Archived: New Heart Baptist Church: charity review

This is a charity review of New Heart Baptist Church (NH), a review in the series ‘Members of Missions Interlink. (Including the answers to the questions that the Australian charity regulator, the ACNC, suggests that you ask.)

For the previous review, see here.

Are they responsive to feedback? ^[1]

• I sent them a draft of this review. They rang, I answered their questions, then I heard no more. (The previous two years I didn’t even get the call.)

Is NH registered?

• As a charity, yes. But still incorrectly in the name Rochedale Baptist Church t/as New Heart Baptist Church.
  • The name should match that in the ABN register, Rochedale Baptist Church. The constitution is also in the wrong name.
  • They hold the name they use, New Heart Baptist Church, as a registered business name.
• NH is an unincorporated entity.
• It said in the AIS 2017 that it did not intend to fundraise. With the GiveNow option being more a facility for members rather than an invitation to the public, it is likely that a fundraising licence is not required.

What do they do?

• See the main menu items on the website.

Does they share the Gospel?^[2]

• Yes

What impact are they having?

• No information found.

What do they spend outside the costs directly incurred in delivering the above impact, that is, on administration?

• As they are not required to lodge any financial information, even in the AIS (see below), and they have chosen not to lodge this information voluntarily, nor publish anything on their website, we cannot make this calculation.

Do they pay their board members?

• Such payments are not prohibited by the constitution.
• There are no financial statements to check.

Can you get a tax deduction?

• No

Is their online giving secure?

• Give Now is used. Security is not mentioned.

What choices do you have in how your donation is used?

• None

Is their reporting up-to-date?

• Yes (six months after year end, three days later, and two and a half months later than last year).

Does their reporting comply with the regulator’s requirements?

• AIS 2017: No
  • Their name is incorrect.
  • There are no outcomes.
• Financial Report 2017: NA
  • Because they have a revenue of at least $250K their size is Medium. Ordinarily this would mean that they must lodge accounts (which have been at least reviewed). However, because they are a ‘basic religious charity’, they are exempt from reporting.
  • But their Associate membership of Missions Interlink requires them to “have available for [their] members and supporters a clear and appropriate financial statement which has been approved by its auditor.” So just ask.
  • They could have lodged this voluntarily, but they chose not to.

What financial situation was shown in that Report?

• NA

What did the auditor say about the last financial statements?

• If there is an audit report, it is not made public (or even offered).

If a charity, is their page on the ACNC Register complete?

• Yes
  • Despite their membership of Missions Interlink, and a page on the website (currently blank) for ‘Global Missions’, the Register says they don’t operate overseas.

Where were your (net) donations sent?

• There are no financial statements to check.

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• Here’s who they identify as the leaders.
• The ‘Responsible Persons’ on the ACNC Register match the elders plus the Senior Pastor, but still with an extra person, Roger McKnight:
  • Paul Butler
  • Peter Lane
  • Johan Laubscher
    • Is it this Johan Laubscher?
  • Roger McKnight
    • Is it this Roger McKnight?
  • Johan Oosthuizen
    • Is it this Johan Oosthuizen?

To whom is NH accountable?

• As a charity, to the ACNC.
• Claimed membership of Missions Interlink is confirmed. NH is accountable, as the recipient of benefits and concessions as an Associate member, to Missions Interlink.
  • For one opinion on the strength of that accountability, see the section Activities in this review.

1. I agree with Randy Alcorn [Money, Possessions, & Eternity, Tyndale, 2003] when he says that ‘Any Christian leaders who resist financial accountability make themselves suspect.’ [page 425].  ↑
2. “Good living and social concern are important [to the cause of evangelism], but they are not uniquely Christian graces…I’ve met a lot of fine Hindus, Muslims and atheists. Just living the life is not going to bring someone to Christ. There is much more to it than that. We must help people, certainly, but we must also share with them why we are motivated to do so. We must stand against injustice, poverty and need, but we must at the same time point to the One who brings justice and who can meet the deepest need. Until they know our reasons, how can they come to know our Lord?” [Dan Armstrong, the Fifth Gospel: The Gospel According to You, Anzea Books, pp. 13-14. ↑