Senator Grassley and the "Six Ministry Controvesy": Voluntary ECFA and Charity Navigator Oversight Needed
Posted: Tuesday, July 22, 2008
by Jean Purcell
OpineBooks.com
I have searched the website of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and do not find there any of the six ministries that Senator Charles Grassley investigated for financial accountability.
Internet searches have shown that two of the six have sent to the senator, in writing, satisfactory responses to his request. Another of the six has given oral assurances of cooperation. For those three responsive ministry organizations, the status may be close to "case closed."
People more able to know the whole story may not be saying much. The Iowa group that was not happy has the senator right in their back yard or they know the way to his office in Washington. They could sit down and have a friendly conversation and get his point of view on the matter.
Did they do that? I do not know. The record is hazy on this. There is always more than appears in the open. Maybe more sit-downs are called for, yet the senator does have a right to disagree, ongoing.
The fact that the senator will not be part of his state's official delegation, regardless of his office's statement that he does not wish to be, is a bit troubling. If the senator were in the delegation, he would be a captive audience to the GOP leadership concerned about his investigation or threat thereof. And, they would be a captive audience for his views.
The group and the senator may have missed a golden opportunity.
Lyndon Johnson made popular a scriptural phrase when he was President of the United States. He often said, "Come now, and let us reason together." Straight from the Bible. Straight from God to His people. Should the Iowa people be any less amenable to coming together and reasoning together?
This is what continues to get to many observers about activism that deteriorates into the habit of confrontation. It starts to appear that those involved begin to enjoy it. It seems to work like a a drug that nothing else can satisfy. I hope that what is going on is not the old "I win, you lose" attitude.
The ECFA, mentioned earlier, is to be recommended to every Christian organization with official non-profit status for tax purposes. Being a non-profit means that an organization says that it deserves to take your money and mine for its good purposes. Under the law, it can apply and, if approved, go forth.
A charter member of the ECFA is Prison Fellowship. Search "ECFA" if you like, and check out other organizations and ministries.
Here is what the ECFA, which could help the six ministries apply for membership, is:
...an accreditation agency dedicated to helping Christian ministries earn the public's trust through adherence to seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship. Founded in 1979, ECFA provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with established standards for financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance. Members include Christian ministries, denominations, churches, educational institutions and other tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. Collectively, these organizations represent more than $18 billion in annual revenue.
ECFA's Standards of Responsible Stewardship focus on board governance, financial transparency, integrity in fund-raising, and proper use of charity resources.
ECFA's Standards of Responsible Stewardship focus on board governance, financial transparency, integrity in fund-raising, and proper use of charity resources.
If you want another look at charitable or non-profit groups, go to CharityNavigator.org and see the ratings of many charities that operate around the world. Charity Navigator (CN) does not rate organizations or ministries exempt from Form 990 filings, which include information by which to assess a charity's "financial health," according to CN's web site. However, they do rate many well known and little known charities. They provide financial information, including the percentages of budgets spent on salaries, overhead, and programs.
The six ministries---and other non-profit organizations open to scrutiny by the IRS and Congress---would do well to come under the ECFA umbrella. Membership in good standing could provide a hedge against suspicions in the future.
If the six ministries have already begun the ECFA membership application process, good for them. Bookkeeping and other membership requirements could seem tedious, yet would surely be worth the effort and time.
Organization and ministry good names are priceless. Voluntary oversight agreement, by organizations like ECFA is needed. Regular review of eligible non-profits by reputable charity watchers is also needed.
It is good for Christian organizations to prove willingness to go many extra miles to show the reliability, honesty, and the transparency of their financial operations.
If being part of oversight groups would be a requirement of success in non-profit work, there would be no better way to go, as far as financial credibility is concerned.
This is a time for responsibility and dialog between all concerned parties. It could get loud, but at least it will be discourse between the main groups or individuals involved. Is that not much better than the potentially destructive alternatives?
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Because of Grassley's investigation, these 6 organizations have come under media scrutiny. Copeland is one that is fighting the hardest because he realizes how the wrong decision could affect all of us, not just churches. Grassley made some serious errors in his handling of this situation, and he needs to admit that and let it go. This has been going on for way too long.Hi, Michele, thank you for your comment. Three of the ministries have responded quickly and favorably, to their public credit. Tax exempt groups, whether ministries or whatever they are, should be ready, in my view, to go the extra mile and to give full accounts in transparent ways. This can only help, not hinder, credibility for them. Thank you for the dialog, and I appreciate your taking the time to put forward another side. God bless you. ~ Jane
Grassley's most recent smear campaign against Copeland using the nepotism angle is more evidence that Grassley has lost any ground he thought he had to stand on in this case. I agree that it is time to end this. Otherwise why hasn't he moved forward with the subpeonas he has threatened?Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my article and to send your comment! It is my hope that every Christian non-profit organization and ministry will join and comply with the standards and practices of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) or a similar organization. They exist to help avoid federal tax-exemption problems like this, on behalf of their members. I share your hope that this will be cleared up soon.
"Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:2Whether or not these charities submit to scrutiny by the ECFA, accept and adhere to stadard accounting practices, or even the IRS, they are all ministries, and above all, must be faithful stewards of the resources which they are entrusted with.According to the parable of the Dishonest Steward [Luke 16] the problem was that the steward was wasting the goods of his master - he was treating them as his own, as though they were his. The parable clearly states that the master called in the steward to give an account.Ultimately, any person or persons who have been entrusted with "the goods of the Master [the Lord], will be called upon to give an account." Thereofore, there will be a greater accounting someday than even that of Senator Grassley, or any government official. Amen?Dear Leo, Amen. And you made the best arguments for oversight for ministries. It makes them stronger in the long run because they work on a path of obedience to God's principles in these matters. Blessings, Jane
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