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Christianity Today, July, 2008 |

Overturning the Money Tables

Rusty Leonard is a financial manager who wants to change how you give and invest.

Rob Moll | posted 7/11/2008 09:28AM

Rusty Leonard may be the only evangelical figure loved by the secular press and scorned by his Christian peers. When MinistryWatch, the nonprofit he started, reported on financial problems at Joyce Meyer ...

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Geof	Posted: July 16, 2008 11:38 PM

As a field worker in Cambodia, I am equally distressed and frustrated at how large ministeries use their money and power in poor countries. There need to be more voices rising up and challenging mega ministeries to keep them honest and effective in all aspects of their ministeries. Just because God has blessed and grown a ministry does not mean that all of their decisions are right and that they are above reproach.

wesh	Posted: July 14, 2008 5:49 PM

I am totally supportive of what Leonard is trying to do. I am what my fosterson discribes as "the Tax Guy" so I get an inside glimps of what many non profits do. While there are many wonderful organization out there, pride, power and financial self interest are cornerstones of too many "charitable' organizations. A couple months ago, the Wall Street Journal had a front page article on non profit hospitals. To say that it made me emotionally distraught is an understatement. Robes of charity adorn many demons of greed. It's not what we say, but what we do that defines what we really are.

suzanne

Posted: July 14, 2008 10:53 AM

Mr. Leonard thank you for your invaluable work and God bless you for taking on a challenging arena. I was dissappointed that so may Christians were critical of Grassley's efforts to expose irresponsible ministries. I applaud you both. In my area a church's financial abuses with the family living in high style and funneling money to family members was front page news for several weeks. It broke my heart to know many non-believers would be influenced by this scandal which is a disgrace to the name of Christ. I was also shocked that the majority of the church members were in denial and continued to support the pastor. I have found it to be a stumbling block in witnessing to family members, they think Christians are no different, or even worse than the usual scoundrels that manipulate and take advantage of people. I will happily use the resources this article has provided. Thanks

L. Medlyn

Posted: July 12, 2008 9:17 AM

It is a very informative and enlightening article. I have always wanted to invest in non-profits who are doing an excellent job of using the donations they receive. I use the service that rates charities but never thought about rating religious organizations, except for the heads of them who live in huge mansions, drive fancy cars, whose wives wear furs, etc. I also agree with the group that said to vote against the people who abuse their donations. I never dreamed as I am sure other people haven't that a religious organization would divert their hard-earned money to questionable uses. This is an eye-opener. Now if people would vote against laws, or lack of laws, which are "immoral but not illegal."

Gary Taylor

Posted: July 12, 2008 2:17 AM

Attaboy, Rusty. I retired from the Navy, founded a ministry, and launched a couple of businesses. Ministries and non-profits rank second of the three for transparency, accountability, and receiving value for money spent. They should be first. Too bad you can't work on the third place folks; five years in the Pentagon convinces me you'd better work on the two and let voters try to work on tax buck values.

Paul in TX

Posted: July 11, 2008 5:39 PM

The idea of Christians investing according to their beliefs sounds reasonable, but in actual practice it becomes a hard sell. My own experience as a product wholesaler that sold to Christian investment advisors provides me with all the proof I need to back up that statement. Nearly ten years ago, I was a regional wholesaler for an insurance company that offered a family of variable annuites. I was instrumental in having our company add Timothy Plan to our subaccount offerings (mutual fund like accounts). Once we did, the indifference I saw from the Christian advisors I called on was astounding. Timothy Plan at the time was invested in out of favor small and mid cap value stocks. Despite calling on experienced investment pro's that understood market cycles and held themselves out as Christian advisors, they consistently rejected Timothy Plan, instead choosing better performing funds that stood against their clients principles. It was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life.

Wendell Franklin Wentz

Posted: July 11, 2008 2:59 PM

The good life and the good way of saving is to move to the country, throw away your paper, blow up the TV, and eat a lot of peaches according to the world famed philosopher John Prine. I agree with him. Stay out of stores, raise a garden, walk wherever you go, and spend your time at home with the young 'uns. Save your money, pay yourself first, and stay away from con men who want to invest your money. They keep part of it. Those guys are out there to make the big bucks for themselves, therefore I say unto thee, "Save." Even the church sings about Jesus saves. We should save, also. -Wendell Franklin Wentz

Roy Abraham

Posted: July 11, 2008 2:50 PM


Mr. Leaonard, I commend you for the outstanding work you are doing. Accountabality is something that the church world has overlooked. As for investing the resources attached with Kingdom based businesses, it's time the secular world recognized the power Christians possess. Once again, may God himself be able to raise up more people like you. God bless.

kwonbbl

Posted: July 11, 2008 2:40 PM

Christians live in the world. That means, all its social-cultural-economic-political system. Since we are not of the world, there are much of things we should not be riding on it. As long as the church or its system is tax-exempt all are serving the god of money, not the true God, despite their lip services and showmanship on TV church channels. Giving what is due Caesar has a big advantage - fiscal accountability and responsibility of those professing Christian ministries, organizations, business, not only to their God but also to the Christ-believers and the world. Why can't we kick out all those whose main goal is pride, power, purse, getting rich by selling God by the name of God from our believers' community. Unless our life and ministry is copying the suffering of the Messiah who we are supposed to follow, nothing would be worthy and salvaged out of people's programs, practices, or piety, in the name religion, churches, even Christianity itself.

Nelcean Duncan

Posted: July 11, 2008 2:14 PM


My hat is off to you and a hearty thanks. I, for one, want to know whether my money is actually going to support God's Kingdom or Satan's because there are only two.

michael

Posted: July 11, 2008 1:54 PM


My goodness, asking ministries to be...accountable. What if this kind of nonsense spreads to the church in general? What if the local church were expected to be able to justify its expenditures in light of scripture? Chaos.

Kurt D

Posted: July 11, 2008 1:26 PM


Mr Leonard: Keep up the great work with MinistryWatch. It's an excellent tool for Christians looking to be good stewards with their donations!

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