If someone comes to our door soliciting contributions to help the poor but with no very clear information · as to how this is to be done, I may be moved by his concern for the poor but will not likely be moved to contribute. Christian stewardship demands that I have some reasonable assurance that contributions will indeed help the noble cause before I give.
It seems to me that we confront such a situation in our recent Synod’s 19-point decision to recommend support of the “Task Force on World Hunger” to the extent of suggesting that every member contribute one percent of his income to this cause (Acts 1978, pp. 79–86, esp. point 13, pp. 83, 84).
I was present when the Synod, not liking to be critical of such an ostensibly noble cause, was rather listlessly passing several of the recommendations. At one point a delegate, wearied of the seemingly useless procedure suggested that the next recommendations be skipped since they had already been substantially covered by previous decisions. But, no, the legislative mill must grind on –through all 19 points. After all, who could be heartless toward the plight of the world’s hungry? And so we have a recommendation that several million dollars be raised to help by doing what? That must still be determined by a committee and especially by two men, the executive director of world relief and the executive secretary of world missions.
When there is a pressing need and a responsible Christian effort to help in such a need our church members have often given and will give very generously. Recall the record of CRWRC help in disasters. But now, when the procedure is being reversed—first let everyone give and then let an elite few figure out what is to be done with the money this looks like an irresponsible invitation to a financial debacle. Appropriating money without any clear indication as to what is to be done with it makes no sense. No one does this in his personal finances. Should we be less responsible in church business? (See II Cor. 8:19–22.) The Synod’s uncritical passing of such a recommendation as this makes it the more necessary that consistories and members exercise their Christian stewardship in seeing to it that they know money will be properly used before they decide to give it.
