Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times

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#193815 - 10/18/08 04:05 AM Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times
CGMedley Registered: 04/07/00 Posts: 678 Loc: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA	When our church leaders met in Manilla, Phillippines for their Annual Council Session, discussed the serious impact that a slowing world economy has on the church. The leaders are faced with many tough decisions -- tweaked budgets, hiring freezes, etc. The Adventist Review has prepared a eyewitness reports from the meetings. Take a look. http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=2155
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#193822 - 10/18/08 04:19 AM Re: Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times [Re: CGMedley]
Nan Benevolent Physician Registered: 04/07/00 Posts: 6133 Loc: Sydney,Australia	I am not a radical church member at all, but in times of major financial challenges, and vastly increased communication options, why is it necessary to go to the expense of such frequent major meetings as Annual Councils? We will probably not be told the total of the 10s of thousands of dollars the travel and accommodation for the delegates must have cost. Why cannot such meetings be done via teleconference or video conference? I know of various instances both in the home field and developing countries where people have been reluctant to give to the church because of what is seen as waste. How do you justify to a poor member in a third world country the use to which his tithe is placed, if it takes the equivalent of several months tithe to pay for a restaurant meal for a travelling minister? In this time the church authorities really do need to look at all areas of expenditure.
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#193825 - 10/18/08 04:21 AM Re: Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times [Re: CGMedley]
BobRyan Registered: 09/26/08 Posts: 683	I heard that AIG is in fact the agency holding the retirement accounts for the ministers. What happens now that AIG went under? in Christ, Bob
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#193880 - 10/18/08 06:21 AM Re: Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times [Re: Nan]
Redwood Swiss n Swedish American Registered: 12/09/06 Posts: 9831 Loc: A citizen of Heaven	Originally Posted By: Nan I am not a radical church member at all, but in times of major financial challenges, and vastly increased communication options, why is it necessary to go to the expense of such frequent major meetings as Annual Councils? We will probably not be told the total of the 10s of thousands of dollars the travel and accommodation for the delegates must have cost. Why cannot such meetings be done via teleconference or video conference? I know of various instances both in the home field and developing countries where people have been reluctant to give to the church because of what is seen as waste. How do you justify to a poor member in a third world country the use to which his tithe is placed, if it takes the equivalent of several months tithe to pay for a restaurant meal for a travelling minister? In this time the church authorities really do need to look at all areas of expenditure. You bring up some good issues Nan. But this one is small potatoes compared to the waste of having the Unions. Do away with the Unions and watch the money flow in. People would know they were serious about the good use of tithe monies. _________________________ Another one of Woodies Goodies Love WON Another. Lord, make me the person my dog thinks I am.
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#193933 - 10/18/08 11:32 AM Re: Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times [Re: Redwood]
Tammy Getting the hang of posting Registered: 07/19/08 Posts: 67 Loc: Kingsville, OH, USA	Originally Posted By: Redwood Originally Posted By: Nan I am not a radical church member at all, but in times of major financial challenges, and vastly increased communication options, why is it necessary to go to the expense of such frequent major meetings as Annual Councils? We will probably not be told the total of the 10s of thousands of dollars the travel and accommodation for the delegates must have cost. Why cannot such meetings be done via teleconference or video conference? I know of various instances both in the home field and developing countries where people have been reluctant to give to the church because of what is seen as waste. How do you justify to a poor member in a third world country the use to which his tithe is placed, if it takes the equivalent of several months tithe to pay for a restaurant meal for a travelling minister? In this time the church authorities really do need to look at all areas of expenditure. You bring up some good issues Nan. But this one is small potatoes compared to the waste of having the Unions. Do away with the Unions and watch the money flow in. People would know they were serious about the good use of tithe monies. Excellent suggestion, Reddog! _________________________ thenarrowwayministries.org
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#193984 - 10/18/08 07:19 PM Re: Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times [Re: Tammy]
olger Registered: 12/27/05 Posts: 3324 Loc: Ohio	Hello Tammy, from a fellow buckeye. Gerry
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#194022 - 10/18/08 10:34 PM Re: Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times [Re: Tammy]
Redwood Swiss n Swedish American Registered: 12/09/06 Posts: 9831 Loc: A citizen of Heaven	Originally Posted By: Tammy Originally Posted By: Redwood Originally Posted By: Nan I am not a radical church member at all, but in times of major financial challenges, and vastly increased communication options, why is it necessary to go to the expense of such frequent major meetings as Annual Councils? We will probably not be told the total of the 10s of thousands of dollars the travel and accommodation for the delegates must have cost. Why cannot such meetings be done via teleconference or video conference? I know of various instances both in the home field and developing countries where people have been reluctant to give to the church because of what is seen as waste. How do you justify to a poor member in a third world country the use to which his tithe is placed, if it takes the equivalent of several months tithe to pay for a restaurant meal for a travelling minister? In this time the church authorities really do need to look at all areas of expenditure. You bring up some good issues Nan. But this one is small potatoes compared to the waste of having the Unions. Do away with the Unions and watch the money flow in. People would know they were serious about the good use of tithe monies. Excellent suggestion, Reddog! I'm RED. And I have a dog ... But I am not REDDOG. _________________________ Another one of Woodies Goodies Love WON Another. Lord, make me the person my dog thinks I am.
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#194623 - 10/21/08 11:00 AM Re: Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times [Re: Redwood]
Tammy Getting the hang of posting Registered: 07/19/08 Posts: 67 Loc: Kingsville, OH, USA	Sorry about that! I didn't look close enough - REDWOOD it is _________________________ thenarrowwayministries.org
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#194624 - 10/21/08 11:02 AM Re: Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times [Re: olger]
Tammy Getting the hang of posting Registered: 07/19/08 Posts: 67 Loc: Kingsville, OH, USA	Originally Posted By: olger Hello Tammy, from a fellow buckeye. Gerry Good Morning, Gerry! So what part of OH are you from? We live in the snowbelt, up by Lake Erie....supposed to snow tonight, in fact! _________________________ thenarrowwayministries.org
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#194957 - 10/22/08 11:04 PM Re: Adventist Leaders Face Tough Financial Times [Re: Redwood]
Jeannieb43 Princess of Pasadena Registered: 12/29/01 Posts: 2637 Loc: California	Originally Posted By: Redwood Originally Posted By: Nan I am not a radical church member at all, but in times of major financial challenges, and vastly increased communication options, why is it necessary to go to the expense of such frequent major meetings as Annual Councils? We will probably not be told the total of the 10s of thousands of dollars the travel and accommodation for the delegates must have cost. Why cannot such meetings be done via teleconference or video conference? I know of various instances both in the home field and developing countries where people have been reluctant to give to the church because of what is seen as waste. How do you justify to a poor member in a third world country the use to which his tithe is placed, if it takes the equivalent of several months tithe to pay for a restaurant meal for a travelling minister? In this time the church authorities really do need to look at all areas of expenditure. You bring up some good issues Nan. But this one is small potatoes compared to the waste of having the Unions. Do away with the Unions and watch the money flow in. People would know they were serious about the good use of tithe monies. Amen to both of these ideas. Trouble is, officers are loathe to vote themselves out of a job! If they vote not to meet in person for Annual Council -- or if they vote to disband the union conference organization -- they're afraid they'll become unemployed. What we need are "men who are as true to duty as the needle to the pole" [per EGW, Education ] and who are not afraid to call these challenges "by their right names." Soon -- even sooner than we realize -- our money will become worthless. And THEN what will be the benefit of having a "top-heavy" church organization? Those brethren should volunteer to find work in the public sector, and relinquish their paychecks to be used for missions. NOW. _________________________ Jeannie ...Change is inevitable; growth is optional....
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