This Veil of Ignorance

by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                         Vol. VIII, No. 9, October 1995

A gentleman called me a couple of weeks ago. He was upset because he could not find out to what BGAV giving plan his church is contributing. First he had called the BGAV treasurer's office in Richmond. They told him that they only disclose that information to the pastor. (Hey, don't the "moderates" accuse "fundamentalists" of believing the pastor should be the "ruler of the church"? The pastor in question is anything but a conservative.)

Next my caller said, he asked his pastor. But the pastor said he didn't know. Now the alternatives seem to be that (1) the pastor really did not know, or (2) he knew but was just avoiding telling this fellow. Let's take a look at the implications of each possibility.

Suppose he truly did not know to what causes his church's mission giving is going. What does that say about the leadership, application, ability, and effectiveness of that pastor? Would you want a pastor who was no more interested in such an important subject than that?

Still assuming that he really did not know where the money is going, how difficult would it be for him to find out? One phone call, one question to the church financial secretary or treasurer should certainly produce the answer. Yet the pastor did not offer either to find out and tell the layman or suggest to the layman how to get the information. Hmmm.

The second possibility, that the pastor actually knew but was intentionally avoiding answering the question, suggests even more serious problems. If this were the case, the pastor was, in simple English, lying.

My caller and I did not go into these alternatives on the phone. But he was clearly deeply concerned. He closed the conversation by saying, "It is my intention that this veil of ignorance be lifted. People should learn what is going on."

What about you? Do you know where your church's mission money is going? Has your church voted to decide which giving plan the congregation wants to support? Each congregation that contributes to the BGAV should make a conscious, informed, open decision as to which of the three plans you support.

Or is there a "veil of ignorance" in your church too?