Christian Ministers and Prosperity Gospel, the Unanswered Questions

As news coverage has recently revealed, there are gospel ministries under investigation for what at first simply appeared to be an inquiry into their tax exempt statuses. The investigation has now entered into the area of asking for these ministries to give accountability for "extravagant spending" and "lavish lifestyles".

Some ministries, who have been targeted for investigation, have come forward, appearing on various news interview shows, to confirm that they are lawfully within the tax exempt category however, this is only part of the question at hand, that is being addressed in regard to these and any ministries who appear to be receiving absorbent salaries and living exceedingly lavish lifestyles.

I do not believe for one moment that there would be any inquiry into ministries whose heads or overseers are experiencing extreme wealth, if the wealth is gained through the free enterprise system of America, wherein anyone has the right to become as wealthy as they wish through acceptable business practices. The difference between this and wealth gained through tax exempt ministries is in the fact that the money received for the most part that is gaining the wealth of some of these individuals, is obtained from donations and tithes given by people who are giving with the understanding that their donation is going to a tax exempt ministry. The donations are also given, by people who want to see the ministry they donate to, expand in it's efforts to reach more individuals in need of the ministry of financial/material needs as well as spiritual needs. These majority of these faithful people also desire to see the ministers and workers within a ministry, to be paid reasonable salaries, that will meet their needs and amply give them security, quality transportation and clothing needs. Many do not however desire to support lavish lifestyles that are unreasonably extravagant. Others may be willing to see ministers live at extreme levels of wealth but some of these people have been convinced by the ministers receiving such, that God wishes for them to receive it. This brings us to the unanswered questions, that have been eluded up to this point but that is only right that answers be given to.

The questions that have thus far not been answered are in regard to the standard by which these ministers are allowing their salaries and other received benefits and perks to be set at. What do they base what they are to receive on? Do they believe they should receive ten percent of all money that is received into a ministry, regardless of the level it reaches? If that level reaches into the millions of dollars a year, is there justification for receiving such a large salary and what is this justification based upon? Do they feel at any point, that there should be a salary cap (limit) to how much they receive as pay? If they do believe they deserve millions of dollars per year, what is the deserving based on? Is it based upon their worthiness due to the growth of their ministry or in how many hard hours they have put into it? If they wish to state that a ministry board is granting them the excessively large salary, are these board members under constraint to do so? Are board members who decide the ministry head's salary, also paid salaries as board members? A final question would be, as to whether a minister believes it is God who has told them to receive the amount of salary they do and the question that would be added to this aspect would be; how did God reveal this to you?

Ministers in question should not see such questions as an attack upon them because there cannot possibly be anything offensive in these type questions if they know they are doing what God has asked them to do. To elude these type of questions by not giving direct answers, only sends the message that they do indeed wish to hide this important aspect in regard to donated funds. If they would simply come forward and not continue to only echo the fact that they are lawfully tax exempt and answer these other questions, they might actually gain more understanding from people who are in question about this but it simply is not being done. What are they afraid of if they are doing what is right? To say it is none of their business, to those who are giving the money, to support these ministers and their ministries, is an extremely strange attitude to take. Simply posting their financial reports on their websites, only details where the money is going in general type ways but the questions as to the standards used to receive their salaries, will remain unanswered. Will they answer the questions at some point? Only time will tell.