I have read in previous editions of The Worldwide News that the church will begin a local pledge system for financial stewardship.
Could you explain the rationale behind this idea and tell me when it will be implemented.
Briefly, the anonymous pledge system we will implement is the church's response to the need for a systematic but discretionary approach to giving to replace the former mandatory tithing system.
After the church discontinued the mandatory tithing system it had taught for many years, we found ourselves with a discretionary approach to giving, but one that was not easy to use for projecting the church's income and expenses for budgetary purposes. We had gone from a mandatory system to a discretionary nonsytem. In order for the church to project its income and teach sound financial stewardship principles, we saw the need to replace the old mandatory system with a new, albeit discretionary, systematic approach.
To accomplish this, the church will introduce a pledge program tailored to the needs of both the church members and the church itself.
For example, to protect each person's confidentiality, the pledge is anonymous, with no one, not even the pastor, knowing how much the pledger has committed to give.
Second, these anonymous cards will be collected and counted locally, and only the total amount will be reported to headquarters.
Third, for complicated accounting reasons, the pledge is not legally binding, and is only a statement of the giver's intention as he or she is best able to do. In this and other ways the church has striven to make this new program easy but effective.
This new system was developed with the direct input of the regional pastors and members of the Los Angeles congregation.
Then, it was pilot-tested by the Los Angeles church, and member feedback was used to refine the card and program before printing. We are grateful for the broad base of support and input that this important project received.
Our plan is to start the pledge program in December. More details will be forthcoming, and members will have an opportunity to have their questions answered when the pledge system is instituted.
Nov. 19, 1996, Worldwide News, page three.
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