CHILLOCOTHE, Mo. (MBF) – When a church begins thinking about a renovation, addition, or retiring debt, the questions are often not financial. Leaders are thinking about ministry, about people, and about how to move forward without placing unnecessary strain on the congregation or its giving.
For Rob Hurtgen of First Baptist Church, Chillicothe, those questions were personal and immediate. “We have an addition and renovation project for our building. I did not want to saddle our church with debt nor spend ministry dollars on loan and interest payments,” Hurtgen said. “The Capital Stewardship campaign created an opportunity to raise additional funds beyond our current tithes and gifts to pursue our project while limiting any future debt.”
In many churches, efforts like these take shape over a focused season of prayer, teaching, and conversation. Over the course of several months, church leaders encourage members to consider what it looks like to give intentionally. In some cases, churches use them alongside financing. In others, they see them as a way to reduce or avoid long-term debt altogether.
For Hurtgen, the impact went beyond financial goals. “The capital campaign afforded the opportunity to focus on the spiritual discipline of generosity,” he said. “We rediscovered the timeless biblical principle that generosity is a spiritual matter more than a financial issue.” He said the process also led to something unexpected: “An unexpected result of the capital campaign was an in-depth evaluation of how we communicated with our church family.”
“We rediscovered the timeless biblical principle that generosity is a spiritual matter more than a financial issue.” – Pastor Rob Hurtgen, FBC Chillicothe
Along the way, churches have turned to the Missouri Baptist Foundation for help, drawing on the experience of John Hessel, a retired St. Louis-area pastor who has guided churches through over 300 capital campaigns over the last 40 years. Today, he serves with MBF and helps train a new generation of consultants for Missouri Baptist churches.
Campaign Director Joe Hilty at First Baptist Church in Clinton said the church’s past experience with John Hessel made the decision easier. “When First Baptist Clinton learned that the Missouri Baptist Foundation was offering consulting services for capital campaigns, I quickly contacted them about what they could offer. Then learning that John Hessel was their lead consultant, we knew it was a fit since we had great success partnering with John in the past.”
As the work progressed, Hilty said what first felt overwhelming grew more manageable. “Our experience has been great! I cannot say enough about the work of the consultants. They do not overlook the smallest details. They stay right beside us the entire time, giving us encouragement and nudges in the right direction without being overbearing.”
For Hessel and the Missouri Baptist Foundation, capital stewardship is more than fundraising. In his view, it is a process that invites individuals and congregations to grow in their understanding of biblical stewardship and to seek the Lord’s guidance in their giving.
For churches like those in Chillicothe and Clinton, capital stewardship has become more than a strategy. With the support of the Missouri Baptist Foundation, it has become a shared journey—one that shapes not only what a church builds, but who it becomes.
The Missouri Baptist Foundation provides additional information and resources at mbfn.org and at (573) 761-0717.
