How To Integrate Prayer In A Capital Campaign

We are thrilled to have Dr. Ronnie Floyd write on the importance of prayer in a capital campaign. Dr. Floyd has recently published a new devotional for leaders called Day by Day and Night by Night: 365 Morning & Evening Devotions for Leaders. You can find the devotional at all major booksellers.

Integrating the ministry of prayer in a capital campaign is not just important; it’s essential. Prayer is not just one aspect of a capital campaign; it’s the thread that can weave the campaign into a unified and whole experience, connecting everyone involved.

When a church launches a capital campaign, it raises funds to achieve its vision. It’s important to acknowledge that people may have concerns or feel troubled by the very announcement of a campaign. Understanding these feelings is crucial in guiding the campaign effectively. God can use prayer to make this campaign an authentic spiritual experience for the entire church.

In this article, I want to answer two major questions that will help you integrate the ministry of prayer into a capital campaign; the two questions are:

• How Should a Pastor Pray Personally?
• How Should the Pastor Lead the Church to Pray?

As we discuss these questions and I address each one, I hope you will feel empowered and responsible for leading your church to pray. You may answer them better than I do because you know your context better. However, before I answer these questions, I want to share with you from my heart about the ministry of prayer.

Your church may or may not have an organized prayer ministry and may or may not take prayer seriously in its Sunday worship services. However, this capital campaign and how you integrate prayer into it can significantly strengthen your prayer ministry and empower your future worship services.

Followers of Jesus and local churches must genuinely believe in the power of prayer. Here is the reality relating to both. When you pray, you depend on God. When you do not pray, you depend on yourselves.

Pastors, laypersons, and churches must recapture a deep belief in prayer and God’s power. I believe God can do anything anytime, with anyone, anywhere. Do you believe this? Furthermore, I believe God can do more in a moment than you can do in a lifetime. Do you believe this?

If we believe these things, we must pray like we believe them and expect God to do great things in our lives and churches. Let these Scriptures remind you today about the power of prayer and the power of God. Read them aloud.

• “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
• “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37
• “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ²¹ to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Our faith grows when we read the Bible and stand on God’s Word. Prayer is faith! The Scripture says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

Pastors, laypersons, and churches must recapture a deep belief in prayer and God’s power.

Now, let’s proceed and provide a few thoughts on the two questions I said I would answer earlier. This will help you integrate prayer into your capital campaign.

How Should a Pastor Pray Personally?

When a pastor senses that he will soon need to lead his church through a financial campaign, he will begin to feel its gravity. This is when he must begin to focus personally on these matters through prayer, fasting, and seeking God about it all. With great focus and a teachable spirit, he needs to listen to God. I would encourage any pastor to pray about these things:

• The strategy for the campaign.
• The timing for the campaign.
• The theme for the campaign.
• The Scripture for the campaign.
• The financial need of the campaign.
• The visionary sermon he will preach that will introduce these things to the church.
• The stewardship series he preaches during the campaign must be biblical, visionary, compelling, clear, and bold.
• The financial commitment he and his family will make to the campaign.
• The plan for meeting with the key givers in the church and his presentation to them.
• The list of these key givers so he can pray for them daily.
• The way God wants him to involve all persons in the church in this campaign.

There are others I could list and share, but these are vital matters I would encourage the pastor to pray about and through when he senses God wants him to lead his church through a financial campaign.

How Should the Pastor Lead the Church to Pray?

The pastor must do everything he can to pray for the church throughout this campaign, from its launch to completion. Leading them to pray is vital to the campaign’s success. The more spiritual this experience is for the church, the more successful it will be in every way. So, how should the pastor lead the church in praying throughout this campaign?

• In the initial vision sermon, the pastor needs to talk about the strategy to pray and how it will be integrated into this campaign.
• In this service, he must call the people to dedicate all to the Lord. He can also request those who can please join him on his knees in prayer as he leads this prayer of dedication to the Lord.
• In the sermon series during the campaign, each worship service involves a three- to five-minute time for prayer. This can be creative and done differently each Sunday.
• In every meeting with people about the campaign, make prayer meaningful in it.
• If the campaign lasts six weeks, the pastor should develop a 40-Day Prayer emphasis with one or two items a day and one Scripture for each day so that the people can pray together about the campaign.
• Call the church to a one-day fast during the campaign, asking God for clarity on their own and the entire church’s financial commitment and for God to meet the needs of the financial campaign.
• Depending on the technology capacity, it can help ascend prayer throughout the campaign by texting, Facebook Live, and multiple other ways.

These are just a few ways a pastor can lead the church to pray during a campaign.

Finally, please remember that prayer and vision will move people’s hearts to support your campaign. When you integrate prayer into your campaign, you are building greater faith and belief in what God can do. Oh yes, God can do anything anytime, with anyone, anywhere. God can do more in a moment than you can do in a lifetime.