Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous

Recent events in the papers has highlighted the misdeeds of a number of charities in Singapore. This has led the government to announce an audit of some of the biggest charities in Singapore. Among those are a number of christian organisations and churches.

Just last week, Ren Ci Hospital and its CEO was found to have questionable practises and are now under probe.

Our newspaper highlighted that one senator in the US is pushing for an audit into some of the mega churches in the US. A member of the Senate Finance Committee, he wants to know how churches are allocating their funds and whether tax breaks given to charities are being abused and exploited. Among the few highlighted were names we have come to know - Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, Richard Roberts (ORU).

We seems to see a pattern here. Where charities become successful and their coffers are overflowing, there is a tendency for the organisation to over indulge in material comfort which does little, if not at all to the purpose in which the donating public, or members are contributing for.

It was reported during the NKF fiasco, that for every dollar donated, only 10 cts goes to help the patient it was intended to help. It will be interesting to see how the money of each of these charities are spent, although I believe that these charities will no doubt be found to be sound and adequately managed. It is the exuberant spending that we need to be careful of.

We hear of money being spent to buy executive jets, expensive cars, designer toilets, complete with gold plated taps, etc. I pray that the donations given will not be found to be used for feeding the lifestyles of the leaders and their families. If not for whistle blowers, some of them will never be found out.

As christian leaders, our lives must be an "open book" and the organisation we lead must be able to stand up to the scrutiny of the discerning public.

When you look at the lifestyles of some of these preachers in the US, you cannot help but have questions. I think they are also asking to be questioned. I remember going to US for business trips and always tuned in into Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn programmes. However I get uncomfortable when I see them solicit for donations, especially when Benny showed a beautiful picture of a jet and tells you how much they could do for the ministry if they are blessed with one.

There is nothing wrong in having money and living well. But by being ministers of the Gospel, I would think that how they appears would be more important to them, so that they can deliver their message without any question of their integrity. I like how Rick Warren has handled his success with his "purpose driven" series making it a part of the ministry and its funding rather than taking the money and buying a big place.

The Scriptures give us a principle on financial accountability that is expected of anyone who handles money which people have given to the Lord's work. When Paul sent Titus on a fund raising tour for needy saints, he also sent along an unnamed brother, to help with the accounting, as Paul said, "taking precaution that no one should discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; for we have regard for what is honourable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men" ( 2 Cor 8:20-21 ). It wasn't enough to be right with God. It also had to look right to the public.

Just like the widow in the Bible who gave her "two mites" into the temple donation box, many Christians are giving their portions faithfully to the Lord's work. Don't let the work be held back because we choose to decorate our brick and mortar building or ourselves instead.