Lessons from Leading Three Capital Campaigns
What preaching on money has taught me about faith, generosity, and God’s provision.
In all honesty, I’m feeling both excited and anxious about this Sunday. Excited to see how God has been speaking to the Cityview family—but also anxious about what the response will be. What if nobody shows up? What if the commitments don’t come in?
I know that’s ridiculous, because our leadership core has already committed over half of our $12 million goal. But the human heart is wild. I swing between strong faith in our powerful God and deep fear that I’m not doing enough, or that our people simply don’t have the resources to make this happen. It’s strange how often faith and fear coexist in pastoral ministry.
This Sunday is Commitment Sunday for our Overflow Campaign—our third major capital campaign in the life of Cityview Bible Church. Each one has been a stretching experience. Each has deepened my trust in God, strengthened our church’s unity, and refined my understanding of what it means to lead people through seasons of extraordinary generosity.
Through these campaigns, I’ve learned that preaching on money is never just about budgets or buildings. It’s about discipleship. It’s about hearts being aligned with the Kingdom of God. These moments invite us to put our faith into action—to trust that the God who provides daily bread can also provide what’s needed to advance His work in the world.
As we approach this new step of faith—to secure 13 additional acres, build a 1,200-seat sanctuary, renovate our current building for next-generation ministry, and add new parking and road access—I’ve been reflecting on what God has taught me over the years about leading His people in generosity.
Here are ten lessons from leading three campaigns.
1. Money Is Deeply Spiritual in Nature
Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) That statement alone reveals that money is not just an economic issue—it’s a spiritual one. What we do with money reveals who we serve and what we love most.
If pastors avoid preaching about money, we leave the greatest idol of our culture unchallenged. In the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, most of what we do with our resources is self-directed, not Kingdom-directed.
Capital campaigns create a corporate opportunity for the entire church to go on a spiritual journey together—reordering our loves, declaring with our actions that God is first and money is second. When we get this order wrong, everything else in life gets distorted.
2. Most of What We Do with Our Money Has No Eternal Impact
Buying a larger house, a newer car, or the latest iPhone can be enjoyable, but it’s temporary. None of those things is evil, but their joy fades quickly, and they can never satisfy the soul.
Jesus told us to “store up treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy” (Matthew 6:19–20). That’s the invitation of stewardship—to move what is temporary into what is eternal.
Most of what we spend money on evaporates within a few years. But every dollar given to advance the gospel lives forever. Giving is not about losing—it’s about investing in what can never be taken away.
3. God Is a Cheerful Giver—and He Wants Us to Be Too
Paul wrote, “Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Why does God love cheerful giving? Because He is a cheerful giver. He delights to bless His children (James 1:17). He gives good gifts to those who ask (Matthew 7:11). He gave us His Son—the greatest gift of all (John 3:16).
Generosity reflects God’s character. It’s how we participate in His nature. When we give joyfully, we mirror the heart of our Father. And as Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
4. Prosperity Leads Quickly to Idolatry
This lesson has been sobering. Prosperity is a gift, but it’s also a test. Paul warns us in Colossians 3:5 to “put to death greed, which is idolatry.” In 1 Timothy 6, he instructs the rich “not to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God.”
The more we have, the more tempted we are to depend on our wealth instead of our Lord. Prosperity can dull spiritual hunger and breed self-sufficiency. That’s why God calls us to grow in generosity—it’s a safeguard for our souls.
Generosity is not just a financial practice; it’s a spiritual defense system. It dethrones money and re-centers our hope on God alone.
5. Church Buildings Are Important Tools for Ministry
I’ve traveled around the world and seen churches meeting in huts, homes, rented halls, and open fields. The Holy Spirit moves powerfully in every context. Buildings aren’t necessary for the spread of the gospel, but in our Western setting, they are often vital tools for effective ministry.
We must think like missionaries—understanding our cultural context. In our setting, a dedicated space for worship and discipleship creates stability, visibility, and long-term impact.
Buildings don’t do ministry, but they facilitate ministry. Our current building at Cityview is used nearly every day—for worship, recovery groups, marriage mentoring, student ministry, preschool, ministry training, and community outreach. It’s a gift that multiplies ministry. A good building is not a monument to our success; it’s a tool for Kingdom service.
6. Raising Money Will Sift Your Church
This is one of the hardest truths for pastors. Every capital campaign has revealed hearts—and not always in the ways I expected. Some people grow in faith and joy through the process, while others step away.
People leave a church for many reasons during a capital campaign. Some don’t believe in the vision. Some don’t like to talk about money. Some are simply uncomfortable with growth or change. That’s okay. These seasons clarify who is committed to the mission and who God is calling to move on to a new congregation.
Campaigns don’t divide the church; they reveal it. And while that can be painful, it’s also purifying. God uses the process to strengthen the core and deepen our collective dependence on Him.
7. Generous, Sacrificial Giving Grows Our Faith
The pattern of Scripture is clear: generosity grows faith. In Exodus 36, the Israelites gave so much for the tabernacle that Moses had to tell them to stop. In 1 Chronicles 29, David and the nation of Israel gave abundantly for the temple. In the New Testament, Jesus praised the widow who gave all she had (Mark 12:41–44), and Paul celebrated the Macedonian believers who gave out of their poverty (2 Corinthians 8–9).
Giving is one of the greatest faith-building disciplines in the Christian life. Every time we give sacrificially, we’re saying, “God, I trust You more than I trust this money.” It’s a declaration of dependence.
Generosity doesn’t just fund ministry—it transforms hearts. It grows faith, deepens trust, and reminds us that all we have is from Him.
8. Generosity Leads to Gratitude and Joy
Jesus knew what He was saying when He told us it’s more blessed to give than receive. The more generous you become, the more thankful you become. Gratitude and generosity are two sides of the same coin.
Hoarding, on the other hand, breeds fear and entitlement. When we cling to what we have, we start believing it’s ours. When we give freely, we’re reminded it’s His.
Generosity produces joy because it aligns us with the heart of God. When we live open-handedly, we start seeing blessings everywhere—and the joy that flows from gratitude far outweighs the temporary pleasure of getting more stuff.
9. God Is Our Provider—Personally and Corporately
One of the biggest fears in any campaign is, “If I give, will I still have enough?” That’s where faith is tested.
The Psalms tell us, “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” (Psalm 34:10) Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11) Paul wrote that “God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
God is our Provider—both personally and corporately. Campaigns remind us that He gives seed to the sower and multiplies the harvest (2 Corinthians 9:10). He provides what’s needed for His mission, at just the right time, through the obedience of His people.
That doesn’t mean it’s easy. It means it’s sacred. Every time we give, we place our trust in the faithfulness of the One who has never failed to provide.
10. Leading a Capital Campaign Is a Team Effort
I often say leading a capital campaign is like having a second full-time job. There are timelines to set, messages to craft, committees to form, leaders to align, materials to produce, stories to tell, and hearts to shepherd. It’s an enormous undertaking.
But it’s also one of the most unifying and faith-building experiences a church can go through. Campaigns require shared prayer, shared sacrifice, and shared vision. They are community projects in the truest sense.
And for pastors, they are deeply humbling. You quickly realize you can’t manufacture results—you can only be faithful. You plant and water, but God gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). That reality keeps you on your knees.
A Final Word
As we prepare for this Sunday, I’m reminded that God doesn’t need our money—but He wants our hearts. Capital campaigns aren’t about raising funds; they’re about raising faith. They’re not about buildings; they’re about building people.
If you’d like to learn more about what we’re building and why, visit our Overflow Campaign page. There, you can watch our vision and testimony videos, read about the projects, and most importantly, make a commitment to join the campaign.
Our prayer is that this campaign will help leave a generational gospel legacy—lifting up the name of Jesus, multiplying disciples, and planting new churches across the Austin region for decades to come.
So yes, I’m excited. And yes, I’m anxious. But underneath it all, I’m grateful—grateful to be part of what God is doing, grateful for the generosity of His people, and grateful for the privilege of leading through seasons like this.
Because every time I preach on money, I see the same thing happen: God changes hearts. And when hearts change, generosity overflows, faith deepens, and joy abounds.
May it be so again—this Sunday, and every day after.