I was not trying to pick a side in this debate. I was simply replying with a link showing the financial reporting from Newspring as the previous poster requested.
However, I find it interesting that no one would question the financial report of The Gamecock Club or Iptay and they give the same amount of detail as the church financial statement.
The USC 2016 financial statement is available here:
http://osa.sc.gov/Reports/stateengagements/universityofsc/Documents/Financial Statements/H2716.pdf
You can find Iptay reports here:
https://www.clemson.edu/giving/cufoundations/endowment/audit-fin-statements.html
I guess I don't understand the hate people have for church donations in general. No one here has ever been forced to donate to a specific church. Why does it bother so many people that Newspring raises so much money and how they choose to spend that money if those same people are not contributing a dime to the organization?
It would be the equivalent of people on this board getting mad at how much Iptay for Clemson is earning in donations and how they are choosing to spend that money when the same people are not contributing a dime to the organization. If you don't contribute in the first place, why would you care how much the coaches for Clemson get paid? The same goes for the church. If you don't contribute, why do you care how much the pastors and staff get paid?
I personally do not harbor any hate for church donations. And regularly donate to my church and would encourage others to do the same if so moved. What I do not like is the lack of transparency, not only in churches but in any exempt charitable organization. If you are content with the level of transparency provided by an organization you attend and give to, so be it. It bothers me that any tax exempt organization doesn't provide details of how they use those funds. In cases like NewSpring and Elevation, I find it worrisome that even those that are members and do donate have no idea how their donations are being spent and those that run those organizations get awful defensive when asked.
If you are a member, I would encourage you to ask for a line item budget including projected and actual numbers for the last year. I doubt you will be provided one and again that would worry me if I was in that position. We could get into the biblical basis for how a church should be organized and governed but my point is all charitable organizations should be completely open about what they do with others money. I think the law needs to be changed on what reporting is required by 503c organizations in general.
The comparison to IPTAY and The Gamecock Club is a bad example.
IPTAY and the GCC release fully audited financial statements providing a complete accounting of all cash flows. Those financial statements provide copious details. The link for IPTAY that you provided shows just the auditors report, many more details are available here:
https://www.clemson.edu/finance/controller/cafr/
And upon request anyone can receive the full financials on IPTAY alone, not consolidated ones, showing every revenue and expense item in great detail. I am certain the GCC is the same. I have no need to question those two organizations as there is sufficient transparency, and rightly so. If anyone, regardless of their affiliation or participation in either of these organizations, wants the information on salaries or expenses it's there to see.
Why do some churches and other 503c organizations lack this level of transparency? Could it be because if people really knew how their donations were spent they would stop donating?
At the end of the day, do what you want with your money. But you shouldn't be surprised when an organization that raises millions of dollars, has leaders who build multi-million dollar homes, are constantly building new branches, and appear flush with cash get questioned. Especially when they are getting the cash under the auspices of religion. We have seen this same song and dance before and how it has crashed and burned. When that happens it tarnishes all churches.
TLDR: Do what you want with your money but know how your charity is used. You should care. IMO it is acceptable to question any organization that is tax exempt. The law on 503c reporting should be changed.