Gospel for Asia faces fresh questions about financial affairs

KP Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia.

An investigation by blogger Warren Throckmorton has appeared to find discrepancies between how Gospel for Asia raises funds for its work in India and its spending there.

On its US website, GFA asks supporters for $35 a month to sponsor a child, saying that 100 per cent of the money donated "is sent to the field to support your child".

However, the GFA/Believers' Church website says that the cost is 800 Indian Rupees a month or about $12.50.

In addition to this, Throckmorton says that he has seen documents showing that the actual cost of supporting a child in a GFA Bridge of Hope centre was just under $8.20 per month.

Throckmorton says: "At that rate, Americans who send $35/month to GFA for a child sponsorship could actually support four children. Or GFA could keep the excess in a bank and draw interest on the balance as they appear to be doing."

While GFA spent more than $6 million of foreign contributions on Bridge of Hope centres in 2014, it has $23.5 million designated for "the welfare of children" in a bank drawing interest at the same time.

Throckmorton says: "It is past time for GFA to end the silence and address this matter as well as others which have come out in recent weeks."

He has also raised questions about GFA's practice of sending large amounts of cash to India with students and staff, now discontinued.

GFA is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and has been awarded the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence. It has so far not responded to requests for comment.