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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Spiritual Service in Christ’s Body (Romans 12:3-8): Part 2 of 2

“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them … if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness”  (Rom. 12:6-8, ESV).

The Gift of Serving

Besides prophecy (see Part 1), the other gifts distributed among the body of believers are non-miraculous and include “serving” [διακονία] (cf. 11:13; 15:31), a broad category involving benevolent assistance,¹ hospitality,² and spiritual service.³ Every Christian ought to be able to serve in some capacity, as he or she continues to grow in various aspects of ministerial activity.

The Gift of Teaching

There is also the gift of “teaching” [διδάσκω] (cf. 2:21). In a sense all Christians teach by way of example (1:8; 16:19),⁴ open confession of faith (10:9-10),⁵ defending the faith (1:14-16; 16:17),⁶ and evangelism (10:14-15),⁷ occasioning the rebuke of some, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers …” (Heb. 5:12). However, in another sense those gifted as communicators of God’s word have a special function in the church (cf. 1 Cor. 12:29; Jas. 3:1) and ought to develop and utilize their God-given teaching talents (cf. Eph. 4:11).

The Gift of Exhorting

Another gift is “exhortation” or “exhorting” [παρακαλέω] (cf. v. 1; 15:30; 16:17), a verb appearing 109 times in the Greek NT (54 in Paul’s writings), with various shades of meaning, from “exhorting” and “appealing” to “encouraging” and “consoling,” exercised according to applicable needs and circumstances.

The Gift of Giving

Next concerns one who “contributes” or the gift of “giving” [μεταδίδωμι] (cf. 1:11), done in “generosity” [ἁπλότης], understood in the sense of (a) “simplicity, sincerity, uprightness, frankness,”⁸ or (b) “generosity, liberality”⁹ (BAGD 85-86). The former would apply to the attitude and perhaps manner of giving, irrespective of monetary means (cf. 2 Cor. 8:2-5), while the latter would pertain to the amount, implying disposable income (cf. Phil. 4:15-18). Both ideas are relevant to the varied economic situations of Paul’s readership. 

The Gift of Leading

To be “leading” [προΐστημι] or “one who leads” is a gift to the church, whether as part of a qualified eldership (1 Tim. 3:4-12; 5:17) or otherwise engaged in church leadership (1 Thess. 5:12; Tit. 3:8, 14). This gift is to be employed with “zeal” or “diligence” [σπουδή] (cf. v. 11), implying determined effort. 

Unlike Paul’s letter to the Philippi saints, there is no mention of “overseers and deacons” in his letter to the Romans. Whether or not they had scripturally qualified and officially appointed congregational leaders at this time cannot be confirmed. Near the end of the first century, the churches at Rome and Corinth were each governed by a plurality of elders, and at Rome there were at least three about whom we have record: Linus, Anacletus, and Clement.¹⁰ Around AD 95-96 Clement wrote a letter to the Corinthians on behalf of the Roman brethren, clearly showing that local churches were governed by a plurality of overseers (cf. I Clement 42:4; 44:1-2), with no distinction between “bishops” and “elders” as developed later. 

The biblical design for church leadership is for each autonomous congregation to be overseen and directed by a plurality of qualified men serving as spiritual shepherds of the local flock (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3:1-7).¹¹ Congregational leadership in the absence of qualified overseers will be addressed in a separate post.

The Gift of Mercy

Another gift in the Christian community is “one who does acts of mercy” or “showing mercy” [ἐλεάω] (cf. 9:15-18; 11:30-32), the only time Paul uses this verb of people. This would include “any act of mercy toward others, such as visiting the sick, caring for the elderly or disabled, and providing for the poor.”¹² Demonstrations of merciful kindness are to be done with the attitude of “cheerfulness” [ἱλαρότης], cognate with the adj. “cheerful” [ἱλαρός] (2 Cor. 9:7). 

Conclusion

Within any given community of believers, “Christian ‘maturity’ … is thus not ‘sameness’ or ‘uniformity’ but the performing of one’s function within the context of the life of the organism, the church which is the body of Christ.”¹³

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Acts 6:1; 11:29; 12:25; Rom. 15:31; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1, 12-13

     ² Luke 10:40; cf. Rom. 12:13. See K. L. Moore, “Hospitality,” Moore Perspective (7 Aug. 2019), <Link>. 

     ³ Acts 1:17, 25; 6:4; 20:24; 21:19; Rom. 11:13; 1 Cor. 12:5; 16:17; 2 Cor. 3:8, 9; 4:1; 5:18; 6:3-4; 11:8; Eph. 4:12, 17; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 4:5, 11

     ⁴ Matt. 5:13-16; Rom. 16:19; 1 Tim. 3:7; 4:12, 15; 5:25; 1 Pet. 2:11-12.

     ⁵ Matt. 10:32; Heb. 4:14; 10:23.

     ⁶ 1 Pet. 3:15; Jude 3.

     ⁷ Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. 5:17-21.

     ⁸ 2 Cor. 1:12; 11:3; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22.

     ⁹ 2 Cor. 8:2; 9:11, 13. 

     ¹⁰ Cf. Phil. 4:3; 2 Tim. 4:21. Later historians attempted to trace a succession of bishops back to Peter in Rome, but there are discrepancies as to the correct order of this alleged succession, whether it was Linus who followed Peter, who was then succeeded by Anacletus and then Clement (cf. Irenaeus, Augustine), or whether it was Clement who immediately followed Peter (cf. Tertullian, Jerome). This is an example of a distorted concept of church organization being read back into history at a time when no such hierarchy existed. Clement, Linus, and Anacletus were all “bishops” (i.e., overseers or elders) who were contemporary with each other. See F. W. Mattox, The Eternal Kingdom 56-59, 109-110; B. Howell, The Fall from Servant to Master 106-110.

     ¹¹ See K. L. Moore, “Qualifications of Elders (Part 1),” Moore Perspective (16 June 2021), <Link>, and accompanying Links.

     ¹² D. J. Moo, Romans 769. 

     ¹³ M. R. Weed, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians LWC 11:159.

Related Posts: Spiritual Service (Rom 12:3-8): Part 1, Romans 12:9-21

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God’s Ability to Provide – Above and Beyond the Peck of Pickled Peppers Peter Piper Picked

     The British nursery rhyme “Peter Piper,” first published in 1813, is a well-known tongue twister wherein an inquiry is made into the whereabouts of the peck (¼ bushel) of pickled peppers allegedly picked by Peter Piper. Because of the repetitious sequence of words beginning with the letter “P,” the rhyme is easy to remember and hard to forget.

     The literary device that repeats the sound of the first letter in a series of words is called alliteration, an example of which can be found in the original Greek version of 2 Corinthians 9:8. Paul is reminding his readers that God is “able” [δυνατέω = sufficiently powerful],¹ but in what ways? Lost in English translation, alliteration is used (whether intentional or not) in driving home the point with a succession of seven words beginning with the letter Π (the 16th letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding to the English “P”):

     πᾶσαν [all] grace

     περισσεῦσαι [make abound] to you, that in

     παντὶ [every] -thing,

     πάντοτε [always], having

     πᾶσαν [all] sufficiency

     περισσεύητε [you might abound] to

     πᾶν [every] good work.

I wonder if first-century Greek-speaking Christians got tongue tied while reading this text!?

     Note the circumstances (“in everything”), the timeframe (“always”), and the extent (“all sufficiency”) of God’s provision. In the previous verses there is a proverbial reminder, “the one sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one sowing upon blessings, will also reap upon blessings” (v. 6), and then applied: “each as he purposes in the heart, not out of grief or out of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (v. 7).

     Under the new covenant of Jesus Christ, each Christian is to give “as he purposes in the heart” in proportion to his or her own ability (2 Cor. 8:12).² The ultimate example of giving is God himself (2 Cor. 9:15),³ exemplified through his Son Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 8:9).⁴ Accordingly, disciples of the Lord are to give willingly, liberally, sacrificially, and cheerfully (2 Cor. 8:1-5, 12; 9:7),⁵ with the assurance that it is impossible to out-give God (2 Cor. 9:8-10).⁶ It is not the physical act of giving or even the amount given with which God is chiefly concerned, but the joyous attitude that accompanies the gift (2 Cor. 8:2-4; cf. Deut. 15:10).

     Divine blessings are not meant to be accumulated for selfish indulgence but to be employed for “every good work.” I pray that our awareness of this alliteration in Paul’s original text is as readily remembered as the exploits of the fictitious Peter Piper.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Scripture quotations are the author’s own translation, corresponding as closely as possible to the original wording of the text as far as the translation process allows.

     ² See also Acts 5:4; 11:29; 1 Cor. 16:2.

     ³ See also John 3:16, 27; Acts 17:25; 1 Cor. 4:7; Jas. 1:17.

     ⁴ See also Matt. 20:28; Gal. 1:3-4; 2:20; Eph. 5:25; Acts 20:28.

     ⁵ See also Matt. 20:25-28; Rom. 12:1-2; 15:26-27; 2 Cor. 8:7-8, 11, 12, 19; 9:2, 5; Gal. 6:6-10.

     ⁶ See also Matt. 6:24-34; Mark 10:27-31; Luke 6:38; Eph. 2:20; Phil. 4:19.

Related Posts: The Sunday Collection

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The Biblical Doctrine of Tithing

     The word "tithe" simply means "one-tenth." Abraham, after defeating the armies of four pagan kings, gave a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek "the priest of God Most High" (Genesis 14:18-20), and later his grandson Jacob committed ten percent of his surplus to the Lord (Genesis 28:22). The tithing enjoined on the Israelites under the Law of Moses called for one-tenth of the increase of their crops, herds and flocks (Leviticus 27:30, 32, 34).¹ Note that the Mosaic tithing system involved food, not money. When the distance was too far to transport one’s animals or crops, the goods could be exchanged for money on the front end of the journey, but the funds were then to be used on the other end to buy the food required for the tithe (Deuteronomy 14:22-29).
     The tithes (food products) were to be distributed among the tribe of Levi, inclusive of the priests (Numbers 18:21, 23, 26).² The Levites consisted of the descendants of Kohath, including the family of Aaron and his sons who comprised the priesthood (Exodus 28:1–29:35) and others who were responsible for the sacred tabernacle service (Numbers 3:27-32; 4:4-15; 7:9), as well as the descendants of Gershon (Numbers 3:21-26) and Merari (Numbers 3:33-37), who were responsible for other religious duties.
     Why were the tithes to be given to the Levites? The twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:1-28) were to each receive an inheritance of land in Canaan, but the tribe of Levi was the only tribe not to receive a land inheritance (Joshua 13:7–19:48). In order for the Levites to invest their time and energies in spiritual service to God and to God’s people, tithing was necessary to support them and their families (Numbers 18:20-31).³
     Is the law of tithing still functioning in the Christian era? Since there has been a change of both the Levitical priesthood and the law (Hebrews 7:5, 12),⁴ we are no longer under this old Jewish arrangement (Galatians 3:24-25).⁵ Seeing that tithing was the means of supplying food for the Jewish priests and Levites, the service of whom is now obsolete, this is clearly not something in which New Testament Christians are expected to participate.
     Christianity is far superior to the old Jewish system (Hebrews 8:1-13). Our ultimate example of giving is God himself (James 1:17),⁶ exemplified through his Son Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:3-4).⁷ Accordingly, disciples of the Lord are to give willingly, liberally, sacrificially, and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 12; 9:7).⁸ Those who give themselves to full-time ministry are to be supported by the free-will offerings of fellow Christians (1 Corinthians 9:3-14).⁹ Under Christ’s new-covenant system, we are not limited to a set percentage but are expected to regularly give according to our ability and level of prosperity (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).¹⁰And the beauty of this New Testament plan is the simple fact that it is impossible to out-give God!¹¹
–Kevin L. Moore

Additional Scripture References:
1. Numbers 18:26, 28; Deuteronomy 14:22-23; 2 Chronicles 31:5-6; Nehemiah 10:34-39; 13:5; cf. Malachi 1:1; 3:10; Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42.
2. Deuteronomy 14:27, 29; 26:12; Nehemiah 10:37, 38; 13:5.
3. Exodus 1:1-6; Numbers 1:47-53; 18:23; 26:62; Deuteronomy 10:9; 14:27, 29; 18:1-8.
4. Hebrews 7:18; 10:1, 9; 2 Corinthians 3:14; Colossians 2:14.
5. Galatians 2:16; 3:19; Hebrews 8:6-13; 9:15; 2 Corinthians 3:2-16.
6. John 3:16, 27; Acts 17:25; 1 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 9:15.
7. Matthew 20:28; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:25; Acts 20:28.
8. Matthew 20:25-28; Romans 12:1-2; 15:26-27; 2 Corinthians 8:7-8, 11, 12, 19; 9:2, 5; Galatians 6:6-10.
9. Matthew 10:9-10; Luke 10:7; Romans 15:24; Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:18.
10. Acts 11:29; 2 Corinthians 8:12; Ephesians 4:28; cf. Proverbs 3:9.
11. Matthew 6:24-34; Mark 10:27-31; Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6, 8-11; Ephesians 2:20; Philippians 4:19.

Addendum: Tithes included (1) Levitical = 10% to Levites, who gave 1% to priests (Numbers 18:21-28; Nehemiah 10:37-38); (2) Feasts = annual Jerusalem festivals (Deuteronomy 12:1-19; 14:22-26); (3) the Poor = every third year (Deuteronomy 14:28, 29; 26:12, 13); (4) Civil (1 Samuel 8:14-17).

Related Posts: Is the Law of Moses Still Binding?, The Sunday Collection