SermonIndex Audio Sermons
SermonIndex - Promoting Revival to this Generation
Give To SermonIndex
Discussion Forum : SermonIndex Announcements : An Announcement In Regards to the Gospel For Asia Lawsuit Resolution

Print Thread (PDF)

Goto page ( 1 | 2 Next Page )
PosterThread
sermonindex
Moderator



Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 An Announcement In Regards to the Gospel For Asia Lawsuit Resolution

Saints,

It has been reported in the news that Gospel for Asia has reached a settlement in the lawsuit case against them. This has been a time of many accusations but very little provable evidence against them. Now the lawsuit has ended in Gospel for Asia being free from any fault or wrong-doing, and zero mis-use of funds.

I am personally thankful for this conclusion though it is sad to see GFA having to pay a settlement but the good news is it is back to donors (in part) and to Samartians Purse for those who do not deposit their refunds. Also anyone is free to simply just RE-DONATE the check back to Gospel for Asia as the lawsuit did not contact or get consent of anyone for this action. It only had a few disgruntled parties who partook in the allegations resulting in the actions that have taken place.

You can read more about this here:

Gospel for Asia Reaches Settlement Ending 3-Year Legal Nightmare
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=61844&forum=48

In the end, SermonIndex stands with Gospel for Asia and the work they are doing seeing now millions who never heard the Name of Jesus as part of the Church. And Lord willing there will be multiplied millions more who will hear the Gospel over the next decades as their work expands in not only India but all countries in Asia and even beyond.

The Gospel for Asia Church Movement has certainly been a revival movement and all workers in the field in India agree that God is with them in reaching the unreached.

Over the next few weeks we will be putting up some banners and ways to help support Gospel for Asia at this time. You can donate here "where is most needed" >> https://www.gfa.org/donation/


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2019/3/1 13:58Profile
sermonindex
Moderator



Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re: An Announcement In Regards to the Gospel For Asia Lawsuit Resolution

Just bringing this up again or those who have not read or seen.


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2019/3/4 8:17Profile
DEADn
Member



Joined: 2011/1/12
Posts: 1395
Lakeland FL

 Re:

What are we to conclude from this though?

Guilty......settlement reach and now all is well?

Innocent.....but settled so we can move on?

Something else?

This quote:
Now the lawsuit has ended in Gospel for Asia being free from any fault or wrong-doing, and zero mis-use of funds.
I am personally thankful for this conclusion though it is sad to see GFA having to pay a settlement

Why is a settlement paid if there is no fault in GFA?


_________________
John

 2019/3/4 10:33Profile
sermonindex
Moderator



Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re:

Quote:
Why is a settlement paid if there is no fault in GFA?



Essentially, the cost, demand and stress on the organization to continue a lawsuit is a few reasons for the settlement being made at this point as it has been a big loss of focus for the organization and Church work. Now the focus can be on GFA to regain ECFA status, it was lost due mainly to pressure of allegations and large news agencies reporting these allegations.

Another reason from my perspective on the wisdom and blessing of a settlement is that we live in an post-christian nation. With an amoral society hence a jury of people can be very fickle and anti-christian in sentiment, so even if there is innocence primarily they could choose to make any small errors look evil and incriminate them or show favour to a full re-payment of donations for a longer period of time or something more egregious.

The settlement re-funds donors of a certain time period a portion of their donations of which if they do not cash it in goes automatically to Samaritans Purse (Franklin Graham's organization) https://www.samaritanspurse.org. which essentially shows the heart behind GFA to see the needy, poor and lost hear the Gospel, and not just building their own outreach and Church work.

There are things GFA can do better through this entire situation of which they have acknowledged this and I am sure have made many changes to do better in every area and be above reproach. No organization in history has done every step they made perfectly, neither any christian leader.

Let us be glad that this movement that is reaching many of the unreached who have never heard the name of Jesus is now able to re-focus 100% soon on this goal and start to be more fruitful for the kingdom of God. Jesus is coming back again and one dying need is to share with those people who have NEVER heard of the salvation of the Son of God.


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2019/3/4 11:38Profile
CofG
Member



Joined: 2017/2/12
Posts: 964
Cambodia

 Re:

Brosher Greg,

I don't know any of the people involved so I cannot assess their hearts and would defer to those who know better. However, what GFA acknowledges doing is that they would seek funds for certain projects through donation outreaches and then when those funds would come in, they would use the donations for other uses "in the field". Their justification for such uses is that the outreach did not "guarantee" that the funds would be used specifically and only for the stated outreach purposes. An example would be an appeal would be made for funds for "Jesus Wells" in a general outreach and the money collected might be used for that purpose and also for other field purposes. In GFA's own statements, this practice was acknowledged.

The reason the settlement was paid is because the donors felt misled and felt that GFA had misrepresented the purpose for the appeal. That is not my opinion. I got that from the press release and GFA's own statements. GFA's defense was that there was no "guarantee" of particular usage in their fundraising appeal and the funds in the end were used "in the field" for other good purposes and implicitly therefore not used for personal gain.

This practice in the past has been really common in fundraising with "Christian" NGO's. Often, NGO"s have multiple ministries going on. Some ministries are easier to raise funds for than others. For example, donations for orphans are easier to raise money for in the US than pastor care. So, an appeal is made for orphans and very often more money comes in than is immediately needed and the excess is used for pastor care. In the NGO world this is common and not seen as misleading because of a lack of gaurantees that the money would only be used for the "marketed" purpose. They justify this behavior because the excess funds are used for good purposes.

In the US, and I believe rightly so, this is misleading to donors and is wrong. The NGO's feel justified in this behavior because they are doing a "good work" overall and the money is being used for "good purposes" overall. I'm not saying this was GFAs attitude. GFA said it.


I can see your desire to exonerate GFA clearly in your defense. I'm not trying to exonerate GFA or to indict. I just thought everyone should be aware of a clear problem in the field of NGO fund raising. GFA is not alone in this practice, but that is not a justification. I'm not accusing GFA of participating in this. Their own statements in the Settlement Agreement are what generates this conclusion.

The sad truth is that certain outreaches really tug on American heart strings and the NGOs are well aware of this. Other ministries would not be funded if there wasn't excess giving in the ministries that don' pull on the heart as do other ministries.

However, that fact is no justification for what goes on. It is wrong to do what many do. "Two rights" don't justify the wrong means in attaining them.




_________________
Robert

 2019/3/4 16:24Profile
sermonindex
Moderator



Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re:

Dear brother,

I appreciate your response. Just to clear the air on one thing is that only a few donors maximum 50-100 but in reality only 2-4 who started the lawsuit were really the disgruntled parities. For myself I would not want any of my money back and would re-donate it back to GFA if something comes in the mail. Essentially 10,000;'s of donors names were added to the lawsuit without our permission or consent so that really mis-lead people to think a large amount of people wanted their donations back etc.

I do believe GFA does an excellent job at being frugal, wise with money on the field and the fruits of the ministry with millions coming to faith in Jesus who never heard His Name before in Asia is the evidence.


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2019/3/4 17:01Profile
CofG
Member



Joined: 2017/2/12
Posts: 964
Cambodia

 Re:

Thanks Brother Greg,

I concur with all the good that God has obviously accomplished through GFA and KP Yohanan. That does not justify this particular behavior. What I wish is that GFA had simply said we were wrong in how we handled this and we won't do it again. There was such an intense attempt to say nothing was wrong with what they did. I would sincerely and lovingly tell them that this denial of wrongdoing hasn't cleared the air. Perhaps they are reluctant to admit the wrong in fear it would hurt the ministry or future donations. I don't know. But their acknowledged practice is wrong. I'm not sure you should speak for thousands of donors without first hand information. I'm not sure more or less object. You may be right. Maybe not. Objection isn't the issue. The practice is wrong no matter how man feels about it.

Far too many justify the means by the ends in today's culture (which is what GFA is asserting) and I think the church should stand clearly on the truth that God cares just as much about the means as the ends. Integrity matter.


_________________
Robert

 2019/3/4 17:35Profile
sermonindex
Moderator



Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re:


To be 100% crystal clear, I personally believe GFA has great integrity and excellence in how they use funds. I would encourage all saints to consider they are probably doing better in use of funds then most mission groups. Let's pray, be involved in missions more ourselves and show mercy and less accusations. (I have personally had to grow in this area, the Lord showing me the measuring stick to my own life and dealings).


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2019/3/4 18:22Profile
CofG
Member



Joined: 2017/2/12
Posts: 964
Cambodia

 Re:

I probably have been misunderstood by you Brother. Someone can have integrity overall but fall short in integrity in a certain situation. I can say that about myself easily. I've sinned on far too many occasions with pride or exaggerations, or gossip or misrepresentations myself but overall I hope people would say I have integrity. We are addressing a particular event or situation and not dealing with an overall evaluation. I'm sure KP Yohanan overall is far far more virtuous than me. That really isn't the issue.

As for "accusations" as you referenced, I'm not making an accusation in the least. That would be totally wrong. GFA said they raised money for Jesus wells and then used some of that money for other ministry purposes and that this in their opinion was not wrong because they never gauranteed that the money would be used solely for Jesus wells. That isn't an accusation. It is an openly stated admission on their part and also their stated conclusion, not mine, was that there was nothing wrong with that. I am disagreeing with their conclusion. That is not an accusation. We can disagree about whether their diversion of funds for other good uses was wrong but the diversion occurred as they have stated. Hopefully, you won't see me as making accusations.

As for the need for more maturity in me as you say you have found for yourself, you are certainly right. I'm in great need every day.


_________________
Robert

 2019/3/4 18:50Profile
Gloryandgrace
Member



Joined: 2017/7/14
Posts: 1165
Snoqualmie, WA

 Re:


I hate all of this stuff: This whole suit sounds like an axe-grinding and I'll-show-you-how-tough-I-am mentality.

When ministries raise money for outreaches there are all kinds of debt incurred while doing them.

This stinks to high-heaven of utter hypocrisy and contradiction. I suppose these guys have law-suits over their tithe and it's usage too. I mean part of that tithe goes to interest payments on mortgages, interest on credit cards, nice lunches and dinners, gifts for someone who will use it to buy alcohol or even drugs (under the guise of we need food)

When raising money for our crusades the vast majority was spent on the crusades themselves, but there is also transportation, honorariums for pastors, dinners for helpers, taxi fare, wow...even airplane food.

I have a non-profit, my wife keeps the books and we have always been open and transparent about our spending.
But we also expect some trust, if you donate to us we put the money to ministry usage as it arises and as God directs us. We bought cell phones (cheapies for 50 bucks) to use in our last crusades because our cells would not work there. That purchase was very helpful in coordinating so many things overseas...but hey it didn't go to buy a bible or purchase platform time.
So, I suppose an argument can be raised about that purchase...or the guitar we bought for a Church...not directly related to the crusades.

It's so ironic and satanic in my opinion you've got tv evangelist exploiters with huge personal profits from 'crusade' monies and these folks didn't donate to them so they could sue...and win?

Then let that guy on the board? Insane...but that's just me.

wouldn't that guy have a field day with youth groups who raise funds for a mexico ministry week when in fact the week was mostly directed toward food, lodging, entertainment and transportation. There's got to be law-suit somewhere in there.

Diversion of funds for other good use is NOT WRONG, but if it bothers your conscience to give to a ministry doing foreign work and you know they will use some of those funds for a tip for a taxi service then don't give. Keep your lousy money.


_________________
Marvin

 2019/3/5 10:29Profile





©2002-2024 SermonIndex.net
Promoting Revival to this Generation.
Privacy Policy