How To Engage High Capacity Individuals – Zach Terry

Pastor Zach Terry

August 20, 2026

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Summary

How can churches effectively disciple and engage high-capacity individuals without showing favoritism or treating people simply as financial resources?

In this session, Pastor Zach Terry shares biblical and practical principles for ministering to high-capacity individuals and helping them use everything God has entrusted to them for Kingdom purposes.

Beginning with the story of Job, Pastor Zach looks at the role successful and influential people have played throughout Scripture and challenges church leaders to see them as people who need to be pastored, discipled, challenged, and given opportunities to serve—just like everyone else.

Drawing from ministry experience in Kentucky, Alabama, and North Florida, he shares practical lessons for cultivating generosity, casting compelling vision, and engaging people beyond their financial resources.

Key topics include:

Viewing high-capacity individuals missionally
Avoiding favoritism while intentionally discipling people at every financial level
Understanding the unique spiritual challenges that can accompany wealth
Challenging generous people with meaningful Kingdom opportunities
The three “pockets” of giving: percentage, affinity, and spontaneous giving
Engaging people through LIFE: Labor, Influence, Finances, and Expertise
Why compelling vision matters when asking people to give
How generosity and faithful stewardship can fuel ministry

Pastor Zach also shares how these principles helped his church address $12 million in debt and become completely debt-free within three years, while continuing to grow and expand its ministry.

The big takeaway: God has entrusted resources to His people for His purposes. Our responsibility as church leaders is to faithfully disciple people, cast a God-sized vision, and trust Him to provide what is needed to accomplish the mission.

Key Takeaways

High-capacity individuals need discipleship, not just fundraising.

Pastor Zach’s central point is that successful, influential, or financially capable people should be viewed first as people God has entrusted to the church to pastor and disciple—not simply as potential donors.
God can use a person’s entire “LIFE” for Kingdom impact.

One of the strongest frameworks from the talk is LIFE: Labor, Influence, Finances, and Expertise. Churches should help people recognize that their contribution to God’s mission extends far beyond writing a check.
Generosity takes different forms and needs compelling opportunities.

People may give through regular percentage-based giving, toward causes they have a particular affinity for, or spontaneously when presented with a meaningful need. Leaders should clearly communicate vision and give people opportunities to participate in something significant.
Relationships should come before resources.

High-capacity individuals can quickly recognize when a relationship is primarily about their money. Pastors should build authentic relationships, understand their unique challenges, and care about their spiritual growth regardless of what they can contribute financially.
Cast a God-sized vision and trust God with the resources.

Church leaders shouldn’t allow financial limitations to automatically limit vision. Pastor Zach’s examples—including his church addressing $12 million in debt and becoming debt-free within three years—illustrate what can happen when leaders communicate a compelling vision, invite people into it, and faithfully steward what God provides.