The danger is that public concern about the separation of church and state will force Christian charities to compromise their mission. I doubt, for example, whether Tenth would ever consider accepting U. S. tax dollars for its mercy ministries, unless somehow we could guarantee the total integrity of our presentation of the gospel. One possible solution might be to grant tax credits to citizens who make donations to approved programs. This way the federal government could support effective charitable work without making direct subsidies to religious organizations. The situation is somewhat different for independent ministries than it is for churches, but it is still wise to be cautious.
Money never comes without temptation.
Faith-based ministries always seem to be short of funds, and sometimes we dream about all the things we could do, if only we had more money. That is why some Christian groups are already mobilizing to apply for federal funds. But in my experience, God's work never lacks for God's supply. However useful it may be, money is among the least important resources needed for spiritual work, and it is important not to let the promise of money get in the way of sound principles for ministry. The President's new Faith-Based Initiatives are likely to be a mixed blessing.