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By Dr. Linda Lilian
The economic tides of time call for critical actions to ensure people are not exploited but become beneficiaries to tangible things they contribute to. Philosopher John Locke would argue that the fruits of a person’s labor is his or her own because they worked for it.
Therefore if a charismatic individual is able to persuade a following to contribute to their agenda, it is only plausible that the contributors become shareholders to what they contributed to. For this to be legal individuals contributing should have evidence of the contribution given to them by their charismatic lead.
Unfortunately most are blindfolded and they do not. And this is where the state ought to come in to enforce regulations that necessitate publicizing and legalizing public funded projects as public trusts.
Today a number of churches are led by gifted leaders whose influence is felt in the number of people they attract. And tithing is a monthly to weekly feat depending on the wages; offertory has become a daily event at every lunch hour and of course there is now the growing declaration of the seed.
But amidst all these, followers are called to contribute for church building projects including buying radios, televisions, land and more; only to have these secured under the leaders names with subtle accountability to the congregants, also contributors.
The records should indicate it’s a public trust therefore a project, by the people and the people; not one individual who managed to get the people to contribute and sometimes added a pinch or nothing to it.
Therefore church land, businesses and projects should be directed, but not solely owned by the individual who held the vision, but not the resources. He or she too ought to be a shareholder in that; and is not eligible to sell anything nor bequeath it to his or her offspring without engaging the stakeholder. It remains an entity, which should generate income and interest for its contributors, for they have a stake in it.
The biblical prescription for the tithe and offerings was to ensure the work of God was effectively done and that included taking care of the congregants. Mathew (23:23) wrote that Jesus abhorred the Pharisees criticizing them for tithing, but neglecting what was important and this was to the people they served. That was justice, mercy and being faithful.
He said they could practice tithing but ensure they also paid attention to these virtues. Remember the Levites too as written by Moses in the book of Numbers (18:26) had to tithe. But they also had tasks to meet while they got their tithe and that was sustaining the work of worship and instructing the congregants in the way of God. Malachi referred to tithing and offerings as deposits in God’s store room.
In Numbers 35 it is pointed out that the Levites were in charge of the cities of refuge where people ran to for justice and protection. While they were there these people were fed and clothed. If a biblical measure was placed on churches today what would be the poll.
In addition to churches, there are communities which are also persuaded to engage in projects, persuaded by Charismatic members. It is still significant that the projects are registered as public trust so that the contributors also benefit since it is a joint effort. Unfortunately today there are schools, hospitals and even factories being singularly enjoyed by cunning individuals who got the whole community to contribute to them.
The practice of allowing free range idealists to captivate the masses and enrich themselves at their expense, requires state intervention to ensure contributors benefit from their input.
The Writer is a Ugandan Communication Consultant
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