"High Capacity People"...A Church "Generosity Consultant" Explains How to Go After Them

Part of what I want to do in the coming posts is to help the average pew sitter see what is going on "behind the scenes" in modern Christianity regarding the tactics churches are using to raise revenue.

We will be looking at some trends of church marketing and fund raising. Church members should be aware of how their money that they are giving to the church for ministry, is actually being used to hire church marketers and consultants, to come up with ways to get MORE money from them, and to target those who have money to give.

Let's start things off by looking at a 6-minute video produced by Jim Sheppard, the CEO of a consulting firm named "Generis". I found this video at the blog of one of their former consultants, Ben Stroup. Ben has recently left Generis, but Ben was one of the few people in evangelical Christianity that actually defended Ed Young's classic tithing sermon from last October. Go here to read his defense of Ed Young's tithing sermon.

Back to Jim's video: Jim produced the video below for an event called "The Nines" last October, where 100 leaders gave 6-minute talks on the Internet to help church pastors. In the promo for this event you'll see some of the big names that spoke - included are Perry Noble and Steven Furtick. In his video, Jim explains to church leaders how they need to develop strategies for going after the very wealthy in their community, who he calls "the high capacity people".

Here are some quotes from the video:

"...I've chosen one [strategy] that's simple...it's right under your nose. In fact my only fear is that it is so simple and maybe so obvious that you might not see the great potential that lies in it. The reason I chose it is that hardly any churches are doing it. And for the few that are, it is a game changer, I mean a TOTAL game changer. So here it is: I call it unleash. Simply put, it is releasing the full potential of the high capacity people God has placed in your church."

He then goes on to make some valid points about how the "high capacity" people can be a valuable resource to the church in more ways than just financial.

Then he does give a disclaimer:

"Now...first and foremost, let me make one thing clear. This is not a money ploy. Though these people are probably among the most financially blessed in your church. This is not about reaching them for their money."

Gee, if you have to say "this is not a money ploy", it just might be.

But he gets to a point where he asks the question:

"First you have to find them. This is pretty easy, some think it's tough, but it's pretty easy. Most have already identified themselves by; who they are in the community and in other places - at work , at school, wherever it is. You can find them. A few are hiding, but most of them are fairly obvious."

OK, so we have to find the wealthy. It's easy. Some are hiding. How do we find these people? They're everywhere! If you're a mega church pastor, they're probably your neighbors!! Once we find these successful rich people, what should the pastor do?

"Once you find them, you have to create environments and opportunities where you can build relationships with them. It might be a dinner gathering, or a dessert fellowship or something like that. Make it fun, make it casual. Don't let the group get too large."

He is advocating the pastor build relationships with them. But be be careful pastor, don't let your group of rich people get too large! Create environments to get the wealthy to come have dinner and ice cream. Where? At Ruth's Chris?

"If you happen to be one of those churches that has too many of them - and by the way that is a really good problem to have - break 'em up into several smaller gatherings. Get them together periodically. Not too often, but just often enough."

It is a good "problem" to have too many wealthy - yes, much better to have that problem than the problem of too many poor slobs.

And of course, you need to get their input as you "cast vision":

"Use this time to cast vision, to recast vision, if you've already cast vision, to build trust with them, to enhance relationships. Let them see the ministry from the senior pastor's cockpit, to give them a glimpse of where you believe God is leading your church."

The term "casting vision" is very popular among the emergent churches, a term that describes what a pastor does after God directly gives him a vision as to where the church should go. A pastor receives this vision directly from God, then "casts" it to the people who then will fund it and support it as God's will. To question or express dissent from the pastor's vision is to speak against God.

"Most importantly, create opportunities where you can listen to them. Especially when you're about to embark on a new initiative, or cast some kind of a new vision, type of thing."

I know this man means well. And I agree, successful business men and women can be a great asset to a church. And yes, rich people need to hear the gospel. Of course.

But does the Bible teach that the wealthy in your community should be targeted by the pastor, they need to be found and courted at special events? And does the Bible teach that the pastor needs to give a special ear to people of great worldly success?

Do people who are very wealthy and successful have more valuable insights for the direction of the church than do those who are of very modest means, that have proven through decades of service at their church that they are very wise and humble?

I have to disagree with Jim on the premise of his video: the problem in mega churches today is not that they are not listening enough to those who are successful in the world, THEY ARE LISTENING TOO MUCH. They are hiring marketing firms (like Jim's) to tell them what to preach and how to get more money out of the people's pockets.

I think a more valuable message to mega pastors might be something like: stop listening so much to the very wealthy hot shots in your congregation. Stop wining and dining with the wealthy. You might want to try rubbing elbows with the people of very modest means in your church and seek THEIR counsel before you "cast vision".

Perhaps pastors should get more advice from those that are "high capacity" in the areas of love, grace, mercy, compassion, steadfastness, etc....than focusing on those who are "high capacity" in the areas of money and worldly success.

What do you think?