A new church in Samoa built for $12 Million and millions were reportedly spent setting up a Christian television service.
Where do the churches get the money from in a struggling developing country?
A recent survey found 97% of all households reported giving church donations, taking 17.1% of household income, but some families report giving as much as 50 per cent of their incomes to their church.
It’s all part of the customary giving in Samoa know as faalavelave… but are some Samoan churches abusing the tradition?
Last week the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa Annual Conference resisted calls for a ban on gift giving saying it would accept money as long as families were not put under pressure by the donation. Continue reading