finkNews
Confirmation Pricing: Urban Legends vs. Hard Facts
by Brad Lynch
Friday, August 26, 2005
An urban legend is spreading around the confirmation universe that Faith Inkubators’ Head To The Heart confirmation system costs significantly more than Augsburg Fortress’ new program. This is so far from the truth that we simply cannot in good conscience let it pass.
The Facts
* The renewal price for the Head To The Heart system is about HALF the cost of the Augsburg Fortress product.
* The cost to become a new member of Head to the Heart is about the same as – if not less than – Augsburg Fortress.
How can we make this claim when the Augsburg Fortress prices look so much lower?
Head To The Heart’s system cost is all-inclusive; Augsburg Fortress leaves a critical portion of its system – The Lutheran Handbook ($14.99 plus S&H) – to be purchased separately as an “add-on”. Actual presentation attendees tell us that Augsburg Fortress’s sales reps consistently refer to The Lutheran Handbook as “the textbook” for their confirmation product. They strongly recommend buying this book for all of confirmation youth and volunteers or you won’t get maximum benefit out of the program.
Real Price
To determine what the real price of the Augsburg Fortress product is, try running your congregation’s “numbers” through the following:
1) START with the total number of program participants (at the very least, the number of youth and small group leaders in your confirmation program)
2) SUBTRACT the number of copies of The Lutheran Handbook that come free with your Augsburg Fortress membership
3) MULTIPLY this number by $14.99 (the per copy cost of The Lutheran Handbook that you still need to purchase for your confirmation program)
4) ADD this total to the limited-time, introductory membership rate for your congregation’s particular Average Weekly Worship Attendance (AWWA)
5) EQUALS: YOUR CONGREGATION’S TOTAL MEMBERSHIP COST
6) NOW COMPARE TO HEAD TO THE HEART:
What did you find?
For all but the very smallest of congregations (AWWA<50), you likely found that once the cost of The Lutheran Handbook “textbook” was included:
* Renewing Head to the Heart Members – The Head To The Heart system was actually about HALF the cost of Augsburg Fortress’ product.
* Non-Head to the Heart Members – The Head To The Heart system cost about the same as – if not less than – Augsburg Fortress’ Here We Stand.
At the risk of sounding like a late-night infomercial…
But wait! There’s more!
Head To The Heart gives you everything you need to put together an effective and Scripture-based confirmation program, and we give it to right you when you become a member or renew your membership. Compare this with Augsburg Fortress, which made 1/3 of their material available on July 18, promises 1/3 more on January 4, 2006 and 1/3 more on May 31, 2006. We question exactly how much it helps one’s 2005-06 confirmation program to be receiving new material on May 31, 2006, and so should you.
To be part of Faith Inkubator’s Head to the Heart system, remember:
* Non-Member: SAME PRICE
* Renewing Member: HALF AS MUCH…AND YOU GET MORE…AND YOU GET IT NOW!
Partners vs. Publishers
A dozen years and 1,000 church visits ago when we started out on the road to learn what we could about the needs of the church, confirmation was dead. Kids hated it. Parents hated it. Pastors hated it. Today, in those congregations who have embraced the system we designed, confirmation is often one of the most vibrant ministries of the church.
We’re a partner, not a publisher. We invented the system, and intend to keep improving it with the help of our thousands of partners across the church for the benefit of the church.
And now, you know why for most churches, we’re also less expensive.
Brad Lynch is Faith Inkubators' Chief Executive Officer. If you have any questions or comments, please drop him an e-mail message at blynch@faithink.com.
Filed Under Head to the Heart