I sometimes do this. I'm a pastor. What does this make me?
Not all churches in our country have corporate departments, brother. Only big, established churches have it and quite frankly there's more small churches than big here. Our local church in particular only has a treasurer and some of our purchases, in order to save, are second hand. Not all churches have the pockets to:
1. Always ask for a quotation from a reputable store
2. Have a Purchasing Team
3. Call for bidding
I pray that you don't judge people that easily, moving forward. Not everything is what it seems.
to pastor skyjammer:
I apologized if you think we are judging, we are not. What we are doing is exchanging opinions, this is a forum and this is what people do in a forum.
In your point that you are administering a small local church, I also came from a local fellowship not even a local church in a province far north when Im still living there, when we decided to buy the equipment's for our worship team they assign "ME" (alone) "one person" to be in charge of procuring the said equipment, I go around music store, classified website like PM to get prices & to compare them, in tagalog "nag kakanvas" I alone acted as;
1. Always ask for a quotation from a reputable store
2. Have a Purchasing Team
3. Call for bidding
as you mentioned you have a treasurer, also acts as auditor, he/ she will be your accounting dept right? reports your church finances.
once I decide where to buy new or secondhand, I still need to atleast present a proof of purchase or print out the classified add & present it to the congregation or to the treasurer, just to avoid doubt.
so I fall on what I stated "possibly a buyer would buy the item then donate it or he will buy it personally then use it in church"
and I do that voluntarily, no pay or what so ever.
what we are discussing here on this thread are buyers who lowball's seller or "garapal kung mangbarat" & using GOD/church to do this.
again pastor this is just a clarification on your post, no bad intentions.