If you’re a fan of the Duggar clan, then you’re probably aware that Jill Duggar and her husband Derick Dillard have spent much of the past two years performing missionary work in Central America.
While no one doubts that the couple accomplished some good and perhaps even changed a few lives for the better during their time in El Salvador, the Dillards’ motives and ability to safely and effectively perform the work required of them have both been called into question.
For one thing, the Jill and Derick are not licensed missionaries, which means they never demonstrated that they have the skills necessary for such important and dangerous work, and they did not receive sponsorship from any religious organization.
As a result of their lack of sponsorship, the Dillards solicited donations from fans online.
Obviously, this raised a number of problematic issues.
Many fans pointed out that Jill and Derick’s time would be better spent undergoing the training required by the International Mission Board and the Southern Baptist Conference.
Many others complained that Jill comes from a fabulously wealthy family, and if she wants to make an unauthorized missionary trip, she should fund it herself.
The outcry eventually became too much for Jill and Derick, and they announced two weeks ago that they would no longer be asking fans for money.
Unfortunately, it seems the Dillards resolve on that issue lasted roughly until the time when the monthly bills became due.
Earlier this week, Derick took to Instagram to reveal that he’s enrolled in the Cross Church School of Ministry, a one-year program that trains its students to serve as campus ministers at schools, hospitals and workplaces.
Of course, Derick is unemployed these days, so naturally, he’d like his fans to foot the bill:
“BIG NEWS! For the next year, I will be serving through a program at my home church, called the Cross Church School of Ministry!” he wrote on Instagram.
“I am so excited about this incredible opportunity for further ministry development, and I would like to invite you to share in this excitement with me,” he added.
By “share in the excitement,” Derick meant, of course, that he wants you to throw him some cash.
He set up a fundraiser on the Pure Charity website where fans can assist him with paying for his tuition.
Thus far, however, Derick’s efforts appear to be falling flat.
“I started a fundraiser on Pure Charity to raise the funding I need for various missions opportunities I will have throughout the year. I have a donations goal of $ 6,500,” Derick wrote on Instagram.
As of this writing, he has received just two donations, for a total of $ 125 in proceeds.
Considering Derick has whopping 820,000 followers on Instagram alone, we imagine he thought he would be much closer to his goal several days into the fundraiser.
Of course, it’s not exactly an ideal time for Derick to be asking favors from the masses.
The 28-year-old father of two has been so scandal-plagued in recent months that some have called him “the next Josh Duggar.”
Obviously, Derick isn’t involved in anything nearly as vile as the actions that brought down his disgraced brother-in-law, but like Josh, he could single-handedly cost the Duggars their lucrative reality show.
Earlier this month, Derick attacked Jazz Jennings, a transgender teen and fellow TLC reality star, in a bizarre, transphobic rant on Twitter.
Thus far, there have been no serious ramifications from his actions, but fans might not be in a rush to fund the career of an aspiring minister who’s in the habit of bullying already at-risk teen girls on social media.
Go figure.
