STRAIGHT TALK

Ron McIntosh ('75, '79)   -   Director of Alumni Relations

click to enlarge There can be no excellence without integrity and accountability.

In the last two years in the country we have seen scandals, falls, and disgrace shake the foundations of the body of Christ.

Many questions have arisen, and among them are some poignant queries concerning finances. Many have openly asked, "Should ministries be accountable?" I want to address that issue.

I believe the echoes of the past 30 months have been a call to holiness, integrity, accountability and humility. It is easy to acknowledge that call when it applies morally, but many questions arise when the call is for financial accountability. I have heard some people say it should be mandatory, while others say that since the Bible doesn't seem to address the issue, we can't demand it.

I believe, however, that the Scriptures do address accountability. In II Corinthians 8, Paul deals with the management of the funds the Corinthian church had raised for the poor in Jerusalem. In verses 16-19 he gives directions as to how the finances should be handled. In verse 16 he states that he is sending them with Titus, and in verse 18 he further states he is sending another brother with Titus.

He amplifies this plan in verse 19 by adding, "What is more, he was chosen [voted upon, in Greek] by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal [Greek: large, munificent, abundance, bounty, great sum] gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right not only in the eyes of the Lord but in the eyes of man."

click to enlarge God holds us accountable for the vision of worldwide missions, which He has placed in the hearts of many ORU alumni.

Paul is saying they procured and elected officer to account for what was obviously a very large sum of money. Paul organized this large collection to honor God and to help those in need. To that end he took scrupulous pains to avoid bringing any disrepute on his name for mismanagement or avarice, not only in the eyes of God but also in the eyes of men. There is little doubt that Paul understood accountability long before it became an issue in the headlines!

The problem is that all too many of us have had negative experiences with accountability to godless leaders. I submit that the problem is not accountability itself, but godless leadership.

I believe the need for accountability arises from the very nature of fallen man. The major problem with a lack of accountability is that people become a law unto themselves, and a simple glance at human nature, even in the most godly men, proves how dangerout that can be. Our recent scandals have certainly proven that.

Perhaps a Christian leader's greatest fear is a voice raised in disapproval. It is a challenge to his worth. We want affirmation, not accountability. The possibility of confrontation arouses insecurity in us. But if I do not learn love and submission to leadership, expressed in accountability to those the Lord has placed over me, I then become a law unto myself.

One of my great passions has been to study what started and stopped the great moves of God in the past. One of the factors that brought the great Voice of Healing Revival (1947-1959) to an end was this very issue. An author, Jack Coe Ministry, in his article "Their Glory Is Their Shame," writes concerning the evangelist, "He became a law unto himself ... few men could keep themselves clean and straight while in possession of such absolute power." Many grew corrupt and fell though they had great ministries. Many of these men set up proper structures, but they could steamroll their leaders at any time."

click to enlarge ORU alumni have a responsibility to help meet the needs of others.

We must adhere to a call of accountability today. It is true that there are times when others do not understand the voice of God, and a leader has to press forward towards a vision against the advice of those around him. But he needs to be sure that he heard from God. There would have been no Voice of Healing Revival to begin with if William Branham or Oral Roberts had listened to the church leaders of the day. Such exceptions, however, are rare. If true biblical accountability were a practice in the body of Christ, we would have avoided most of our recent scandals.

Accountability demands and results in integrity -- which means completeness or whole number. David declared, "The Lord's integrity and uprightness uphold me." Our integrity is made complete by our being related to the whole of those mature in Christ.

What does it mean for us? It means first and foremost that we in the alumni foundation commit to stand in integrity. We will be accountable to you with every dime given to the new 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, the ORU Alumni Foundation. There will never be a time when you'll have to wonder what comes in or how it is being accounted for.

I believe in our new theme: together we can "Build a Network to Secure Excellence," a network of accountable, integrity-filled relationships. We want to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us and express that stewardship in integrity and accountability to you.