How much is to much ?

[paul]

Over the many threads concerning the cogop and its finicial structure, I notice continued references to the US church sendng out funds and supporting the mission fields, sometimes at the cost of the church here in the states.

I am curiuos as to what the percentage really is. The Amount sent yearly by GH to support the work outside the US per capita of the US membership. This would include the helping hands program or adopt a nation, pastor or similar programs in place on a local level.

$10, $50, $100+ per year per US member.

[Pastorbps]

Over the many threads concerning the cogop and its finicial structure, I notice continued references to the US church sendng out funds and supporting the mission fields, sometimes at the cost of the church here in the states.

I am curiuos as to what the percentage really is. The Amount sent yearly by GH to support the work outside the US per capita of the US membership. This would include the helping hands program or adopt a nation, pastor or similar programs in place on a local level.

$10, $50, $100+ per year per US member.

I obviously don't know the answer to that question but I am concerned about the U.S. It would be nice to minister in an area where the field is white and ready to harvest but I have been called to minister in a country which at this point in history is becoming rapidly calloused and difficult to reach. I personally feel we are gleaning and not harvesting. When you glean you work just as hard as a harvester but the yield is much less. It takes a lot of work to get a little fruit. We are condemned and judged based upon our numbers but the truth is we have little to do with the output of the field. Seventy years ago we were harvesting but that time has ended. I know the super spiritual will say, "Well that may be you but that's not me!" We swap fruit from one basket to another competing for the same fruit and we brag about our increase when the size of the kingdom hasn't changed. We get so caught up in a false sense of success (numbers) that we are willing to sacrifice almost anything to get them. We must be successful and numbers measure success. Or does it? Maybe faithfulness to the task is success. There is very little persecution here and that's not what we have to deal with. We are faced with a society of Epicureans. Sometimes it feels like we must spend mass amounts of money just to get their attention. Our facilities must be located on thoroughfares where the cost is extremely high. We have to pay outrageous prices for buildings. We spend thousands on activities to try and get the attention of the teens plus our cost of living requires we support our ministers with salaries higher than most of the world. I know some will say none of these are necessary but for right or wrong this is what we do because we desperately want our generation to come to Christ and be faithful to church.
On top of this we feel the need to send money to mission fields. What if the U.S. stopped? Maybe the rest of the world would pick up the slack but I doubt it. Europe is in worse shape than us with churches being sold off and many countries with less than 2% attending church. What other industrialized countries will send the money? It may appear we are self-absorbed sometimes but this is our place of ministry and to be honest we need help. For many years now the U.S. has been blessed to be the vehicle for world missions. Maybe that time is coming to an end or maybe we need to service the vehicle.

[paul]

Over the many threads concerning the cogop and its finicial structure, I notice continued references to the US church sendng out funds and supporting the mission fields, sometimes at the cost of the church here in the states.

I am curiuos as to what the percentage really is. The Amount sent yearly by GH to support the work outside the US per capita of the US membership. This would include the helping hands program or adopt a nation, pastor or similar programs in place on a local level.

$10, $50, $100+ per year per US member.

I obviously don't know the answer to that question but I am concerned about the U.S. It would be nice to minister in an area where the field is white and ready to harvest but I have been called to minister in a country which at this point in history is becoming rapidly calloused and difficult to reach. I personally feel we are gleaning and not harvesting. When you glean you work just as hard as a harvester but the yield is much less. It takes a lot of work to get a little fruit. We are condemned and judged based upon our numbers but the truth is we have little to do with the output of the field. Seventy years ago we were harvesting but that time has ended. I know the super spiritual will say, "Well that may be you but that's not me!" We swap fruit from one basket to another competing for the same fruit and we brag about our increase when the size of the kingdom hasn't changed. We get so caught up in a false sense of success (numbers) that we are willing to sacrifice almost anything to get them. We must be successful and numbers measure success. Or does it? Maybe faithfulness to the task is success. There is very little persecution here and that's not what we have to deal with. We are faced with a society of Epicureans. Sometimes it feels like we must spend mass amounts of money just to get their attention. Our facilities must be located on thoroughfares where the cost is extremely high. We have to pay outrageous prices for buildings. We spend thousands on activities to try and get the attention of the teens plus our cost of living requires we support our ministers with salaries higher than most of the world. I know some will say none of these are necessary but for right or wrong this is what we do because we desperately want our generation to come to Christ and be faithful to church.
On top of this we feel the need to send money to mission fields. What if the U.S. stopped? Maybe the rest of the world would pick up the slack but I doubt it. Europe is in worse shape than us with churches being sold off and many countries with less than 2% attending church. What other industrialized countries will send the money? It may appear we are self-absorbed sometimes but this is our place of ministry and to be honest we need help. For many years now the U.S. has been blessed to be the vehicle for world missions. Maybe that time is coming to an end or maybe we need to service the vehicle.

Thank you for the reply. The following is one of the basis of my question.

Philanthropy Journal, October 26, 2005.
This brief glance at what the American church gives to international missions shows a waning in the last 80 years of support. Empty Tomb, a nonprofit research group in Champaign, Ill., reported that shrinking denominations are at a support level of less than 1 percent, while growing groups are showing a higher level of support for international missions at 2.8 percent. But in either case giving to international missions is still on a steady decline.

I was curious as to where cogop fell within these precentages.

Where I agree with you in many areas and certinally understand the difficulties faced by US pastors, having pastored for more than 24 years here in the states, there are a few areas I think we underestimate. I believe the fields are really ripe here in America also, not just overseas. We have an entire generation of youth within our grasp, who are more committed and hungry for the things of God than in many past generations.

My prayer is that cogop will service the vehicle and not just park it. Again this is in no way a criticisum or meant in any disrespectful manner.