(Photo: Melly95/Pixabay | “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” – Ephesians 5:13)
Note: This article will take about 20 to 25 minutes to read.
In recent years, church and ministry whistleblowers have tried a variety of different approaches to expose corruption. They’ve challenged religious leaders in private meetings, worked with investigative reporters, filed complaints with government agencies, sued churches, appeared on podcasts and created whistleblower websites.
This article lists ten ways whistleblowers can engage in fighting fraud.
First, a Warning
Before going public with accusations, carefully evaluate the evidence. Is the evidence conclusive? If there is not enough evidence to convince most people, it might be best to wait on publicly voicing your concerns. If you make false allegations, even by accident and with good intentions, it will harm your credibility and could result in a defamation lawsuit.
Seek advice from experts: Attorneys can research government statutes and explain how laws apply to your circumstances.
If allegations are of a financial nature, consult with a certified public accountant. There are loopholes in the tax code that allow religious non-profits and churches to operate in a manner that would be illegal for other non-profits. Churches are not required by law to provide financial information to their donors.