During the past year, I was consulting with a church about their College Ministry and heard them express concerns about about how the Locsl Baptist Campus Minister was accounting for and using money they had given for a designated purpose.
I don't know that College Minister well, but I believe him to be honest. Simply put, I think he is sloppy with his accounting and reporting. Being sloppy in your bookkeeping and reporting of money likely isn't a crime, but it can be a ministry killer....not to mention your personal reputation.
Churches and individuals need to have NO doubts that the money they give for designated purposes is not only used in the ministry, but that it is used for EXACTLY what they gave the money for.
A while back a friend told of a Church College Minister who charged his students for a retreat and never deposited any of the money; he just used it to buy groceries, etc. He said that was simpler. Again, from what I know, this man is not a thief, but if someone accused him of pocketing some of that money, he would have a hard time proving otherwise.
Keep clear records. Deposit the money and have receipts that bear out your credit card purchases. When collecting money for students' accounts for mission trips, make sure each student's account is kept separately and you can document that each parent, church, grandmother's gift and whomever paid into that student's account got where it was supposed to go. Remember, sloppy often looks dishonest!
Remember Paul's admonition, "We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.". 2 Corinthians 8:20-21
Are you doing what LOOKS right?
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