Givers of money to evangelical churches, a question for you: is your money – God’s money if you like- going to where it should under the New Covenant? That is, looking outward from ourselves.
Below are two samples of evangelical churches. Canberra evangelical churches[1] in the first and church members of Missions Interlink (“the Australian network for global mission”) in the second.
In each there is a column ‘Missions’. This column shows the percentage of the church’s spending that goes on ‘Missions’.
| Canberra Protestant ‘evangelical’ churches | Total spent[2] | Missions | Missions are called / comment on the result |
| Life Unlimited Church Ltd | 2.33 million | 9% | ‘Missions’ |
| C3 Church Watson Incorporated | 971K | 5% | ‘Missions’ |
| Crossroads Christian Church Inc | 1.14 million | 2% | ‘FIEC, Bible college scholarship and global support’ |
| C3 Church Monash Inc | 892K | 7% | ‘Missions’ |
| Australasian Church Inc | 345K | 8% | ‘Mission support – in Australia’; ‘Mission support – outside Australia’ |
| Fusion City Church Incorporated | 458K | See next column | No direct evidence of any ‘missions’; may be some in ‘General & Specific Ministry 50,627′? |
| Reformed Church Of Canberra Inc | 188K | 0% | Understated if missions included in ‘Special Offerings Expended – Australia-Wide’ 19K and/or ‘Special Offerings Expended – Local’ 8K; nothing overseas |
| Tuggeranong Baptist Church Incorporated | 372K | 7% | This is ‘Tithe expended‘, so likely overstated; no ‘Missions’ or similar |
| Capital Edge Community Church Incorporated | 838K | 7% | ‘Missions Payments’ |
| Westminster Presbyterian Church Belconnen | 243K | 5% | ‘Missions’ |
| Christian City Church Belconnen Inc | 746K | 0% | Understated if missions are included in ‘Conference, programme, and event expense’s 80,971. |
| LIFECITY CHURCH | 271K | 7% | ‘Global Missions – JAR Turkey Expenses’; excluded: ‘Global Missions Expenses‘ and ‘Local Missions Expenses‘, so may be understated. |
| Southside Bible Church Incorporated | 292K | 0% | Unless there is something included in ‘Operating expenses‘ |
| Calvary Chapel – United Pentecostal Church Ltd | 932k | 0% | Understated if missions included in ‘Funds collected for UCPA‘ |
| Canberra International Church Incorporated | Statements not lodged | Unable to calculate | |
| Woden Valley Alliance Church Incorporated | 407K | 0% | Understated if missions included in ‘Other Expenses’ |
| Missions Interlink ‘Church’ members | Total spent | Missions | Missions are called / comment on the result |
| CityLife Church | 10.47 million | 9% | ‘Mission expenses’ |
| Clayton Church of Christ | 1.44 million | 12% | ‘Mission related expenses’, so 12% probably overstates it |
| Crossculture Church of Christ | 1.87 million | 31% | ‘Missions support’, so 31% may overstate it. |
| Crossway Baptist Church | 11.45 million | 15% | ‘International Ministry Expense’, so 15% may overstate it. |
| Discovery Church Melbourne | 2.01 million | 1% | This is ‘Vision offering acquittal’, their Gift Fund; ‘missions is not one of their programs. |
| Gateway Baptist Church | 6.03 million | 5% | ‘Missions support expenses’, so 5% may overstate it. |
| Lake Gwelup Christian Church | 397K | 14% | ‘Reach – Partner Support & Other expenses’, so probably overstated |
| Scarborough Baptist Church | 287K | 5% | ‘Mission/ministry expenses’, so 5% is likely an overstatement |
Are these churches outward looking enough? It seems not.
So, let’s get….’Back to the Gospel’.
- From the ACNC Register. An ‘Advanced search’ on ‘Church’ (Charity name), ‘Advancing Religion’ (Subtype); ACT (Charity Location), ‘Registered’ (Status). Then selected ‘Large’ or ‘Medium’ protestant churches who said they shared the Gospel, and had a Financial Report on the Register. ↑
- Total expenses from the profit and loss statement. ↑