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The New AG Trust Fund

September 9, 2008

Dear Fellow Ministers of the Gospel,

A funny thing happened in my mail box this past week. I got a letter from George Wood! I'm sorry to report that it was not one thanking me for this web site. In fact, I'd be quite shocked to learn that George knew he had sent me a "personal" letter. Seriously, it was a computer generated letter and my wife and I must have been on some Springfield area mailing list at headquarters.

The subject of the letter was an invitation to attend a dinner. The dinner is going to be a fundraiser for the new "AG Trust Fund." In it, George reported that there were some "alarming trends" in the Assemblies of God and this trust fund would help fix them. Nope. The alarming trends were not mentioned by name. No list of sins being committed by leadership, pastors or sheep. Nor any list of money issues to which a trust fund could be held as insurance. I always find it "interesting" when folks asking for money won't be specific until you are a captive audience. Kinda makes me wonder what they're up to.

I can't be certain, but since no amount of money ever fixed spiritual failings within a Christian denomination, I'd have to surmise that the alarming trends have to do with money. And again, the source of the alarming trends regarding money would only be a guess on my part. And finally, the areas that were being impacted by the alarming trends would also be guesses. I'm willing to take a stab at some possible areas here. Could it be that the money problems are affecting: 1) general superintendent and AG Board of Administration salaries and housing allowances? Some of them live in nearly 10,000 square foot houses in the most expensive part of town. It can't be cheap to pay those mortgages! 2) The headquarters' ability to keep up its opulent headquarters? It has also got to be expensive to keep up all those solid marble slabs and bullet-proof panels in the superintendent's office. Not to mention IBM executives brought in teach men of God how to manage a ministry or the six figures we paid one extinguished (I know it's not quite the right word!) gentleman to convince everyone in Springfield that converting CBC to a religion department at Evangel was the right thing to do. OR, 3) The ministerial retirement funds at AGF? Please don't get hysterical here folks. I know that there are ethical problems with AGF (otherwise, my friend of nearly 40 years wouldn't have resigned his very high post there); but, I know of no specifics regarding retirement funds. Nonetheless, given the odd nature of George's letter to me, I think this is an honest question worth answering. And if the good folks left at AGF don't give you a straight answer, then I would consider moving my retirement funds elsewhere.

I have one final question to ask George regarding this letter: George, why would God allow alarming trends with AG money if you are leading are fellowship down an honest and ethical and Bible-based path regarding money? Specifically, how can you expect God to bless your efforts at AGF when the things going on there cause VERY ethical people to resign? And THEN, to make matters worse, you fill a vice presidential-level post at AGF with someone half the age of their predecessor (a twenty-something). This seems to be a clear violation of Scripture as recorded by Paul in I Timothy 3:6, "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil." I know this replacement to be a fact since the young man's wife proudly announced the promotion in the Sunday school class that we taught. And now, this same young man has abandoned said wife, with three little children, divorced her for another woman and now lives in a very big house (probably just down the street from yours) obtained with his very big salary as a VP at AGF. Sounds like I Timothy 3:6 was rather prophetic in this case don't you think? Is this the kind of person to which you entrust the AGF funds with which we've entrusted you? What is he going to do next George? Embezzle funds from AGF so he can buy his arm candy wife lots of gold and diamonds? Where are you taking us George? Where? Which lane on the "broad path" are you after? Is it the Brian Houston of Hillsong money and sex model? Or is it the Rick Warren global peace through man's efforts model? Is it the Joel Osteen you-can-have-it-all-NOW model? Or is it the George Wood my-education-can-make-me-desirable-by-the-world model? Where?

Trying to Follow the Narrow Path that Jesus prophesied Few Would Find,

Brother Mike

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