Archived: World to Christ International (Australia) Inc: charity review

Mini charity review of World to Christ International (Australia) Inc (WTC)

The previous review (in black) is used as a base, with comment only if the situation has changed or extra information would be helpful.

as an organisation that (a) seeks donations from the public via the internet (in the website footer), and (b) is a Member of Missions Interlink, an organisation that, among other things, gives Members income tax exemption even though they do not meet the “in Australia” test and do not have deductible gift recipient status. (Including the answers to the questions that the Australian charity regulator, the ACNC, suggests that you ask.)

See here for the previous review.

Members of Missions Interlink have to accept a set of standards, the introduction to which includes this statement:

Are they responsive to feedback?

• When sent a draft of this review, on 23 June 2017, they…did not respond.
• 2018 review: They did not respond to a draft of this review.

Is WTC registered?

• As a charity, yes.
  • Not showing the ACNC’s ‘charity tick’ yet.
• WTC is a Victorian incorporated association (No. A0054699X).
• Although it trades under the names ‘WTCI’, ‘WTCI Australia’, and ‘Jesus Healing Of the Whole Person’, none are registered as business names.
• WTC operates in Australia, per the ACNC Register, only in Victoria. But it also calls for donations on its website. It has no fundraising licences^[1].
• 2018 review: In the AIS 2017, WTC said that it did not intend to fundraise in 2018.

What do they do?

• See ‘Our Ministry’ on a website in the name ‘Jesus’ Healing Of The Whole Person’^[2].
• The ACNC Register says that they operate overseas in Hong Kong. Courses are conducted there (see, for instance, February 2015 on Facebook, and here).
• 2018 review: there is no evidence that courses are still conducted there.

Do they share the Gospel^[3]?

• No, the ministry is to Christians.

What impact are they having?

• Nothing systematic found. You might find something anecdotal in the occasional newsletters.

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

• No financial information is available, (see below).
• 2018 review: ‘Grants and donations made…’ were 19% of expenses.

Can you get a tax deduction?

• No

Is their online giving secure?

• PayPal is used, so yes.

Is their reporting up-to-date?

• Yes (lodged four months after their year-end).
  • But if you are considering a large donation, I would ask for more up-to-date financial information – the accounts are for a year end that is now a year ago.
• 2018 review: Down to one month for the AIS 2017.

Does their reporting comply with the regulator’s requirements?

• AIS 2016: Except for the absence of outcomes, yes.
  • But only because WTC is still saying that it is a Basic Religious Charity, and therefore not required to complete the section on financial information. However, it wasn’t, and still isn’t such a charity.
  • 2018 review: WTC no longer claims to be such a charity; outcomes are still missing.
• Financial Report 2016: NA
  • Even if had not identified as a Basic Religious Entity, WTC’s revenue would have made it exempt from submitting a Report anyway.
  • However, audited accounts should exist – clause 30(4) of its constitution requires them. And their membership of Missions Interlink means that they must be available to ‘members and supporters’ [Standards Statement, 4.1]. (I asked last year, but they didn’t reply. So I’ll leave it to you this year.)
  • 2018 review: Again, I didn’t ask this year.

What financial situation was shown by that Report?

• NA
• 2018 review: However, Section D of the AIS 2017 shows
  • A deficit of 73% of ‘Total income/receipts’.
  • No liabilities and assets of $300K.
    • These assets are 20 times 2017 ‘Total income/receipts’. Why they continue to seek donations when they have such a large holding of assets would be a good question to ask.

What did the auditor say about the last financial statements?

• NA
• 2018 review: An audit report should have been produced (see above); it’s just that the ACNC doesn’t require one.

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

• Yes
  • “Phone” and “Website” are blank, but neither are compulsory.

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

• None.

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• WTC say it’s the people at the bottom here.
• Which matches what is on the ACNC Register (under ‘Responsible Persons’):
  • Sophia Hunter
    • Is it this Sophia Hunter?
  • George Lagwa
    • Is it this George Lagwa?
  • Wendy Lagwa
  • Robert Nicholls
    • Is it this Robert Nicholls?
  • Edward Seymour
  • Karen Seymour
  • Assuming that George and Wendy are related (married?), and similarly Karen and Edward, the board would seem to be too small at six people.

To whom are they accountable?

• To Missions Interlink, as a member. Membership confirmed.
  • For one opinion on the strength of the Missions Interlink accountability, see the section Activities in this review.
• And to the regulator of Victorian incorporated associations.

1. The law in this area is not straightforward – is an internet invitation ‘fundraising’ for instance? – and advice varies, so check with the charity before drawing any conclusions. ↑
2. The website that is linked from Missions Interlink has been obsolete since 2015. ↑
3. “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. ↑