All the denominations have become dependent upon foundations for extra loot, but that has not helped them.
WELS Church and Chicanery leaders at The Love Shack view foundation/Thrivent money as their own, to spend as they choose.
When people actually became upset about the Snowbird Conference, which I published in Christian News, the WELS excuse was, "We had to spend their money or they would have given it to the liberals."
In fact, the church bureaucrats negotiate the kind of grants they will get, so the designations fit the foundation/Thrivent rules and the denomination's shortfalls. The propaganda says that the money is for extra programs, so two purposes are served. One is getting something undeserving funded. The other is providing some cash flow where normal giving is weak.
A third effect is never considered. When people know about millions from outsiders, they are not inclined to give their pittance. In the long run, the pittance matters a lot more than the special projects.
When St. Marvin of Schwan reached room temperature and gave all his money to WELS-ELS-LCMS, but mostly to WELS, I figured it was the death-knell for greedy WELS. Sure enough, WELS spent itself into bankruptcy while getting the largest single charitable gift in history. WELS spent it all and then borrowed, that is--skimmed--even more from designated funds. WELS lost the interest earned from those funds, went into debt in regards to those funds, and had nothing to show for it. All that was done under the dream candidate for the conservatives - Gurgel. Wayne Mueller and his network ran the show.
In posts to follow I will show you how staggering amounts of money have been given. Where did it all go?
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "How To Blow Through $300,000 from Thrivent":
All I see are pet projects and ego trips for some very needy leaders.
