Bodies, not souls

Charity | A group that feeds children does not a ministry make | Rusty Leonard, Warren Cole Smith

Viewers of The Inspiration Networks, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and Sky Angel are familiar with heart-wrenching infomercials from the Christian Children's Fund (CCF). Founded in 1938, it is one of the nation's largest relief organizations, with a 2006 income exceeding $206 million. It is also average or slightly above average in financial efficiency, with less than 20 percent of CCF income typically going to fundraising and administrative costs.

CCF also does, more or less, what it says it is going to do: It feeds children. If it called itself the Children's Fund, no one could object. But Christians who contribute to it thinking that, because of the name, the Christian Children's Fund helps children spiritually as well as materially should think again. Kristen Hongisto, a spokesperson for CCF, told WORLD, "We do not call ourselves a ministry. We are not Bible-based. We are not a Christian organization except in the sense that we do good work."