Financial Model

The work in Pakistan is one that it will be measured in years and decades, not weeks or months Overcoming the unique challenges faced by the Gospel in that nation will require patience, diligence, and most importantly, God's hand of ongoing guidance, protection, and discernment. As we set out on this journey, we are looking to establish a financial model that will allow us to maintain strict financial accountability, efficiency, and long term sustainability. There are few places that the enemy does more damage to God's cause in the world than in the arena of finances. When cracks form in the area of financial trust with any mission work, that work frequently crumbles soon hereafter. When fallen human beings are involved (even saved ones), no financial model will eliminate or even mitigate all the risks inherent with the management of money in mission work.

However, there are models better equipped to handle these difficulties than others. Some of the dangers we hope to avoid with our financial model include:

  • Creating an unhealthy financial dependence within the people being served by the mission

    work.

  • Creating unnecessary opportunities for the enemy to tempt men with greed, envy, and covetousness.

  • Operate in such a manner that not all donations and financial assistance are clearly and

    independently verified.

  • Begin a work, without consideration for how to continue the work.

  • Allow a professed trust of God, to turn into a tempting of God.

  • Allow financial support (the good) to supersede the work of sharing Christ (the better).

A financial model equipped to handle these goals requires, among other things, the following.

  • Financial policies and procedures that the organization follows without fail which encourage

    accountability and shine the light on abuse (or mistakes, misunderstandings, etc.) quickly.

  • Separation of the various accounting functions within the organization. This separation

    includes ensuring those who receive funds are not the same individuals as those who

    deposit funds, and those who deposit funds are not the same individuals as those who

    disperse funds.

  • An independent third party on the ground in Pakistan to provide verification that money

    sent was received and used for its intended purpose.

Long Term Financial Vision

CMS has a financial vision to raise enough money to form a trust. The interest and return on the trust would then be used to finance the ongoing mission activities. Rather than a $1 being used to do good once, our vision is that a $1 can be used many times for many years to do many things to further the work.

LONG TERM FINANCIAL VISION

We are investigating how to put this trust together, and are praying that the Lord would burden many to come alongside CMS and get the trust established. The trust would allow CMS to set annual budgets and properly prioritize our financial support. Among other advantages, this would prevent the situation where those being served by the mission would have financial support pulled immediately if donations end with no time to make alternative financial plans. Urgency with regard to financial matters rarely leads to wise decisions. We are not in any way discounting a need to trust God. We are merely striving to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves with the financial model for CMS.

If you feel burdened to partner with us in this effort, please send an email to:

kentwelch@covenantmissionary.org