Should I be suspicious of Filipino preachers soliciting support?
Question:
I recently received the two attachments from preachers in the Philippines.
While surfing through the net I came across a post of yours "The Corruption of Money". Pretty scary! Before the brethren here decide to send a one-time amount of financial support I have been asked to do some investigating to determine whether or not the preachers are worthy.
I do not know Jim McDonald, Derek Chambers or Steve Wallace. (Not the Steve Wallace from Sunnyside, Washington, but a different preacher) Are they conservative preachers with a good reputation?
The Filipino preachers (Edgar Samodal and Jonathan Sapitula) gave me their names as references. Do you know anything about Edgar Samodal or Jonathan Sapitula? Both claim to be non-institutional. It is a coincidence that one writes about just having 19 baptisms as a result of a radio program and lectureship.
When I asked the other one if he knew him he said he'd heard of him but not met him. I told him about the 19 baptisms. Then, by coincidence, he writes and tells me that he just had 15! Maybe I'm overly suspicious, but it sure sounds odd to me.
Question:
You ought to be suspicious. Of all the people I met over in the Philippines, there is less than a handful that I trust and I still verify what they write.
What scares me more is how people either don't check the claims of people who approach them or who ignore evidence of problems because they are certain they can never be fooled by people they know.
I know of but never met, Jim McDonald. He is an elder down in Texas for a sound congregation. Steve Wallace is a well-known preacher, I believe in Kentucky these days. Both are strongly connected to the Guardian of Truth Foundation. I don't know Derek Chambers. The first two are so well-known in the Philippines that I have seen people who never met them use their names as references.
Be aware of how scams can be perpetuated. Check every reference carefully. Preferably send someone you know and trust over to check the person out. The last is expensive, but it is well worth the effort if you plan to support a person.
