: all who were willing and whose heart was moved contributed. Stewardship generally and capital campaigns specifically, are ministry moments of the heart. They happen because of the willingness of the giver. We have a role in inspiring that willing generosity.
My truly favorite line comes in verse 5 and 6 of chapter 36: the people brought too much so Moses told them to stop giving! Imagine that happening in a church today! In this great moment in the life of the family of God, their generosity overflowed. They responded to the need, to God’s call on them, with abundance out of happy obedience and gratitude. As a result, they ended up with more than they needed. Surely, there is much to learn from that.
Was this the first capital campaign recorded in the Bible? Friends, I don’t know. It certainly was an extraordinary effort by God’s people to do something extraordinary for God.
Whatever Moses may have called it, the effort does offer a nice template, for what a faithful journey in stewardship might look like:
A call from God
A leader for the effort
A clear description of of what is needed
Willing and generous givers
Gratitude for the call and the response
As we move into the season where many churches are looking at the potential for a campaign, this story from scripture can be a source of reflection on the wisdom of how to proceed. Let the template be a study guide for church leaders on the future of the congregation. When God gives us a mission or call God also equips us with all we need to fulfill that call.
