To be sure, I am sure there are expenditures that are likely opulent, but at the same time, if one has the technology to conduct world wide media rooms with state of the art ability to carry both audio and video data, there is a certain dollar level at which is required to do that -- period. That dollar amount may seem excessive to the small local church, but may be the minimum amount needed to use that media device. If indeed, they are using that technology to conduct meetings to save air travel, hotel, etc of many people, it may be economically wise to acquire such state of the art equipment. On the other hand, if it just sits and isn't being used, that is a whole different story. I have worked with companies with multibillion revenues and 50 thousand employees. My current employer has over 5,000 employees and almost 1 billion in revenue. I report directly to the President and Board of this organization. However, I don't consider it to be extraordinarily large compared to multi national corps such as Apple, General Motors, etc. So large is one of perspective. Compared to a small congregation of 200 members, COG HQ is large, but taken in perspective of truly large organizations, it isn't. Unfortunately, for HQ, the perception of the members and ministry is that it is large, since perception is reality, it is indeed large From conversations I remember from years ago about COG finances and that their audits are not publically available to the membership, I think that is a SERIOUS issue. The COG is not a corporation which derives it revenue from sale of goods and services and intimate details of salaries, etc is not available to people that are not investors. The COG has common charteristics of a government entity where data is generally available, including personal salaries, to anyone under Sunshine, open government laws that are common. While it isn't a government per se, I do not believe that even according to the Bible can they conduct their affairs in secret. The Church derives its revenues from donors, either directly or indirectly via the Tithe of Tithe. Therefore, its finances should be publically available to its donors. At the minimum, information should be available in some form and perhaps the salaries of senior officials should be available.Then, the Church membership can determine if the organization is wasting its resources. Without information, those opinions are based on rumour and speculation. To their defense, unfortunately, if they did release more details, members would question why one bought a $1,500 desk versus the $200 el cheapo from Wally world. There is a balance between being cheap versus extravagant and those judgements are difficult to address. Truly, the HQ is between a rock and a hard place, but I think at least general information should be made available to the membership. Perhaps, policies that indicate the price ranges available for equipment, technology etc. Travel policies could indicate whether officials can travel first class or coach. Even the travel policies can be difficult to truly judge. For a person that travels virtually full time, first class is not a luxury as airline travel is a chore, tiresome, and stressful. Unfortunately, for individuals who rarely travel, the thought of travel can be exciting and one may wish they could travel, even if via Coach. To this day, some 30 years later, I STILL automatically get tired the minute I step onto an airport! And, we were allowed to travel first class, stay in first class hotels, our laundry was paid for, and we were members of airport executive travel clubs that offered real recliners, individual servers in the restraunts, etc. By normal standards, we traveled in style. But, if you had to do that travel on a routine basis, it was NOT considered a perk, but as a way to try to relax between flights. I understand both sides of those issues and they are far more complex than first blush. This was more than you asked, but I thought I'd offer my view.
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