MONEY:  BLESSING OR CURSE?

     China is a very interesting case study in missions.  Having virtually no contact with the outside world for more than 30 years, and under some of the most oppressive circumstances imaginable, the church experienced a revival that has astonished the rest of the Christian world.  How did it happen?

     Certainly many factors were responsible, but the most prominent was that growth occurred mostly among groups which were highly indigenous; i.e. that were not dependent upon outside institutions.  These groups had the mentality of looking to God as their Provider, and they proved Him faithful.  They were not raised thinking their leaders were professional clergy who were paid by rich foreigners.  From the beginning, they believed that all believers have access to God and should serve Him.  When these churches began to support their leaders to serve full-time, they did so gladly and sacrificially because their ministries were proven and benefited the whole church.  In contrast, believers whose leaders were supported by foreign funds in most cases never made the transition to supporting their own full-time workers.  When foreign funds dried up they did not have the faith to take on this challenge.  This is a violation of the principle of Galations 6:6,  “Let him who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches”, where the word “share” is also interpreted “contribute” and definitely implies finances.

     This is not just a China story.  Western missionary efforts in Africa which payed the salaries of national church workers showed encouraging results initially but soon became stagnant.  But those missions that insisted the national church support its own workers laid a solid Biblical foundation.  In the long run, these are the churches which have prospered, growing steadily throughout the years.  This is not surprisingly, since the seed was good.  But seed that produces dependency and reliance upon foreign funds is corrupt.  Unless God intervenes, the results cannot be good.

     Many church leaders with whom we have been in contact over the years have also had this same revelation.  One said plainly, “What we need are your prayers, not your money!”  While this view is extreme, he has is a witness that money can corrupt.  Perhaps he knew of a foreign pastor that came and promised salaries to eager workers whose ministries were not yet proven.  Maybe he saw how some of the workers spent the money on business ventures.  Maybe he saw how this created jealousy and competition.  Or maybe he just saw how others, who were previously eager to enter the ministry, would not do so because they “did not have the money”.  Perhaps he saw how foreign money was used to control people, even though such was not the original intention.  Maybe he saw the same pastor getting support from four different foreign groups, each ignorant of the others’ well-intentioned gifts.  What if this pastor did not have the character to admit that he was already being supported?  What if some people found out and decided to enter the ministry because they could get rich?  All this has happened, and more!

     It is important for us to understand there is a better way. The largest mission agency in India has more than 1,000 missionaries who are supported by some of the world’s poorest people.  In order to qualify as a worker with this missions fellowship, one must agree not to accept any money from abroad.  Instead, they rely upon the more than 30,000 intercessors who partner with the sent missionaries and who pray all night once a week and give 20% of their income to the cause of evangelizing the unreached. 

     We are not suggesting that there should be no support or sharing of resources.  This is a part of the networking and cooperation which should characterize the church in these last days.  Churches helping churches from other countries or cultures was also practiced in Scripture.  Paul eagerly sought help from the churches he had planted for the churches in Judea which were suffering through a famine.  But such help did not make the churches of Judea dependent upon their benefactors.  There is a significant difference.  Target also assists churches with whom we have had long-term ministry partnerships.  Our assistance is a supplement to the funds they raise through tithes, and we have worked with them to form committees which hold leaders accountable for the way funds are used.  If we support native evangelists to go to unreached people, the work must be sustained either through offerings from the mother church or from believers of the newly planted church.  While we support their top levels of leadership training, they meet the needs of the subsequent levels.  Except for the committee, no one knows that assistance has been given.  We teach these principles and are working on a book to reinforce them. 

     Recently, one of the key leaders with whom we have been working for ten years asked to meet us for breakfast.  God had given him a business, and he has used his business to support several church workers.  The business was prospering, so he said he would not be requesting any funds from the church committee.  In fact, he envisioned being able to sow back into the ministry.  In the end, he paid the bill.  It was so satisfying to know that the good seed we planted would continue to bear fruit, with or without us, until Jesus comes. 

     Money in missions can either be a blessing or a curse, a help or a hindrance.  We must be careful that we are not motivated by quick results, control, or even good intentions as we give.  The bottom line is that we need to be Biblical, loving, and responsible.  Target is committed to finding that balance in order that we might fan the flame of revival which is taking place in the field of our calling.  May God continue to illumine and guide us that together we will witness the blessing of Abraham come to each people group, according to His promise (Gen. 12:3).

  This article appeared in out Dec 1999 newsletter.  If you are interested to be on our mailing list, please write in to us.

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