Should the Congregational Budget Be Public?

Church Finances

In 1 Corinthians 16:1-3 Paul issues an apostolic command for churches to take up a collection of funds every first day of the week, receiving from each contributing member according to his or her own ability and level of prosperity. At the time of writing Paul was raising benevolent aid for a particular need, but there are broader implications for how the work of the church is to be financed. Beyond this explicit injunction, there are numerous examples of the Lord’s work funded through free-will offerings collected in a common treasury.¹ No other method of financing the Lord’s work is biblically sanctioned beyond the intentional and generous giving of members of the local church.²

Keeping the Church Informed

In the earliest days of the church, the giving and distribution of funds were public (Acts 4:32-37). The apostolic church-leaders delegated this benevolent ministry to reputable and qualified men (Acts 6:1-6). In later reports of congregational free-will giving, the brethren knew what their contributions were funding (1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8:1–9:15), and it was a matter of public record (Rom. 15:25-28).

Elders, as congregational leaders, are to be above reproach, not greedy for money, and good stewards of God (1 Tim. 3:2-3; Tit. 1:6-9). It seems that transparency (including the reporting of church finances) is necessary for the congregation to have confidence in their leaders as scripturally qualified men and for incentive to obey passages like 1 Thess. 5:12-13; Heb. 13:7, 17. 

“The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Pet. 3:1-4, NKJV).

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Cf. Acts 2:42, 44, 45; 4:32, 34-37; 5:1-2; 6:1-4; 11:29-30; Rom. 15:26-27; 2 Cor. 8:10-12, 19; 9:1-7; Eph. 4:28. 

     ² See K. L. Moore, “The Sunday Collection,” Moore Perspective (25 March 2015), <Link>.

Related Posts: The Biblical Doctrine of Tithing, Qualifications of Elders (Part 2)

 

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