Many of us know that there really is no such thing as a non or not-for-profit organization, including the ones that tout being dedicated to outreach and charity. And because of the non or not-for-profit status, many churches across America tag themselves as indeed charities in the similar likes of groups such as UNICEF and Child Fund. Yet when it comes to your American Red Crosses and your typical church, there is one glaring difference - the allocation of funds.
Take an organization such as World Vision, a 60 year-old Evangelical Christian organization who's mission is to fight poverty and injustice world-wide through humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy. Their 2012 annual report showed they spent 85% on the actual programs that help global communities, while spending only 5% for management and its related services. However, not the same can be said for hundreds of churches (various denominations) who volunteered their data for the 2013 ministry report from the Evangelical Christian Credit Union, a banking resource for growing ministries across the U.S. In that report, regardless of size, 58% for total personnel expenses (36% to the senior pastor) was spent. Meanwhile, the programs that the church would be believed to be operating; the youth, substance abuse, benevolence programs...get 14% of the revenue. Is this the fiscal design for the global spread of Christianity that Jesus had in mind? (Note: I looked at 3 "mega" churches in the Central Virginia area to verify these statistics with their annual reports. None of them had their reports available on their websites).
In a Kingdom where there is no lack, I hardly think so. But I do believe Jesus knew this trend of deliberate financial mismangement would develop when he reiterated what was written in Jeremiah 7, saying "it is written...this is a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers" (Matthew 21:13). All of this had me asking two questions. One, should everyone who works in a church - not just the secretaries, but the choir members, the ushers, the youth pastors, and so on - get paid? And two, should certain resources - such as the food and the senior pastors' recorded messages - be free?
Being that the church building has utility payments to make at the least, there probably needs to be some type of steady revenue, and unfortunately, tithes and offerings can be somewhat unstable. So no charge on the food and media materials is unlikely. Even though the early church thrived completely on the Holy Spirit and a bartering system (Acts 2:46). Besides, those 1st century churches met at the already-paid-for-electricity-free temple. And then there's the whole 'one accord' thing that just isn't the same nowadays. Still, in terms of ministry workers being compensated something, the ECCU report clearly shows the money is there right now to pay everyone. Just spread out the senior pastors' cut a little. No one getting rich; maybe just a $13,000 a year type thing as a respect for the service. And then we got David paying a citizen $396,000 to use his place for a sacrifice service (1 Chronicles 21:24-25). We even see Jesus paying one of his disciples' taxes without request (Matthew 17:24-27). So with all of this scriptural support of this, why can't it happen? Why do senior pastors get so much of the revenue? Why isn't more money allocated for the programs? Shouldn't this be more of a general topic for discussion?
Who knows. Maybe it's because a church's administration believes its duty is to portray live examples of
prosperity. Or it could be that senior pastors spend their efforts attempting to emulate the wealth and luxury of King David or King Solomon, instead of looking to better, more relevant role models to imitate...like Paul, who expressed his joy that many received Christ from his preaching while he worked a real job to pay for his own keep. Or maybe it's just the preferred business model. One thing I do know, when I reviewed all of the reporting made available to me I couldn't help but think how effective the American church would be if the American church didn't work so much like...America.
Peace
In a Kingdom where there is no lack, I hardly think so. But I do believe Jesus knew this trend of deliberate financial mismangement would develop when he reiterated what was written in Jeremiah 7, saying "it is written...this is a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers" (Matthew 21:13). All of this had me asking two questions. One, should everyone who works in a church - not just the secretaries, but the choir members, the ushers, the youth pastors, and so on - get paid? And two, should certain resources - such as the food and the senior pastors' recorded messages - be free?
Being that the church building has utility payments to make at the least, there probably needs to be some type of steady revenue, and unfortunately, tithes and offerings can be somewhat unstable. So no charge on the food and media materials is unlikely. Even though the early church thrived completely on the Holy Spirit and a bartering system (Acts 2:46). Besides, those 1st century churches met at the already-paid-for-electricity-free temple. And then there's the whole 'one accord' thing that just isn't the same nowadays. Still, in terms of ministry workers being compensated something, the ECCU report clearly shows the money is there right now to pay everyone. Just spread out the senior pastors' cut a little. No one getting rich; maybe just a $13,000 a year type thing as a respect for the service. And then we got David paying a citizen $396,000 to use his place for a sacrifice service (1 Chronicles 21:24-25). We even see Jesus paying one of his disciples' taxes without request (Matthew 17:24-27). So with all of this scriptural support of this, why can't it happen? Why do senior pastors get so much of the revenue? Why isn't more money allocated for the programs? Shouldn't this be more of a general topic for discussion?
Who knows. Maybe it's because a church's administration believes its duty is to portray live examples of
prosperity. Or it could be that senior pastors spend their efforts attempting to emulate the wealth and luxury of King David or King Solomon, instead of looking to better, more relevant role models to imitate...like Paul, who expressed his joy that many received Christ from his preaching while he worked a real job to pay for his own keep. Or maybe it's just the preferred business model. One thing I do know, when I reviewed all of the reporting made available to me I couldn't help but think how effective the American church would be if the American church didn't work so much like...America.
Peace
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