Conversations: Paula White, Endowments and Elevation Church
EDITOR’S NOTE: From time to time we will publish letters and emails we get from readers, sometimes with a response, sometimes without comment. If you would like to share your thoughts about any of our stories or podcasts, please email us: [email protected]
Prosperity preachers ‘fleece the flock with false promises’
Regarding the article “Paula White’s Passover Promises,” your ministry is correct to call out these prosperity preachers. As far as I’m concerned, they fleece the flock with false promises.
It is both sickening and alarming to see, hear and read so-called ministers of God encouraging Christians to “sow seed,” especially when they imply some kind of promises of God’s blessing. This makes our stewardship and “cheerful” giving into a transactional practice based on some kind of “quid quo pro” analysis that is not at all biblical.
It is a disgusting perversion of God’s truth, and even the “world” recognizes the self-serving nature of the teaching so that God’s name is blasphemed.
In my judgment, it would improve your service to the donating Christian community if you had a warning for every entity included in your database that practices this method of fundraising. Every such ministry should receive your “do not give” label!
Donald F. Davis, via email
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A caution on endowments for Christian ministries
Thank you for your ministry. I especially liked the article today on endowments. Two men I respected highly — one is a local Midwesterner and the other is one of the Hebrews 11 saints of the 20th century — had this to say on the subject:
He [Seth Wilson] said, “The larger the endowment, the more danger of departure. So here’s my truism, which is more or less true all the time but can be resisted to some extent, that the permanent funds will guarantee the security of the institution, but the only thing it will really guarantee is its departure from dependence upon faith. It will guarantee that the school will continue to exist after it is a failure.” — Lynn Gardner (p.67 of “Brother Wilson”)
The school operated on faith and prayer. When a friend offered to endow the school, [Oswald] Chambers refused the offer saying, “No, if you do that it will probably go on longer than God means it to.” — Warren Wiersbe (p.321 of “50 People Every Christian Should Know”)
Bob Conard, via email
Thanks for the endowment article
Brother Smith, I could not agree with you more on the subject of endowments. Thanks for the article.
Galen Hackman, via email
Elevation Church’s personnel expenses are low
You asked for feedback at the end of this article, but this is so misleading. I do not attend their church, watch his sermons, nor am I in the same denomination or affiliation of churches.
Almost every church in the country has its personnel expenses as its largest budget line, and Elevation Church’s are only listed at 35%, which is incredible. At our church, we are closer to 47%. I would love to get to 35%.
In this article you should include the national average of where churches are and what the recommendation for churches should be. Many great church consulting groups recommend 45-55% on staffing.
You may differ, but express that. Don’t leave it out there for people to speculate and think negatively about a church.
Bobby Nemeth, via email
