Gospel for Asia Apologizes for Scandal of Misappropriated Funds

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Dec 07, 2015

Gospel for Asia Apologizes for Scandal of Misappropriated Funds

Ministry organization Gospel for Asia (GFA) recently published an apology in Christianity Today for its misappropriation of funds.

Gospel for Asia was stripped of its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) due to non-compliance with ECFA standards back in October.

Some of the accusations against GFA include using funds from donors meant to go toward ministry work in India for the organization’s new headquarters campus--a $40 million project.

According to Christian Today, GFA’s apology in Christianity Today states, "We are sorry for the pain and confusion that we have caused. We understand this has caused great concern and raised questions about the integrity and financial accountability of Gospel for Asia." The statement claims that ECFA's review "did affirm that funds given to the ministry were accounted for", and says "we acknowledge at times we have failed to utilize procedures necessary to ensure the highest level of accountability that you expect from us, and that we expect from ourselves.”

Patheos writer Warren Throckmorton has called attention to GFA’s financial practices repeatedly. Throckmorton believes GFA’s assertion that all the ministry’s funds have been accounted for is false, and said that about $128 million has been unaccounted for over the past eight years. 

"The ECFA did not review this claim and so it is false for Yohannan [GFA’s founder] to tell CT readers that the ECFA cleared them on this allegation," said Throckmorton.

Publication date: December 7, 2015



Gospel for Asia Apologizes for Scandal of Misappropriated Funds