tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869110756374299506.post2864240550350095519..comments2023-06-11T00:50:17.387-07:00Comments on The Autonomy of the Believer: Money Cometh...Out of Your Pocket...Into MineGWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16169267251097244133noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869110756374299506.post-56059072404795648782011-06-16T12:19:27.459-07:002011-06-16T12:19:27.459-07:00My american church in Mannheim had financial meeti...My american church in Mannheim had financial meetings and a wonderful financial planning. We even got printouts of the budget, and could discuss (no one dared to protest) the subject. Everything looked so fine. Even church members told me the money is spent wisely. But days after I left the church, I met a former member by accident. She told me a totally different story, because she worked in the office for years. Our pastor had full control of the bank account, and used it. Sad. I regret my tithings over all these years.Stefan Fischernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869110756374299506.post-25783993159786880162009-04-19T16:40:00.000-07:002009-04-19T16:40:00.000-07:00Tristen, I appreciate your comments. First please ...Tristen, I appreciate your comments. First please understand that one of the things I have tried to point out on this blog is the corrupting nature of the prosperity and authority messages taught in the WOF. I and my family were in the Word of Faith for a little over 10 years and have watched 2 WOF churches (pastored by graduates of a well known Midwestern Bible College) within a 40-minute drive of my house crash and burn over these 2 issues. <br /><br />At the church I was actively involved in, we had annual reports detailing church finances, independent accounting and our pastor was accountable to a board of directors. The problem was that there was much the financial reports did not cover and it certainly was not information that was going to be aired in a 1 to 2 hour church service. And anyone who persisted in asking questions of the pastor regarding church finances would be blackballed by him, as it was considered disrespectful to God’s man. The year we left the church we discovered the board of directors had not met for 5 years! From my own personal knowledge of churches around the country plus information I have gathered through published testimonies and personal contacts, I can safely say that the Word of Faith institutionalizes corruption in their churches. If your church does not, then it is the exception to the rule. <br /><br />I would encourage you to make an appointment with your pastor to discuss financial matters when you have questions. If he pastors 28,000 people and is still willing to have that sort of relationship with his congregants, he’s an exceptional minister.GWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16169267251097244133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869110756374299506.post-16065144177247530122009-04-19T13:56:00.000-07:002009-04-19T13:56:00.000-07:00hey, I agree with a lot of what you said. but what...hey, I agree with a lot of what you said. but what do you mean by "Financial transparency is unheard of in Faith churches because the leader has final say on all church matters." That's definitely untrue because I attend a WOF true Bible believing Bible teaching church whose about faith and righteousness and success instead of just money. We get a personal auditor every year and every quarter they sit us down(in a meeting w/ the entire congregation of 28,000+) and show us the uses of the money. So you can't speak in a sense of persecution towards the whole WOF movements though there are wolves in sheep's clothing that twist the message.Tristen C. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10582242549663370882noreply@blogger.com