“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need . . . All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had . . . There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.”
It’s the biblical description of God’s welfare program. It describes a time when people, primarily the early New Testament church believers, relied on people and relationships for provisions in times of trouble and misfortune. It describes a system where needs were met and relief was swift.
Today, most people look to their government for such resources in times of misfortune. Europe is largely defined by its socialist programs and “progressive” welfare systems. America largely fought such ideals throughout its history but in the 1960’s finally embraced a welfare system to fight poverty and provide widespread monetary support for poverty-stricken individuals. This welfare system has grown with each passing year to where it now barely resembles that which Lyndon Johnson had in mind when he stated the poor need a “hand up” not a “hand out”. But sadly, and largely through sheer abdication, America has given over the burden of caring for it’s less fortunate to the government - a government that is inefficient, bloated, ill equipped, and through it’s means-tested policy structure only creates and perpetuates a cycle of handout-seeking pauperism. Americans, and Believers alike, have no one to blame for this dilemma but themselves.
This abdication of “brethren helping brethren” has given us a welfare system in America that is broken yet only continues to grow in size and scope with each passing year. Johnson stated during his first speech outlining his War on Poverty that “the war on poverty is not a struggle simply to support people, to make them dependent on the generosity of others.” Our current welfare system now encompasses some 70 programs overseen by 6 different federal government departments. When Johnson started his War on Poverty, the government spent roughly $8.9 billion ($42 billion in today’s dollars) on welfare programs. Welfare spending in 2000 was $434.3 billion and Bush has done nothing to slow this spending juggernaut down as estimates are that welfare costs under his watch are now pushing $525 billion. The annual cost of the welfare system for taxpayers is about $5,600 per household. The system now covers such programs as cash aid, food, medical aid, housing aid, job training, social services and urban/community development programs. The total cost of our welfare system since it’s inception in 1965 is estimated at $8.29 trillion.
Yet for all of this money that’s been thrown at the alter of government sponsored welfare, we have seen only marginal improvement in the national poverty rates since 1965. The poverty rate in 1965 was at 13.9%. Today it’s around 12% depending on your source and calculation method. Since 1965 the poverty rate has remained between 9% and 11% every year or about 5.5 to 7.5 million families a year.
The reason for this marginal improvement is because our government runs a “means-tested” welfare program where eligibility for funds is based on a certain income level. Moreover, these funds will often times continue to come in even if behavior of the individual is not changed.
There is a core message being delivered via our public welfare system structure that will inhibit the eradication of poverty (or at least wide scale reduction of rates). The message is that it’s ok if you are jobless and it’s ok however you got there, because the government will give you enough money to maintain your autonomy in the system and in society; all the while you never need to change your behaviors or make yourself better. Our current system promotes degradation, idleness, apathy, and dissolution all the while promising financial support while individuals embrace such ideals. Research is clear that prolonged exposure to welfare receipts only fosters the continuance of the cycle and is harmful to children who are surrounded by non-working role models who provide no incentive for future success.
Our current government sponsored welfare system has done damage to the war on poverty by enabling single parent households via a support system to “get by on”. Clearly there is a problem when women are rewarded with increased benefits for establishing a separate household. Deadbeat fathers can escape the system and receive their welfare benefits by remaining “homeless” and thus not having to pay a dime in child support or other court ordered disbursements. We have a system that does not require accountability of those receiving benefits; Accountability in terms of the embracing of structure, family (patriarchal values primarily), and productive contribution to society.
The alternative to this system is for America, and primarily Christian believers, to take back that which they’ve abdicated to the federal government—the care and support of those in need. However, before this can happen, America’s view of tithing and giving to benevolence entities needs to change along with their expectations for services rendered as well.
The most recent research indicates that about 4 out of every 5 adults (84%) donates some amount of money to charity or churches each year. About 1 out of every 4 adults (26%) donates more than $1000 to charity or churches each year. The median amount given to non-profits and churches each year is about $300 per adult. However, all of these numbers are on the decline from pervious years and previous decades. Americans are giving less and less to their churches and to non-profits with amounts given to charity/churches as a percent of household income at about 2% across the board, no matter one’s income level. The Chronicle of Philanthropy estimates 2003 donations to charity equaled $241 billion.
There are a number of theories out there on why the level of giving in America has decreased over the past couple decades. Some suppose it’s because our oldest generation, many of whom tithe and donate regularly, are passing away and being replaced by a younger generation that does not tithe nor give regularly and does not plan to in the future. Others point to the objections some have to the value-free giving of the current welfare system while still others point to cultural changes in America. Perhaps our society has become comfortable with the current welfare distribution system and they see their payroll taxes as a form of “giving” to the needy rather than actually giving to benevolent organizations.
Regardless of the reasons, if America and its believers are going to provide for the needs of its unfortunate rather than abdicate such duties to the government, a calling out of truth needs to occur and accountability brought out to the open. Accountability not only in terms of believers actually giving but also for those receiving the distribution—the indigent, the unemployed, the single head of households, etc.
Starting with believers, giving cannot remain at the current level—2% of income on average. BARNA reports that survey results indicate 1 in 10 “born again” believers tithe regularly (that is gives 10% of their income every month). While evangelicals and other believers are definitely “giving” more regularly and more often to non-profits than non-believers (about twice as much), it is not currently at a level that would effectively fund the transfer of welfare services from the state to other entities.
Certain Christian subgroups also need to be educated about the necessity of tithing and giving to non-profits. BARNA reports that Hispanics, liberals, households earning less than $20K a year, Catholics, and home-school families tithe less than one-tenth of one percent of their income. Fiscal accountability for those expected, no less commanded, to give to the church and other benevolence organizations must be prized, taught, and developed.
Accountability, though, goes much further than mere dollars and cents. The state welfare system belongs in the hands of churches, non-profits, and America’s citizens because currently, there is little to no incentive for change of circumstance or accountability to manage such potential for change. President Carter once said of the welfare system, “[it] is anti-work, anti-family, inequitable in its treatment of the poor and wasteful of the taxpayers’ dollars”. The current state welfare system is value-less and in many ways, fosters the continuance of a pauper society with little to no incentive for redirection. Recipients receive funds when a family dissolves to a single head of household. They receive funds for additional births or children in the household. They receive numerous extensions for unemployment. All of these come without any strings attached, for the most part, requiring effort, education, and self-improvement. To say it simply, there are plenty of carrots but very few sticks.
Churches and non-profits are in a much better position to provide, and even require, accountability of action for receipt of funds. Churches and even some non-profits have seen this type of welfare system work all the time—granted it’s in a smaller and more local scale. But it’s that relationship component, that daily or weekly or monthly accountability that is needed for the welfare system in America to be truly effective and live out the intentions of President Johnson.
Churches and non-profits can create a localized system of welfare that doesn’t foster or encourage autonomy within a destitute or poverty sub-culture. These organizations can provide structure, values, and personal connections that will move individuals from reliance on benevolence to actions and strategies for self (and familial) improvement. These organizations realize that compassion isn’t about “giving to” someone but rather partnering with someone to accomplish specific goals—a concept not often embraced or promoted by our politicians and the welfare system they craft.
Reports of successful and effective faith-based and non-profit benevolence outreach is common throughout this country. Whether it’s homeless shelters, foster homes, single parent shelters, apprenticeship programs or even church families partnering together to provide financial, medical or spiritual assistance, there are systems in place across this country and in every city that proves it does work.
Sure there would need to be some structures put in place to transition from state welfare to faith-based and non-profit provided welfare. However, this need not be a huge obstacle for this reason: churches and non-profits can begin to act now and as their efforts grow in success, more folks are taken off the public doles and the state system shrinks in scope.
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