The ‘Charitable-Industrial Complex’ and Charity Pay – A reflection

Two separate but related debates about charities/non-profits/non-governmental organisations (NGOs) burst into the open the past few weeks in the US and the UK. First it was Peter Buffett who talked about the ‘charitable-industrial complex’ maintaining and increasing economic inequality (see http://community.generositymovement.org/en/resources/detail/13203#.UgIGf5KTjgk for articles) and then it emerged that 30 of the UK’s charity leaders receive more than £100,000 in pay (see http://community.generositymovement.org/en/resources/detail/13202#.UgIGyZKTjgk for articles). Many of them earning more than the £142,500 of the British Prime Minister. Among those who earn so much are the heads of Christian charities as well. The CEO of an important Christian charity was paid £126,072 in 2012. No wonder that we read in newspaper response letters from people who decided to stop giving to these charities. I started throwing their leaflets in the bin long ago since I know how much staff are paid at some of these charities.

 

My aim with this blog is not to provide a detailed response to the comments made by Peter Buffett or give an in-depth evaluation of charity pay in the UK. But since this is an issue close to my heart and which I wrote a bit about in the past (see for example http://community.generositymovement.org/en/resources/detail/13204#.UgIMYJKTjgk at the end of the article and http://community.generositymovement.org/en/resources/detail/13062#.UgInipKTjgk – the article on a dream of a global Christian culture of Biblical stewardship, generous living and Kingdom focused giving), I thought of offering a few comments:

1)      It is not wrong to earn much. We should actually encourage wealth creation. The Bible is clear about it. For example Ecclesiastes 5:19 says ‘Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God’.  However the Bible is also clear about people getting rich by not paying their workers enough. James 5:4 and 5 is a good example ‘Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.’ God blesses us so that we can bless others. If we are not a blessing to those in need, they might become a negative blessing to us. Just ask South Africans who had been affected by the crime in a country with the highest income inequality;

2)      It is wrong to use the poverty of others to become rich. That would include spiritual, physical and social poverty. Jesus definitely did not say in Matthew 25:34-36 that those who helped the poor would become rich through providing in the needs of the poor. We need to say unequivocally that it is immoral to give high salaries to help the poor. People should serve the poor not enrich themselves through the plight of the poor. If they want to make a lot of money, they should do something else.

3)      On the other side the labourer is worth his/her provisions (Mt 10:10). There is a danger that we think people helping those in need should live on nothing. I made this mistake myself with very serious consequences on my family. This is the case with missionaries, charity workers, social workers, relief workers, development workers, youth workers, etc. The list can go on. Sometimes these workers are poorer than the people they are serving. We need to make sure that these workers are paid appropriately from within the framework of their calling;

4)      The issue goes much deeper and wider than just charity pay. It is also about pay to pastors and ministry leaders. I was once in a ministers meeting where one of the ministers complained that the mission fund in the church grew so big that he could not get his bonus anymore! In South Africa I believe inequality in pay between black and white ministers is one of the main reasons why black and white churches will not unite. It also relates about the difference in support between missionaries and their local co-workers. As one of the respondents to the article on charity pay says ‘An open debate would benefit the graduates who ask how organisations can justify low entry salaries – despite the experience and qualifications needed to get into the sector. Or local staff who want to know why expats earn in foreign currency several times what they get paid.’ We need this same debate in the Christian community!

5)      We need to address mammon and greed in our midst. Mammon or the love of money put its claws much deeper in the Christian community than what we think. Perhaps it is time to admit that and deal with this sin. How often do we have Christian and even mission conferences in swanky hotels that are only affordable to those with much resources or ‘sponsored participants’ which in itself hugely embarrassed to those who receive the sponsorship? After one of these events a few weeks ago participants told me that they will never give to the organising movement again despite calls from the floor to everybody to commit themselves to giving to the movement. I heard about Christian leaders who challenged people to be freed from mammon and then stayed in expensive hotels during ministry visits or flew business class. That while receiving support from poor widows!

6)      We need to commit ourselves to The Cape Town Commitment’s call that a Biblical lifestyle includes generosity, self-denial and hospitality – ‘Above all we must replace self-interest and greed with the biblical teaching on self-sacrifice and generous giving as the marks of true discipleship to Christ’ (www.lausanne.org/en/documents/ctcommitment.html).  The Commitment continues ‘We urgently seek a new global partnership within the body of Christ across all continents, rooted in profound mutual love, mutual submission, and dramatic economic sharing without paternalism or unhealthy dependency. And we seek this not only as a demonstration of our unity in the gospel, but also for the sake of the name of Christ and the mission of God in all the world’.

 

But how could we as Christians practically respond to the ‘charitable-industrial complex’ and charity pay? I want to suggest a few possibilities:

1)      The debates and discussions just convinced me again that we need to catalyse a movement of Biblical stewardship, generous living and Kingdom focused giving that I call for in my article (http://community.generositymovement.org/en/resources/detail/13062#.UgInipKTjgk).

2)      We should commit ourselves to a generous life-style and start living generously as is expressed in the Generosity Declaration (http://generositymovement.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Generosity-Declaration-individual-flyer.pdf) and encourage our Christian friends to do the same;

3)      Christian bodies such as churches, ministries, charities and relief and development organizations should sign the Corporate Generosity Declaration (http://generositymovement.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Generosity-Declaration-corporate-flyer.pdf) and develop a stewardship, generosity and giving plan of action;

4)      We need a debate about ministry/missionary/Christian charity pay and support as well as on greed and mammon in ministry;

5)      Look at what charity leaders earn and do with our giving and stop giving if they do not use it properly and are not good stewards of the gifts.

 

Dr Sas Conradie

Coordinator Global Generosity Network

[email protected]