Opinion: Ministries Need to Be Accountable for Stewardship

Questions need to be asked. "How much of my gift will go directly to the work of the gospel?" "How is the rest of my money being used?."

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - This week's decision that a jet owned by Kenneth Copeland Ministries is subject to property tax has again put a spotlight on the behaviors and spending practices of some 'televangelist' ministries. On December 8, the Tarrant County Texas Appraisal District Review Board denied a protest filed by the ministry and ruled instead that a $3.6 million jet would remain on the tax rolls.

The board reported that Copeland refused to comply with a request for salary disclosure, thus their ruling would stand.

This aircraft is one of five owned by the ministry. The other four are currently off the rolls and include a $20 million jet for global travel.

Last February, WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas aired an investigative report on the ministry that indicated that several ministry trips included layovers of two or more days both coming and going. The description for the stops was "eating and rest."

The broadcaster also uncovered flights to an airport near a ski resort in Colorado and a hunting ranch in Southwest Texas. According to WFAA, concerns about Kenneth Copeland's jet travel came as no surprise to Pete Evans of the Trinity Foundation in Dallas.

The organization has tracked the Copelands' aircraft and more than $20 million in property assets for years and has the following opinion: "It tells everybody that Christianity is about getting stuff, and not about giving your life for the people around you".

While tax-free status is a major concern for such ministries, of greater import ought to be the stewardship of those funds entrusted to them by faithful believers who are often giving out of their lack rather than their abundance.

Questions need to be asked. "How much of my gift will go directly to the work of the gospel?" "How is the rest of my money being used?"

How easy for those who depend on the faithfulness of others to forget the giver in the wake of the gift. This is especially true in the new world of para-church ministry that came into existence in the middle of the twentieth century. Prior to that time ministries were expressions of protestant denominations with rigor in stewardship and reporting.

The advent of independent ministries took Christendom by surprise, particularly with regard to stewardship. Giving was dramatically redistributed and a whole new enterprise came into being, where these autonomous organizations began new marketing strategies to gain a portion of the giving from the faithful.

For many ministries, especially those using the media, the gospel is big business. Some ministries were not prepared to manage the large funds and lost control. Others came into being recognizing that there was a privilege they must be accorded.

To answer the question of stewardship among churches and independent ministries, the Evangelical for Financial Accountability was ounded in 1979. ECFA provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with established standards for financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance. They represent Protestant groups with combined annual revenues of more than $18 billion.

Unfortunately, some groups still do not feel the need for accountability. The Scriptures teach, "To those to whom much is given much more will be required." (Luke 12:48). Would that all such organizations be willing to give an account.

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Randy Sly is a communications specialist and Associate Editor for Catholic Online. A former Archbishop of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, he has served in full-time Christian ministry for over 30 years. He and his wife Sandy came into the full communion of the Catholic Church three years ago.

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