apology
There are few things more frustrating than being foolish and needing to apologize. But that is where I find myself. I am sorry for the language I employed to bring attention to the post entitled, “Skimming Work Funds.” I apologize to anyone I offended, and most of all am sorry for confusing the issue further. The language I chose was inflammatory, and that was wrong on my part.
The worse part of it all is that the inflammatory language I used prevented about 98% of the folks who read this particular post, from working through the material contained in the post, or even dealing with it in a rational manner. Yet, that is certainly no defense.
But I am not sorry for having raised the issue. I was not referring to, nor complaining about Salary reductions (which are not salaries at all, but rather allowances). Instead the point of the entire post was the 15% administrative fee imposed on Mission-Field Approved Specials and Missionary Work Specials (Car funds and Outfit funds excepted). My points were as follows:
1. The Great Commission Fund (GCF) is in trouble; income is falling short. (Though, through the amazing generosity of some people, we have been bailed out of this current urgent situation!)
2. Giving to missionary projects and work funds are soaring (according to what one Board member told me).
3. Number two did not cause number one, but is rather a result of how number one is funded and disbursed in my opinion.
4. Re-appropriating money that givers intended for one thing, to something else (anything else!) needs to be questioned, even when you have a legal right to do so.
5. The reason for the rise in Work and Approved Specials (in my opinion) is that less and less money from the GCF is actually going overseas (I am referring to a less percentage of money, not an actual dollar amount) and this decrease is being address by other donors in the form of Approved Specials and Work Specials.
6. To keep us out of this quagmire, I suggested a two-fund system where we raise missions dollars that go to overseas missions, and that we raise North American dollars that fund North American ministries.
Again I am sorry for the language I chose to use and for the pain that I may have caused any individual or group. Unfortunately I will probably make more mistakes in the future. But this is a critical issue for us as Bolman and Deal say in their book Reframing Organizations “Organizational ethics must ultimately be rooted in soul - an organization’s understanding of its deeply held identity, beliefs and values.” God has more than enough resources to accomplish all His tasks for today, and His mercies are there fresh and new each day.
The worse part of it all is that the inflammatory language I used prevented about 98% of the folks who read this particular post, from working through the material contained in the post, or even dealing with it in a rational manner. Yet, that is certainly no defense.
But I am not sorry for having raised the issue. I was not referring to, nor complaining about Salary reductions (which are not salaries at all, but rather allowances). Instead the point of the entire post was the 15% administrative fee imposed on Mission-Field Approved Specials and Missionary Work Specials (Car funds and Outfit funds excepted). My points were as follows:
1. The Great Commission Fund (GCF) is in trouble; income is falling short. (Though, through the amazing generosity of some people, we have been bailed out of this current urgent situation!)
2. Giving to missionary projects and work funds are soaring (according to what one Board member told me).
3. Number two did not cause number one, but is rather a result of how number one is funded and disbursed in my opinion.
4. Re-appropriating money that givers intended for one thing, to something else (anything else!) needs to be questioned, even when you have a legal right to do so.
5. The reason for the rise in Work and Approved Specials (in my opinion) is that less and less money from the GCF is actually going overseas (I am referring to a less percentage of money, not an actual dollar amount) and this decrease is being address by other donors in the form of Approved Specials and Work Specials.
6. To keep us out of this quagmire, I suggested a two-fund system where we raise missions dollars that go to overseas missions, and that we raise North American dollars that fund North American ministries.
Again I am sorry for the language I chose to use and for the pain that I may have caused any individual or group. Unfortunately I will probably make more mistakes in the future. But this is a critical issue for us as Bolman and Deal say in their book Reframing Organizations “Organizational ethics must ultimately be rooted in soul - an organization’s understanding of its deeply held identity, beliefs and values.” God has more than enough resources to accomplish all His tasks for today, and His mercies are there fresh and new each day.