Questions and answers

about church money

Can church funds be used for any good work? No. Paul told Timothy that the church was not to use their money to help someone in need if family was available to help (I Tim. 5:16).

Can the church use its funds to help anyone in need? No. Churches are to help needy saints (I Cor. 16:1). Individuals can help anyone they want, but the local church is limited.

Can the church use its funds to finance senior trips, summer camps, sports leagues, etc.? No. The funds are used for evangelism and edification as described in the first article (Eph. 3:10).

Can churches take up collections whenever they want? No. The Lord gave authority for churches to take up a collection on the first day of the week (I Cor. 16:2).

Should churches tell the members to tithe? No. Tithing was done under the old law and is no longer binding (Col. 2:14). Christians give as they purpose in their hearts (I Cor. 16:1-2; II Cor. 9:7).

Should the amount a member gives be made known by the church? No. In the passages used above, they clearly state that giving is an individual activity. According to II Cor. 8:12, saints give according to what they have, not what they do not have. In other words, it is none of my business what other members give.

Based on the last question, does it even matter if Christians contribute financially? Yes. To not give as one has prospered is to go against the command of God (II Cor. 9:6-7).

Should members know what the funds are being used for? Yes. To give purposefully, one needs to know what the church is doing. If the funds are used inappropriately, then those who give are in error (I Cor. 16:1-2). Christians must be aware of how the funds are used.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Chuck                                                                

The use of church funds

      We all know that religious groups today have used their collections to fund everything from pizza parties, senior trips to building gymnasiums and having day care centers. The question is, are there binding examples that will limit the use of church funds, and help use know what they are to be used for?                                                                                 

Let me just say that if there are no binding examples in scripture, then we must just as well discard the Bible, for the flood-gate would open up. This is no more true than when it comes to the church funds that are collected. And since many do not respect approved examples as a means to establishing authority, you have religious groups doing anything they want with their funds. This is the reason why people make light of this whole discussion.

We can quickly set some boundaries if we have a scripture that will come right out and limit the use of church funds. There is and it is found in I Timothy 5:16. Read this text carefully. You will notice that Christians were given a responsibility to take care of a financial need that the church was not responsible for thus making a distinction between the work of an individual and the work of the church. Failure to see this, we cause one to miss the binding examples surrounding church funds.

Local church take up a collection each Sunday (I Cor. 16:1-2), for the work of the church. What are those works? Evangelism (Eph. 3:10); Edification (Eph. 4:120 and helping needy saints (II Cor. 8:1-4).  Within these three areas we have examples of churches sending to brethren in need. We have examples of preachers being supported directly, to preach (II Cor. 11:8). Notice that we do not have examples of churches sending money to another church to support preachers. Is that significant? Yes. The pattern of sending directly to the one preaching hold the local church accountable to making sure they support faithful men. If church “A” sent funds to church “B”, and the support a false teacher, how does church “A” know it?  We need to see the wisdom of God in providing us with approved examples as a means of establishing Biblical authority.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Chuck