Preachers, Facebook and Begging for Money

[consapente89]

A while back Elder Ballestero did a series of blog posts on ministerial ethics. They were excellent. This one was especially well written and on point. There is a proper way for various ministries to be funded, and an internet campaign directed at various saints of Apostolic churches is not a proper method.

A few quotes:

"Missionaries who get on Facebook and plead with saints for money are without scruples or ethics. Don’t give to them. Let your pastor guide your giving."

"No evangelist should ever ask for money on Facebook. Don’t be foolish and give to him, no matter if you like him or not."

"How ever it’s done, it’s never done privately between a saint in a church and the missionary."


https://martynballestero.com/2010/08...ing-for-money/

[Scott Pitta]

Very interesting.

As a retired church treasurer, all fiscal policy related to churches is interesting.

I am asked for donations via Facebook on a regular basis. Usually for short term missionary trips. I see no ethical problem with a teenager or a young adult seeking aid from his Facebook connections.

In my situation, it is the offspring of my college buddies who are asking for the finance. I have supported one of my classmates when she was a short term missionary.

I would be extremely cautious about supporting someone I did not know. Fiscal policy blunders have made many a qualified minister into a fool.

Some ministers do not have any oversight and they manage finances at their local church without any controls. I can see a pastor in this situation frowning on a policy that excludes him from control.

I do no know anything about Rev. Ballestro.

All my comments are totally focused on policy. Not on any person or group.

[houston]

Is it really the pastor's business?

[aegsm76]

I agree with SP's post.
I do not mind being solicited by those who I know.
But I will not give to anyone I do not know.

[SJC]

I don't see any harm in giving to someone that you know; giving to someone that you don't know is pretty risky IMO.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by consapente89

A few quotes:

"Missionaries who get on Facebook and plead with saints for money are without scruples or ethics. Don’t give to them. Let your pastor guide your giving."

Why in the world does a pastor need to "guide your giving"?

"No evangelist should ever ask for money on Facebook. Don’t be foolish and give to him, no matter if you like him or not."

Probably good advice, in fact it sounds like the Didache.

"How ever it’s done, it’s never done privately between a saint in a church and the missionary."

It's probably best if done privately between an individual and a missionary, as long as the individual initiates the giving, and the missionary isn't going around soliciting funds like a panhandler.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by consapente89

A while back Elder Ballestero did a series of blog posts on ministerial ethics. They were excellent. This one was especially well written and on point. There is a proper way for various ministries to be funded, and an internet campaign directed at various saints of Apostolic churches is not a proper method.

I think it depends on the situation, but I agree with the spirit of what the Elder is saying. Sending a teen from a local ministry on a mission trip is different from committing to fund a long-term minister, their family, and their ministry.

Originally Posted by consapente89

"Missionaries who get on Facebook and plead with saints for money are without scruples or ethics. Don’t give to them. Let your pastor guide your giving."

Completely agree. If you are a part of a corporate body of believers, then if you are going to contribute to a missionary, it would be IN ORDER (as opposed to out of order) to follow your Pastor's leading and vision for the corporate body to which you have voluntarily submitted.

Originally Posted by consapente89

"No evangelist should ever ask for money on Facebook. Don’t be foolish and give to him, no matter if you like him or not."

This teaching is not any different from the teaching of the past that directed the saints to not give money to televangelists. It was biblically sound then, the concept is still the same with the internet.

Originally Posted by consapente89

"How ever it’s done, it’s never done privately between a saint in a church and the missionary."

There is a right way and a wrong way to do things like this. If you are paying your tithes and offerings faithfully as a member of your local assembly, and you want to donate to, "Save The Starving Africans" or "Bibles For Lithuania", then go for it.

It is much more proper to sponsor a preacher that is affiliated with your local assembly than to sponsor Brother Ralph's sermonizing on the Yangtze-- whether you think you know him or not.


https://martynballestero.com/2010/08...ing-for-money/[/QUOTE]

[Jermyn Davidson]

It's possible to be right, express opinion, and even express truth, in the wrong way.

People who call present themselves as Christian ministers of the Gospel should be able to submit to some form of church authority-- something that we have clear Biblical teachings and examples to follow.

People who do not follow the clear Biblical teachings and examples are people that Christians should be wary of following or supporting.

[Armapeet.Singh]

I noticed that a missionary on this forum seems to always a bee asking for donations. How do you feel about that?

[rdp]

Originally Posted by consapente89

"Missionaries who get on Facebook and plead with saints for money are without scruples or ethics. Don’t give to them. Let your pastor guide your giving."

*Exactly .

*We will not be supporting that where I pastor. In fact, we wholeheartedly support both foreign & home missionaries monthly - but only those who are doctrinally sound & ethical.

Originally Posted by Armapeet.Singh

I noticed that a missionary on this forum seems to always a bee asking for donations. How do you feel about that?

*See above....& I know many other pastors who feel the same way .