Week Six – Church Conflict Story – David

Church Conflict Story
Brookhaven Wesleyan Church
I interviewed Pastor John Walton the assistant pastor
January 21, 2009

Story in Board Meeting
Pastor John Walton explains a conflict he had in a board meeting in dealing with the mission’s budget. In the meeting, the question was raised, “why is the goal for the faith promise more than the projected income?” for example, The Faith Promise’s projected income is $20,000 and the set goal to reach $30,000. This leaves $10,000 floating somewhere, and the conflict is figuring out where that money is going to come from.

So the questions arise… “How are we going to make up the $10,000? Do we reduce the goal to meet the projected income?”

One side argues that the mission’s board wants to set the goal at $30,000 and it should stay that way because it is called a “Faith Promise”, therefore by faith we need to keep it at $30,000 and trust God to bring in the other $10,000 we need.” On the other side there is an accountant, who thinks and deals with numbers, and he says that we can not do that because $10,000 is going to have to come out of thin air.”

There was a discussion to what the faith promise is going to be and that there is a choice that has to be made; either approve it or not approve it... The board did pass to go with the goal; agreeing that it is a faith promise, and knowing that we have to trust that God will provide what we need.