Need a few ideas perhaps on what to do with what is given at church, Pastor?
Who ever brings up this topic in our day, when so many young people and others (who don’t yet know the Lord) could give a flip because they never have any intention of visiting a church unless it’s for a baby-baptism (which ain’t even biblical) or for a respectful funeral of a co-worker or friend?
It’s still worth talking about, because some of those who are into other things right now.. will find out how totally wonderful it is to become a Christian who is a part of an excellent (forever family of believers) in a simple local church. I didn’t say one where people are simplistic or simpletons (those never thinking for themselves). Man, it happened to this wild, distracted, surf-rat who never had any intention at all to become a born again Christian or live holy (I mean me, and I still have a ways to go.. gobs to learn).
Tithes are one thing that a church receives.. ya know, to keep the lights or a heater on etc. But where, what, how and to whom is a local Christian church supposed to help and give to. What are they as a body to do with the offerings received?
1.) A church has a responsibility to its believing members.
Q: Who are the members in a family? Those who have been born into the family. Those who have been adopted into that family are members. Real Christians have all been born again into the forever Family of God (See John 3:3). At my former church in Costa Mesa, So Cal, if a Christian gave any money at all for it’s ministry there, that person by the State and the congregation was considered a full member of that local church. We are members because God the Father has chosen to have us and cause us to become a part of His family.. and we chose to let him put us in His family via repentance and faith in His Son Jesus.
The early congregation.. yes, the very first church, I mean the one that begun in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, took special pains to meet some basic and practical needs of their members there...
The Bible says, “God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need” (Acts 4:33–35).
Some money was freely brought to the born again humble leaders of the church there, who were responsible for the distribution of the money based on need. Food was also being distributed to the widows among them (See Acts 6:1). This wasn’t forced like in Communist Lands, the individuals in the church were not pressured or forced to give, it was done because they really loved one another in their forever Family. Their motives were pure and right.
Sometimes in very rural areas of third world Lands that I’ve visited as a missionary, I saw other helpful things given at the church other than money.. like chicken eggs, bread, a pot-belly stove, a bag of cement or two for their half built building. In fact, I didn’t have that many German Marks but also gave some to Pastor Isshi there and he quickly went off to buy some more bags of cement.. instead of food like I had thought he would. He said that he had some farm animals around his Romanian home that would provide food for his family and some leaders there.
The apostles in Jerusalem, in affirming Paul’s ministry among the Gentiles, asked that he should “continue to remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10). So, charitable work to benefit the poor within the church should become part of a church’s budget. Later, Paul gave some clear guidelines on who should receive aid from the local church and who should depend on another source for their sustenance (1 Timothy 5:3–16).
Various local churches in the first century also took up offerings to help other churches in need. Specifically, the church in Jerusalem was suffering from persecution and a famine, and the church in Antioch provided resources to help (Acts 11:29). Paul later took love gifts from Galatia (1 Corinthians 16:1), Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:3), and Macedonia and Achaia (Romans 15:25–26) to Jerusalem. He was accompanied by emissaries from Berea, Thessalonica, Derbe, and the province of Asia (Acts 20:4).
2.) A local church has a responsibility to its surrounding community.
We are to be witnesses for Jesus both individually and as a church. Outreach is SO necessary even in our day now. “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10). This verse sets the priority—God’s family first—but we are also to seek ways to “do good” to everyone. Of course, this must involve evangelism (Acts 1:8). A healthy church should be sending out missionaries (see Acts 13:2–3) or at least supporting missionaries in various fields of service.
A church that loses its outward focus, as evidenced by where it spends its money, is showing signs of spiritual weakness. Church consultant and author Thom S. Rainer, in his book Autopsy of a Dead Church, states that one of the symptoms of a dying church is that the percentage of the budget for members’ needs keeps increasing, while the money earmarked for outreach decreases.
3.) A church (we the people in the church) have a responsibility to our Heavenly Father God.
We want to please Him most. Our Lord knows His Church (His Bride He chose. Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19), and He commands that His Word be clearly preached (Boldly. Romans 10:14; 2 Timothy 4:2) and that “the mystery of Christ” be proclaimed (Colossians 4:3). Delivering the gospel is most important. Anything that furthers that goal should be given priority, and paying the pastor is part of that goal. “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages’” (1 Timothy 5:17–18). Those who faithfully minister the Word of God should receive due compensation for their work (see also 1 Corinthians 9:11).
Wisdom regarding a church’s expenditures is very necessary (perhaps more so in our day because there are more lost people around us than ever before, that we need to minister to and win). We all should be witnessing out in the world and praying for our leaders that God’s wisdom (See James 1:5) will help them know exactly what to do with what is God’s.
There is nothing at all sinful about having a fine building to worship in, or a building to fellowship and play some vigorous basketball in today, or to have nicely kept well landscaped grounds especially if the surrounding area has sinners who well keep up their grounds nicely. (Man, why make it easy, church-folk, for your neighbors you want in your church.. to dislike you, or to look down on the church for simply being lazy when God has never been that way?).
Church people (religious or decent) do wonder at times if the money given at church would be better spent supporting another missionary or aiding the poorer churches around the world. It can be a good question, and yet sometimes prideful people in churches can become troublemakers that cause problems for their decent pastors with nice sounding (selfless sounding) arguments too, when they personally wouldn’t give a penny to help with missions or other poor churches. Sure there have been some abuses with the funds by pastors and leaders in the past and there are some safe-guards to put in place against these. I say to you, choose a smart Pastor who wisely follows the Lord with some good transparent accountability there, and then trust him.. help him.. as He follows the Lord (short of sinning as the Bible defines sinning). Duh!
There is a proper time, place, and way to humbly bring up where the church money is being spent. Clear communication (I don’t mean some weird mean whisper campaign behind the backs of the leaders) is key in any family. Minister means servant and a pastor is there to serve the people and those around the church.. and every Christian is to minister as well.. as servants of Christ. Double-duh!
The goal of the church should be to worship and glorify the Lord. And to do the work of God in the dark world around them.. even around the world in other Lands as well. Our vision and mission is global. Yes, prayerfully in obedience to the direction of the Holy Spirit for that specific local church body, everything should be done to the glory of God as the Spirit directs (1 Corinthians 10:31). Choose a spiritual, rather than carnal or worldly or religious pastor who lives the life and teaches the Word with out spiritual compromise. Q: Do you know Jesus in a personal way (the most important decision a person will make), and go to a healthy church yet? You can today!
