brainisengaged said:
This is not an answer to Prophet's post, but when he mentioned giving to the physical needs of the saints, it reminded me of something that has bothered me. At FBC, we would take special offerings on Wednesday nights, always for another ministry not our own. A church that was damaged by a tornado, we took a love offering. A pastor whose child needed surgery and they had no insurance, we took a love offering.
Those are of course the type of things any good-hearted caring person would want to contribute generously toward. But at the same time, if a member of our own church, FBC, had a home damaged by a tornado or had a child needing surgery not covered by insurance, we did nothing as a church to aid our own. It was reasoned (I was told once by someone) that if we did it for one person, we'd have to do it for all. And I find that logical, for it is true. How would you possibly be able to take up an offering for every need that every member might have? But it was in this area that you could always see the 'hierarchy', so to speak. If you were someone "important", your needs were met. If you were just the lady in the wheelchair that no one knew, well, not so much. That's a shame. Maybe all churches cannot help but operate in this manner. There will always be 'greater' people and 'lesser' people. But we all know we are not supposed to operate in this manner. How can we avoid it?
The answer lies in the NT giving, rather than what we IFB practice.
1. We were never supposed to make corporate debt agreements, ie, take out a mortgage.
2. All giving was to care for the needs of the poor in the church, the elders (not elderly, but those with the title of elder),
and bring the journeying evangelist(missionary, etc.) along their way.
3. God puts those with this world's good (rich people) in the church, as a balance to the poor. The poor aren't supposed to give.
II Corinthians 8:1-21
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1 John:3:17
It began like this:
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
Acts:2:45
There should be no corporate debt, real estate holdings, recurring bills. If property is donated, so be it. But the collection for the Saints, to be distributed by the deacons, described as "waiting tables" is not to be used to purchase property and incur debt.
Of course , if we met in area houses, assbled occasionally in public arenas where persecution is not a problem, and spent most of our time in action, house to house, need to need, we would instinctively understand all of this....it would be our necessary way of life.
Haklo
