August 21, 2007
Watchdogs
‘Big Bucks Ministries’ is the cover story for the July 28th issue of World. The article introduces us to Rusty Leonard, founder of Wall Watchers, an independent watchdog organization that reports on the finances of Christian ministries. Mr. Leonard began Wall Watchers because his requests for financial statements from ministries were not forthcoming. “I realized these ministries had no accountability, and that the donor was completely unrepresented in the transaction that goes on.” I say ‘Amen’ to Leonard’s hope that, “…donors will consider diverting donations to organizations that are more transparent with funds.” While Wall Watchers is concerned with large ministries, there is also a need for watchdogs in the local church. A word of caution however, church authorities often send watchdogs to the doghouse.
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Gail;
-----God’s mercies are displayed by His willingness to allow man a position of responsibility in His holy temple. Our righteousness is not very right, and we too easily tend to confuse our holiness by relationship with our holiness by effort. Since we are forgiven we wink at our own bad habits. Since we are worshiping (tithing, teaching, preaching, being an elder -- fill in the blank) we are doing righteousness.
-----We hold the Bible in our hands and know where it came from. We read it in the language in which we have grown up, and we put on airs about our ability to apply its spiritual insight. We understand the gravity of the situation in this life. Yet we dodge the depths of Micah 6:8. “He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (RSV)
-----Justice is bound to accountability. This fact is recognized through humility. It is not a kind heart that thinks just because the mite has clattered against the bottom of the coffer all hopes and intentions of the giver are severed from it. The servant who refuses his reporting obligation in the church is very effectively communicating that the fellowship and ministry of the church are his by control. He is overtaking the headship of the church rather than overseeing the church for the Head.
-----Of course, he excuses this position by the logic that Christ is still the head of the church and has given him a vision for the church. If he is correct, if the Lord has given him a vision, why is it so important to hide it from the light of full financial reporting? Has God also given him a basket to cover that light?
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