When sending churches seek to reduce the subsidies, or when the national believers spend or hire in ways disagreeable to the supporting churches, hard feelings and misunderstandings normally result. Indeed, when the Chinese churches received Western assistance, they experienced minimal growth. Heavy dependence on Western funds can reinforce feelings of inferiority. Because of the extreme poverty in many countries, nationals already fell inferior. Such support can result in a new form of the old paternalism that so characterized the colonial era.
Western support can create a mercenary spirit among nationals.
While the motives of most national pastors and evangelists are above reproach, even motives for Christian service came become easily mixed when a secure and steady income is offer do those willing to become pastors or evangelists. Competition and jealousy can arise among believers vying to secure coveted, paid positions in a land of hunger. Westerners are rarely in a position to discern such motives, and they all too often tap leaders the nationals would not have chosen.6 Churches can become resentful or jealous of other churches receiving extravagant subsidies from American partner churches due to personal connections. Eastern European churches, which have learned to survive, and, in many cases, carry on significant ministries under great hardship, relative poverty, and, often, lay leadership, are now facing the challenges of new freedoms and adjustment to Westernization and materialism. If not done with the greatest care, the outpouring of well-intended financial gifts from Western churches could do much to further confuse and pollute churches that have been purified by 45 years of communist oppression.