I was just having a conversation over break with some of the Divisional Staff about how the world service money from America supports the majority of the Salvation Army ministries in the world.
We talked about how we could change that trend so that the army would be stronger. We wanted to know if there could be ways found so that the Army could support its work in each country through resources found in their countries? The thought came up that we in America don't believe in self support. Our largest corps in Atlanta is given heavy support funds, our teenagers don't pay their own way to youth councils, it just isn't a principle we teach.
As I walked away from the conversation my mind began to drift to the terrorist attacks of 911. If the Salvation Army world and the youth of America are so heavily dependent upon the financial resources extracted from America's economy, what happens if the economy tanks? Will we lose the mission and testimony of the Army world wide?
4 comments:
excellent point. aside from the danger of allowing the success of so many ministries to hinge on america's fickle economy, it's also a bad deal from a character-building and stewardship perspective. because always depending upon outside support shows that we have no faith in our indigenous resources, which in turn causes us to be poor stewards of those resources, and all are gifts from God.
Jason- good point. We've got to figure out how to multiply without multiplying costs. Maybe some kind of a plan to go cell-based and biVo will save some funds on property and personnel.
:-)
Grace
Stephen Court
armybarmy.com/blog.html
I think Steve points to this in some ways, but while we're talking about a spiritually thriving, growing Army in Africa living off the fat of the American hog, let's not forget that dying, way-too-small-congregations here in the states are doing the same.
I'm not sure I'm uncomfortable with the fact that American wealth should support the work of the Army in GAT territories. (GAT stands for Grant Assisted Territories for those who may not know and basically means, places in the world where financial assistance from elsewhere is necessary to stay afloat). I think I feel this way because our selfishness and self-centeredness in North America contributes to the financial situation in which the African (and other third world) nations find themselves.
I'm not saying they shouldn't try to be self-sufficient, but we are a worldwide Army for a reason. I'd much rather cut off funding to some non-functioning corps here in the States than hoard our resources away from a part of the world where the Army is thriving and the Spirit is moving.
Good point, Drew. This is what I struggle with as well. I love to see our money going to support international work because I believe that American power holds some of these countries in poverty as well.
But it is kind of like your post on family #17. We send the money to a bunch of nameless faceless people. For the most part our money doesn't transform their communities or change their living situations.
I don't know the solution. I feel that part of the solution could be using our money for more sustainable economic development in the overall country and allow the corps work to remain self supporting.
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