Corporate Christianity

[unworthyservant]

As many here have come to know, I'm not necessarily thrilled with the way that the modern churches deal with financial matters and some have heard my opinion of individuals who amass personal fortunes by "preaching the Gospel" and those who preach the "Prosperity Gospel". Now on another note, what about the modern corporate Christian churches themselves? I'm not referring to the fact that in the US any church who wishes to take advantage of the Tax Exemption laws must register as a 501c non-profit corporation. I'm referring to the fact that Christians give their money to their local church (which is a corporation in it's own right) and then after paying for the church building and it's maintenance as well as pastoral and administrative salaries and costs, most churches now pay fees to yet another corporation (or more) that is the governing body of all churches within that particular denomination. Now I know there are still independent churches that don't subscribe to that model so this is not particularly meant for those, but a growing number of churches are members of a larger organization. These governing bodies not only set theological guidelines and belief systems but also administer insurance and retirement plans for employees of their churches. Just as with any corporation, most of these governing bodies have executives who are paid exorbitant salaries and a massive administrative staff who are all paid from those proceeds. While most don't disclose the executive salaries, earlier this year a commentator on SBC voices stated that incoming president and CEO of the Executive committee, Ronnie Floyd will be making in the neighborhood of $500,000 per year. That's just for presiding over the Executive committee and doesn't include the salaries of the President of the Organization or any corporate officers! Why should we as Christians be concerned at this? Well, it all boils down to the numbers. So, let's do a little comparison. According to most reliable sources the average secular "help for the poor" non-profit uses approximately 75% of it's donations directly for those programs that benefit the underprivileged folks that they serve. In comparison, most sources that I can find put the average churches percentage of donations that go directly to missions and programs that help the poor at about 30%. One organization (with high paid executives and who I won't name so as not to point out one particular denomination) who claims to be regulating financial responsibility among it's members published a recommended budget plan to increase the outside giving to 40%. Isn't it ironic that if they didn't have to spend a portion of their donations on an organization to tell them how to spend their money, they might have already surpassed that number! While, as I have said, there are still independent churches who have not fallen prey to this scourge, it's becoming more and more systemic. The one glaring exception are some mega churches who still fall in that 30% giving bracket but instead of paying exorbitant salaries to outside organizations, simply give all that money to the staff of their own church and not to missions or the poor. Christ never told us to build buildings in which to worship God (there's one Temple and He said He would take care of that one) and never put forth the idea of large organizations to administer anything much less our money . While there's nothing wrong with having a meeting place to worship and a base from which to do God's work, I feel that it's this corporate mentality (and it was present for centuries in the Catholic Church even before there was any such thing as a "corporation") that prompted the building of lavish churches and led to the formation of these large and expensive administration structures. Now it has morphed into the largest corporate structure in the world. Just think how much good could be done if only the churches could run as lean as just the "average" non-profit. It would practically double the amount of church donations that were made available for everything from community outreach to world missions. There don't seem to be any reliable numbers on total church donations (they are so all over the place I hesitate to even give a range) but I'm betting that figure would be life changing for millions if not billions in need.

[ReneeIW]

33 minutes ago, unworthyservant said:

Why should we as Christians be concerned at this

One reason we should be concerned is because the salaries being paid are so high that these positions attract men claiming to be Christians when they are not. Lots of these men  could careless about taking care of the flock. They are in it for the money and power. Eventually they get caught up  in a lot of sin (money and power inevitably brings sin in)and end up creating a cover-up culture to protect the church’s reputation. 

At times, they are worse than secular organizations. Some secular    organizations get rid of their bad people right away, but church organizations hide their bad people as long as they are bringing in the money. And if bad behavior goes public, they condemn the people who “judge” them for whatever sins/crimes they have committed.

Those who are greedy for money run the Christian Church in this country and it’s getting worse.  

Edited September 15, 2019 by ReneeIW

[ayin jade]

3 minutes ago, ReneeIW said:

Money, the root of all evil, runs the Christian Church in this country and it’s getting worse.  

Its the love of money, not money itself, that is the root of all evil, according to the bible. An important distinction.

[ReneeIW]

6 minutes ago, ayin jade said:

Its the love of money, not money itself, that is the root of all evil, according to the bible. An important distinction.

Thanks for catching that misquote. I’ll fix my post. 

Btw, I’ve actually heard people argue that the verse about loving  money is mistranslated because money was not in the Garden of Eden.

[ReneeIW]

25 minutes ago, maryjayne said:

Great point, thanks. Money may not have been there, but greed was. Eve was greedy for something she wanted. The love of money is greed, isnt it.

Not sure greed was there. They were content, but then deceived. They coveted something that did not belong to them after being deceived.

10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

[unworthyservant]

44 minutes ago, ayin jade said:

Its the love of money, not money itself, that is the root of all evil, according to the bible. An important distinction.

And a distinction that Christ NEVER made! Most folks get that notion from Paul when he said "The LOVE of money is the root of all evil". If you look at Paul's statement he never said that one could accumulate it unless he first loved it, he was just pointing out the fact that the "love of money" or "greed" is behind the evil of accumulating it. He never meant to override the teachings of Christ when He said definitively "You cannot serve God and mammon". So, when folks say it's not the money that's evil, it's the love of it, they're right that the love of it is behind the accumulation and the money is simply the fruits of that evil desire for it. "By their fruits you shall know them"! That said, if you simply read Paul's statement in context with what Jesus said, it's apparent that the love of money is the catalyst for the sin of mammon or the accumulation of wealth. That's why Christ said "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." If your heart is with God, your treasure is in Heaven, if your heart is with mammon then then your treasures will be earthly wealth. Paul just said it differently. You could just transpose on the words of Christ (since Paul was teaching on them anyway) to Paul's statement and you could have "where your treasure is, there is where your love is". So, do we love Christ and serve God or do we love mammon and serve ourselves?

[unworthyservant]

12 minutes ago, maryjayne said:

People inherit wealth that they did not have a hand in accumulating. That money is not through any evil desire, is it. 

It was from the evil desire of someone. Whether it's from your own or your ancestors is irrelevant as Christ just told us what to do with it and never mentioned where it came from. He never differentiated whether it was personally accumulated or inherited. I imagine that the "rich young ruler" whom Christ encountered probably inherited some if not the bulk of his wealth (as a ruler in those days usually was from a wealthy family) and Christ didn't differentiate which part of his wealth he should give, He said "all".

[unworthyservant]

1 hour ago, maryjayne said:

The love of money is greed, isnt it.

Yes it is and it's a matter of whether one loves the earthly things that wealth can afford or God. If they love the "mammon" then they'll spend their money on it (those earthly treasures) and if they love God they will spend it doing His will.

[ReneeIW]

19 minutes ago, maryjayne said:

People inherit wealth that they did not have a hand in accumulating. That money is not through any evil desire, is it. 

No it’s not. But it brings temptation into your life. 

Proverbs 30:7-9 King James Version (KJV)

7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

[Kristin]

I wish I had more money and more friends and better things. However; God gives me everything I have. He loves me more than anyone does. He supplies ALL my needs. I am beautiful in His eyes. I am all and all.