Response to article in The Daily Telegraph

Today an article appeared in The Daily Telegraph raising a number of issues relating to C3 Australia, including our finances as well as our teaching on giving, healing and same sex attraction. We do not believe the portrayal of the facts by The Daily Telegraph is reasonable and set out below are our detailed responses to the key issues raised by them.

C3 Church Australia is a healthy, vibrant Christian Community where more than 61,000 Australians attend services each week. After more than 40 years of operation, many of our founding families remain actively involved in the Church, evidencing the deep meaning and significance the vast majority of members find from an association with C3 Church.

C3 Church Australia is a family of churches joined together in common culture and belief in over 100 community locations. Each Location operates independently—with a separate corporate structure; managing its own finances and assets; and an independent Board of Directors or Eldership.

As a faith-based organisation we aspire to live all the values and build the type of community that the gospel inspires.

While the overwhelming majority of our members have a deep and rich experience through their association with C3, we are of course aware that for some people, their expectations of being part of this community are not realised. As a community deeply committed to caring for individuals, we regret any situation where anyone has felt wounded or offended as a result of their experience.

Remuneration Arrangements

C3 Church has robust governance policies in place regarding remuneration of Pastors. All remuneration is set by an independent board of Directors and the quantum is benchmarked to organisations of a comparable size in the Education sector.

C3 Church complies with the disclosure guidelines articulated by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).

C3 has an extensive track record of providing support to families in need and is a supporter of a wide range of charities and has a regular program of giving to important causes.

C3 SYD Cares, a mission to the community in Sydney, has over the past eight years given over $4 million of goods, furniture, clothing and assistance, this includes:

Cooked and served over 125,000 meals to people in need
Distributed 55,000 food hampers
Distributed 30,000 items of clothing
Facilitated 250 work placements

In addition, the Church has donated more than $500,000 to local community groups in broader Sydney.

Tithing

C3 Church has never compelled Church members to give – giving is always optional. The Church strongly advises members in debt to be responsible and not to overextend themselves.

C3 Church believes the concept of tithing has its foundations in the bible and as such, aligns its teachings to this principle.

Same sex attraction

C3 Church believes in a God who is full of love and compassion for everybody regardless of their personal circumstance or sexual orientation. At no time would any individual be asked to leave the Church because of sexual orientation.