"…‘Official Kingdom’ issues include an enforced Special Contribution every year,
"
Henry Kriete Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"If we never pushed so hard to get money from our Christians, it would still matter a great deal to God, but not nearly as much as it does now, because of our constant asking and coercive ‘getting’. We have demanded extraordinary monetary sacrifice from our members, but comparatively, it appears we have demanded so little from ourselves."
Henry Kriete Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Coercive giving is practiced, wide-scale. Of course there are may sincere and generous disciples who love to give, but the fact remains, our entire scheme for collecting the contribution is not based on the heart, or about love offerings, or true concern about the spiritual impact our system of ‘getting’ has on the rank and file Christian. That is not what is most important. Accountability, intense scrutiny and follow up and man made pressures are the order of the day. When a Christian is cajoled into a ‘multiple’, tracked down for their tithe, categorized on official spreadsheets for everyone to know so that sector leaders ‘can be on top’ - all to maintain budgets that we have created, this is coercive."
Henry Kriete Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"...fostering financial giving under a sense of compulsion…"
Boston Apology Letter
– March 16, 2000
Note: The words "fostering" and "compulsion" do not normally appear together in the same sentence. This is corporate doublespeak.
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"For the most part, it is simply the byproduct of coercive tactics in ‘getting their contribution’ to begin with, and of the pressure exerted from weekly and monthly accountability, and not from cheerful giving
"
Henry Kriete Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
" Forced tithing and coercive giving are also practices that are unscriptural. The Scriptures are clear in the verse we used above that giving is to come from the heart. There will be no more accountability or multiples used for Special Missions Contributions.
"
Nashville Church Apology Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"We want you to be aware of how the Board came up with the 2003 Budget. The weekly contribution figures in it were based on the actual giving from last fall (2002). The Board did not set budgets which would require you to give more than you were giving."
Washington, D.C. Church Apology Letter -- March 1, 2003
The reader should note that DC claims not to be coercing its members into giving a certain amount, but instead, they are only calling them to give what they gave under previous coercion!
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"No longer is there any personal accountability on the weekly contribution."
Guillermo Adame Letter - Monday, April 14, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"No longer will there be a compulsion in the giving of any money. Needs will clearly be laid out and your decision to give will be yours and yours alone."
Guillermo Adame Letter - Monday, April 14, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Last year, we made a decision, which we stuck by, that we would not try to pressure members to give the multiple to insure that our missions goal would be met. In the past, to our shame, we have upheld a practice of pressuring people to give more in order to meet the goal. Our fear is that even last year,
some people may have felt this pressure in the church."
South Florida Apology Letter -- March 9, 2003
Note the language that suggests that somehow the fault belongs to those who "may have felt this pressure"! Even though this excerpt takes the form of an apology, it is typical of ICOC tactics in that it hints that the followers are somehow responsible for the acts of the leaders.
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"People have been forced to give, make up for other people’s contribution, as well as other practices that are not biblical."
South Florida Apology Letter -- March 9, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"There have been abuses of this Biblical principle whereby amounts to be given were at times dictated by leaders in both regular and special contributions and guilt was often placed upon you if you were unable to meet those expectations."
Denver Apology Letter -- March 14, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"To fulfill the financial obligations a system of weekly accountability has been practiced. This system of accountability caused many to give by compulsion instead of gratitude. ... Tithing has been falsely taught as a requirement of the new covenant.
"
Dallas/Ft. Worth Apology Letter
-- March 2, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"We apologize for the coercion that has been felt in regards to our weekly and special contributions. We are sorry for compelling people to give beyond their means."
Dallas/Ft. Worth Apology Letter
-- March 2, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Issues of financial giving such as coercion in giving, improper mandate of the Special Contribution, and feelings of failure caused by humanistic goals and expectations."
Houston Apology Letter
-- March 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Rather than appealing to you to give financially from your hearts and from the overflow of your love for God, we too often made you feel compelled and coerced to give a required amount, both in the weekly as well as the special contributions."
Los Angeles Apology Letter -- February 28, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"The accountability exercised by many concerning commitments to Men's Days, Women's Days, church services, giving and other activities and events was excessive and demeaning."
Los Angeles Apology Letter -- February 28, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Shamefully, even our giving and contribution became generally mandatory."
Manila Apology Letter -- March 30, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"This kind of compulsion has taken the form of excessive accountability during the special contribution. People were required to call in nightly regarding their progress in raising their special contribution."
Minneapolis/St. Paul Apology Letter -- March 12, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"People were required to fill out weekly pledge cards as well as special contribution pledge cards."
Minneapolis/St. Paul Apology Letter -- March 12, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"There have been times in the past where the special contribution was given and then a second effort was made to try and meet the goal. This should never have been done and amounted to forcing people to give."
Minneapolis/St. Paul Apology Letter -- March 12, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"We have at times tracked people’s contribution to monitor giving. This is a form of compulsion and will never be repeated."
Minneapolis/St. Paul Apology Letter -- March 12, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Each year we were given a special contribution goal by Seattle and were not involved in deciding for ourselves what we should give."
Minneapolis/St. Paul Apology Letter -- March 12, 2003
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"The use of unhealthy pressure to accomplish ministry and financial goals"
New York Apology Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"In January of 2003, we moved the regular giving of contribution to Sundays and have
now abandoned the tracking of individual
contributions."
Orlando Apology Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Advice has been viewed as law, leading to untold interference in many personal areas of your lives, from dating to
finances to living situations and much, much more."
Orlando Apology Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"We have demanded financial giving. In the weekly and Special Missions contributions, we have insisted upon the giving of money, rather than allowing money to be given from the heart and not under compulsion.
"
Orlando Apology Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"We renounce the tracking of individual contributions"
Orlando Apology Letter -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"You were coerced to give money and do many things that disciples do in Christian liberty but my leadership turned it into a burden and broke many of your hearts."
Steve Johnson Apology -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Bible talk leaders being responsible for collecting contribution and pushing other
talmud-like regulations."
Steve Johnson Apology -- Spring 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Giving under compulsion"
Toronto Apology Letter -- April 9, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents
"Practices such as--overly focusing on the giving of your weekly contribution and yearly mission's contribution in a manner that has been responsible for some of you giving more out of guilt instead of a cheerful heart; imposing dating guidelines as though they were Biblical mandates and not just advice; expecting attendance at camps, seminars and other costly church activities without enough sensitivity to your individual situations;
"
St. Louis Apology Letter -- March 12, 2003
Applicable Laws/Policies/Documents