The Evangelical Council Of Financial

Accountability Is A Joke
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17662575/The-Evangelical-Council-Of-Financial-
Accountability-Is-A-Joke

Franklin's Purse
Charity: Controversy spurs Graham to give up one of two salaries | Warren Cole Smith
and Rusty Leonard
Franklin Graham has long had a reputation for being larger than life and going his own
way. His 1997 memoir, Rebel With a Cause, chronicled his prodigal period and his return
to God. Eventually, he made it to the top spots at both the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association (BGEA) and Samaritan's Purse (SP), a Christian relief organization
ministering to the needy around the world.
So Graham may now have a cause, but he never leaves the rebel far behind. In 1992,
the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) suspended Samaritan's Purse
while it investigated the ministry's finances. It was reinstated in early 1993. In 2001,
when he also took over as president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association,
nonprofit experts questioned the wisdom of Graham being paid full-time salaries by both
organizations. Ministry watchdog Ole Anthony of the Trinity Foundation said, "It's
ludicrous to think he could do two jobs at that level."
This month, Graham and his compensation are back in the spotlight again. When the
Chronicle of Philanthropy released its annual list of the top-paid executives in the
nonprofit world, Graham appeared twice, at the top of the list for his salary with BGEA,
and only slightly farther down for his only slightly less hefty salary with Samaritan's
Purse. The two combined gave him a total compensation of more than $1.2 million
(including expense allowances) for 2008 and made him the highest-paid executive at a
Christian ministry listed in the survey, and one of the highest-paid nonprofit executives
of any kind.
The news created a media firestorm. BGEA's hometown newspaper, the Charlotte
Observer, devoted more than 3,000 words to the controversy in a front-page story that
was picked up by newspapers around the country. Graham himself stopped giving media
interviews. Instead, his public relations agency issued a defense of the compensation,
saying that "due to unusual reporting guidelines related to deferred compensation placed
in a 457(f) retirement plan at the BGEA over the past four years, nearly half (44.8
percent) of Mr. Graham's 2008 compensation as reported on the ministry's Form 990
had been previously reported on the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Form 990. This unusual
reporting requirement meant that the BGEA had to report three prior years' retirement
contributions a second time in 2008. Therefore, in reality, there was no substantial
increase in Mr. Graham's compensation in 2008."
That may be, but the same reporting guidelines also applied to others in the
compensation survey. The only real difference was that BGEA's contributions to
Graham's retirement plan were much larger than other organizations' contributions to
their executives' plans. Also, Graham's compensation in the years 2005-2007 was over
$750,000—at or near the top for Christian ministry executives. Indeed, Graham's
compensation was so much greater than the No. 2 religious executive on the list that,
even without the double-counting, his combined BGEA/SP salaries would still have put
him at the top of the list.
So will all of this result in more scrutiny, or possible suspension, from the ECFA? Almost
certainly not. Dan Busby, president of the ECFA, also declined to be interviewed by
WORLD, but he too issued a statement in response to our questions. His statement said,
in part, that "nearly half of Mr. Graham's 2008 compensation as reported on the Billy
Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) Form 990 had been previously reported on the
2005, 2006, and 2007 Form 990. This unusual reporting requirement resulted in the
BGEA reporting three prior years' retirement contributions a second time in 2008.
Therefore, there was no substantial increase in Mr. Graham's compensation in 2008." In
other words, the ECFA statement was almost a verbatim copy of the statement issued
by BGEA and Samaritan's Purse.
Busby's statement went on to say that "ECFA standards are based on the principles of
good governance, accountability, integrity and transparency, and do not place dollar
limits on the compensation of its members' leaders."
But Graham himself acknowledged that, despite the elaborate explanations, the situation
didn't look good. On Oct. 9, Graham told his staff via a memo that he planned to give up
his BGEA salary. His spokesperson, Mark DeMoss, said that Graham had decided the
controversy "just wasn't worth it." That means that Graham will receive just one income,
the one he gets from Samaritan's Purse—which in both 2007 and 2008 (including all
benefits) exceeded $500,000.
http://www.worldmag.com/articles/16027

There are some people who have this opinion that the Evangelical Council for Financial
Accountability is an honorable organization. But it is a fact that the Evangelical Council
for Financial Accountability doesn’t exist for the donors but for the Evangelical ministries
to give them a so called umbrella of legitimacy. That is why ECFA never discloses the
salaries of any Evangelical ministry leader to the donors which is a true test of why they
are in the ministry!

The Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability came into being due to the
threats of Congressman Charles Wilson of Texas who had introduced a bill that
would have required disclosure "at the point of solicitation unless the
Fundamental Evangelical Evangelists would clean up their own house and
police themselves.

For Southern Baptist Evangelist Billy Graham was embarrassed in 1977 when the
Charlotte Observer discovered an undisclosed $23-million fund in Texas, apparently not
mentioned in the accountings of the Minneapolis headquarters of the Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association.

As a result Graham's business manager led the formation of the Evangelical Council for
Financial Accountability after Graham said on a national telecast, ". . . there are some
charlatans coming along and the public ought to be informed about them and warned
against them, " "stated K. Hadden and Charles E. Swann in their book Prime Time
Preachers.

Jeffrey K. Hadden and Charles E. Swann in their book Prime Time Preachers: The Rising
Power of Televangelism (1) stated:

In 1977 Senator Mark Hatfield informed a group of evangelical leaders that if they did
not assume responsibility for regulating themselves there was every likelihood that
legislation would be required. In fact, Congressman Charles Wilson of Texas had already
introduced a bill that would have required disclosure "at the point of solicitation."

In December 1977 representatives of thirty-two evangelical groups met in Chicago to

discuss cooperative efforts. Thomas Getman, chief legislative assistant to Senator
Hatfield, told the group, "Legislation is not important; disclosure is." Getman encouraged
"a voluntary disclosure program . . . that will preclude the necessity of federal
intervention into the philanthropic and religious sector."

Almost two years later Dr. Stanley Mooneyham, president of World Vision,
acknowledged, "There is no denying that this threat of governmental action was one of
the stimuli'' that produced the December meeting and the subsequent activities which
led to the founding of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

A tax exempt non profit organization and corporation, especially a religious one, is not
like a private company which exists for profit? Its revenues come from the donations
and gifts of ordinary individual some of whom have sacrificed to give to them. For this is
what many Evangelical Evangelists have requested 'their sacrificial giving?"
Many Southern Baptists evangelists in America, such as Billy and Franklin Graham,
belong to the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability that purports to work on
behalf of the donor but in reality exists for the spenders. For although ECFA has in its
possessions the total compensation of all the religious evangelical non-profit
organizations that belong to it, it will not disclose them. Years ago I have requested
such information from ECFA but to no avail.

Do your own homework on Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability which Billy
Graham founded.

It is a fact that Fundamental Evangelical leaders in America, even those who belong to
ECFA, never show their total compensation to their donors. They are not stupid. If they
disclose anything is just your basic salary but not their personal income tax?

So to whom is the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability accountable to? To

themselves? Definitely not to their donors or the public as seen by their own words!

For the ECFA has as its Mission Statement that it is committed to helping Christ-
centered organizations earn the public's trust through developing and maintaining
standards of accountability that convey God-honoring ethical practices.

Also Its donor bill of rights states that its responsibility to make sure your charity's
standards and guidelines assure you of a "bill of rights" as a donor. You have the right
to:
1. Know how the funds of an organization are being spent.
2. Know what the programs you support are accomplishing.
3. Know that the organization is in compliance with federal, state, and municipal laws.
4. Restrict or designate your gifts to a particular project.
5. A response to your inquiries about finances and programs.
6. Visit offices and program sites of an organization to talk personally with the staff.
Nothing in the donor's "bill of rights" talks about checking into illegal or unusual
expenses or salaries? But ECFA states that it wants to earn the public's trust through
developing and maintaining standards of accountability that convey God-honoring ethical
practices.

A simple examination of ECFA seven standards of responsible stewardship shows that it

gives nothing to the donor or the public to ensure that there is no hanky-panky other
than their word. Unfortunately as shown by the BFA bankruptcy the word of Southern
Baptists doesn't mean much!

An excellent way to determine responsible stewardship of any ministry that belongs to

ECFA is to see the personal income tax of the chairmen of each of the nonprofit
organizations who belong to ECFA. One can easily see if an individual is profiting from
their own indirectly owned non-profit religious organization?

Why is it important to know the salaries of religious leaders? The downfall of Evangelist
Rex Humbard says why.

From its modest $65 beginning, the Rex Humbard Ministry was now worth millions. And
was all paid for by private contributions. Still, like those of many of his fellow television
colleagues, Rex's ministry appeared ever on the brink of bankruptcy. On his April 13,
1980, broadcast he made an impassioned plea for immediate cash contributions needed
to stave off disaster. The program was $2.5 million behind in its obligations, and
Humbard was running an average of four months behind in payments to stations for TV
time.

Humbard's appeals brought in $4 million and wiped out the debt. About the same time,
a Cleveland Press writer discovered that Rex and two of his sons, who work with him on
the television ministry, had purchased a home and condominiums in Florida valued at
$650,000 with down payments of $177,500 in cash.

A lot of people have long believed that preachers, especially the evangelical variety,
have their hands in the offering plate. In light of this belief, the timing of Humbard's
corporate debt and personal investment certainly didn't make him look very good. And
he didn't help his own cause any when he told the prying Press reporter, "My people
don't give a hoot what I spend that money for

But people do give a hoot how much money their favorite minister steals and that is why
ministers especially prominent ones hide their salaries. As a result of Rex Humbard's
thievery his ministry folded because people and even God does not like crooks in the
House of God.

If you check out the latest form 990 - 2002 for Billy Graham Evangelist Organization
available from Guide Star http://www.guidestar.org/search/ you will see that Billy
Graham is just as much of a crook as ever. At 88 years of age he is still receiving a
hundred percent salary of $ 189, 385 and $ 233,979 for other allowances and is
working less than ten percent of the time! The same with Clifford B. Barrows who is
receiving $ 164,442. They both should have been put out to pasture a long time ago and
should have stopped taken a salary that they have not earned!

And yes Billy used his organization to support financially his children including $
600,000 to Franklin Graham, $ 210,000 to Ned Graham and $ 300,000 to Ann. Ned
Graham who was originally slated to take over Billy Graham Evangelist Organization
instead of Franklin received less money because he is the black sheep of the family.
What gave Billy Graham the right to take money donated to preach the gospel to give to
the support of his family especially Ned Graham? Nothing!

Jeffrey K. Hadden and Charles E. Swann in their book “Prime Time Preachers” stated:

Billy Graham was embarrassed in 1977 when the Charlotte Observer discovered an
undisclosed $23-million fund in Texas, apparently not mentioned in the accountings of
the Minneapolis headquarters of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. As a result
Graham's business manager led the formation of the Evangelical Council for Financial
Accountability after Graham said on a national telecast, ". . . there are some charlatans
coming along and the public ought to be informed about them and warned against
them."

In my opinion Billy Graham has raised up two sons Ned and Franklin who are as
deceitful as their father. Ned Graham, the son of Billy Graham, Southern Baptist
minister, president East Gates International, a group that distributes Bibles in China told
Christianity Today in an interview that he had abused alcohol and spent an
"inappropriate amount of time" with two women on his staff.

Grace Community Church, Southern Baptist Convention, in Auburn, Washington--which

counted Ned Graham, his wife, and their two sons as members established the fact that
Ned Graham was an adulterer, alcoholic, wife abuser, and drug user and revoked
Graham's ministerial credentials. It directed Graham to stop using the title reverend.

Yet in a style reminiscent of Jimmy Swaggart, who refused to be defrocked by the

Assembly of God denomination, Ned Graham left that congregation for another church.

Most of the staff and board members of East Gates International resigned amid
controversies. East Gates, in Sumner, Wash., withdrew its membership in the
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability after Ned replaced the board members
with his sister Ruth Graham McIntyre, brother-in-law Stephan Tchividjian, and business
leader Peter Lowe.

Graham's sister Gigi Tchividjian has joined the office staff and Ned Graham continues as
East Gates president. The ECFA the self-policing organization Billy Graham helped start
requires that a majority of board members not be related by blood or marriage, which is
no longer the case for East Gates. Nepotism is alive and well in Evangelical ministries?

A December East Gates fund-raising letter included a note from his father saying that
"Ruth and I are proud of and grateful to God for our son Ned." East Gates has
distributed 2 million Bibles to Christians in China, Billy Graham said, encouraging
Christians to "back this unique and effective ministry."

It is interesting to see the most famous "evangelist" (some say) not being able to
educate his children, especially Ned. At the same time, having a bunch of so-called
Christians following the leadership of such wreckless person. Franklin Graham wears
jeans, boots, denim shirt, and leather jacket. He was a teen rebel who drank, smoked,
fought, and led police on high-speed chases. He was kicked out of LeTourneau College.
He used to be a rebel and a 'bum' got religion and become more sophisticated and
formed "the Samaritan's Purse' so that he can fly around the country and charge things
to his non-profit corporation. As a result his ministry, Samaritan's Purse, had a run-in
with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. The ECFA suspended
Samaritan's Purse while it looked into Franklin's (Graham) compensation and use of the
company plane.

Although Billy Graham encourages religious leaders to be open about their salaries and
publish their finances none of the Grahams reveal their total compensation nor release
their personal income tax as President Obama does and former Presidents Bush and
Clinton have done. It's the law of the land that all non profit chairman of corporations
must reveal their total salary and that Billy, Ned and Franklin do not to their donors
speak volumes of their hypocrisy?

Yes, Jesus told us to beware of hypocrites like Dr. Billy Graham and ECFA.

News from the past:

News & Record reported on June 15, 2005 that Billy Graham statue unveiled

GREENSBORO -- Southern Baptists, citing his work in bringing people to Christ,

unveiled a statue Wednesday that honors the Rev. Billy Graham, the world-
renowned North Carolina evangelist. The bronze statue was shown as the
Southern Baptist Convention neared the end of the annual meeting. It depicts
Graham with his mouth open and arms outstretched, a Bible in hand. A cross
towers over him.

But News & Record didn’t report that Billy Graham is still a crook, is deceived
about his adulterous friend Bill Clinton, told the Whooper of the Century,
believes Jews to be Satanic, is friends with liberals who are off the wall, lied
about his health, is a false prophet who doesn't tell the truth about anything.

The following facts are undeniable and true:

1) Billy taking 100 % salary at 87 years of age and working less than 10
percent
2) Billy being a friend of Nixon and a bigot against the Jews
3) Billy writing a letter to Nixon to bomb the dykes of North Vietnam
4) Billy unsure that heaven is a right place for him
5) Billy's unconditional support of Clinton and his forgiveness of Clinton
6) Billy using a Ghost writer to write his books
7) Billy formed ECFA to protect his interests and cook the books
7) Billly supporting a son, Ned, who was a drunk, adulterer, immoral and had
no integrity
8) Billy gave his ministry to Franklin who is as deceitful as his father and a
bum and a thief

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Accountability-Is-A-Joke