Crowdfunding Experiment a Success

The Christian Reformed Church’s experiment with crowdfunding to raise support for a large print edition of the Lift Up Your Hearts hymnal, as well as to publish newly revised God Loves Me storybooks, has proved successful.

To date, the CRC has received the 200 orders it needed to make sure that it could publish large-print editions of the hymnal, and has raised nearly $32,000 toward the storybooks.

Having raised that amount of money means that they have enough support to move forward with the revised God Loves Me storybooks, says Tim Postuma, web manager of the CRC.

Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project by raising contributions from a large number of people typically through  the internet.
The CRC’s Worship Ministries opened the large print hymnal campaign, while Discipleship and Faith Formation Ministries is behind the God Loves Me storybooks crowdfunding effort.

“It was great to see churches and individuals participating in these publishing decisions and spreading the word,” says Postuma.

“We had nearly 1,000 shares on Facebook and Twitter. Crowdfunding let's people participate in the process and, when they do, they often invite others to join them.”

The normal process of publishing, especially hardcover books like the hymnal and books with colorful illustrations such as the God Loves Me storybooks, is expensive, says Potuma.

Crowdfunding helps to take the guesswork out of the process.

By pre-purchasing, people say two things: First, that the product is wanted. Second, how many the CRC should print.

“Eliminating some of the guesswork let's us be more stewardly. And, in turn, offer the resources at a special, pre-launch prices,” says Postuma.

In a sense, he says, denominational resources have always been “crowdfunded” in that churches came together to ensure hymnals, curriculum, and other resources could be published.

“But after a while we forget about the barn-raising aspect to it, and denominational publishing starts feeling like any other consumer-supplier relationship,” he says.

“Crowdfunding brings us full-circle, and reminds us all that we're doing this together, that we need each other, and lets churches and church members help decide what projects happen and what projects don't.”

Especially gratifying, he says, was to see some people make a donation to support the God Loves Me project.

“These are people who really believe in nurturing the faith of pre-schoolers.”

Karen DeBoer, creative resource and curriculum director with the Discipleship and Faith Formation Ministries, says she was pleased to see how the crowdfunding campaign spread “via social media beyond the CRCNA to other denominations and believers who love the books and care about faith nurture.”

The plan is to update the images in the 52 storybooks, first published 16 years ago by Faith Alive Christian Resources,
making them more relevant and accessible, says DeBoer.

The 52  storybooks have long provided families and churches "with a wonderful way to nurture faith while establishing devotional habits of Bible reading and prayer" for children 2-3, says DeBoer.

Although the projects are a “go,” says Postuma, there's still a little bit of time for people to pre-order copies at the discounted prices.

‘We'll keep them open until we need to give final quantities to the printer,’ he says. To reserve copies, visit the crowdfunding page.

The storybooks  as well as the large-print hymnal will carry the Faith Alive imprint.