Local churches are authorized to provide for the preaching of the gospel, continued
Overview of New Testament passages, continued
Acts 11:21-23 – “they sent Barnabas”Acts 13:1-3 – “teachers … they sent them”Acts 14:26 – “commended … they began to report”Acts 15:1-3 – “sent on their way by the church”I Corinthians 9:1-18 – “get their living from the gospel”The general principal is that those who work should receive compensation for their work.Apparently, the Corinthians never paid Paul while he worked with them and he did not ask because he knew their spiritual maturity level was not high enough. See Acts 18:1-5. When Silas and Timothy arrived, Paul turned completely to teaching and preaching.I Corinthians 9:13 – See Nehemiah 13:10-14. Nehemiah reprimanded the people for not handling the tithes correctly and paying the priests as they should.I Corinthians 9:14 – A preacher has authority to be supported by his work.I Corinthians 14 – “for edification”I Corinthians 14:1-4, 26-33, 40 – In the days of spiritual gifts, those gifts could be controlled. The focus was always to be edification for those who heard. Things were to be done properly and in order.We no longer have spiritual gifts, but we have assemblies that need to be done properly and in order, with the focus being edification.II Corinthians 11:7-9 – “I robbed other churches”This is figurative language. He’s making the point that the church in Corinth should have supported him but did not.Philippians 1:3-5; 4:14-18 – “participation in the gospel”The church can send money to someone preaching the gospel in another place.I Thessalonians 1:6-10 – “sounded forth from you”Observation: The money was sent directly to the preacher.
Acts 15:3 – Antioch to Paul and BarnabasI Corinthians 9:1-18 – Corinth should have paid Paul.Philippians 4:14-15 – Philippi to PaulII Corinthians 11:7-9 – Multiple churches sending money to Paul.There were no additional organizations involved. The money was sent directly to the preacher.In modern times, the sponsoring church arrangement has developed, in which multiple churches send money to a single church, which then supports a preacher.First, there is no authority for churches to pool money together for evangelism.II Corinthians 11:8; Philippians 4:15 – Was Philippi the sponsoring church? There is no reason to connect these two passages. There is no evidence this was the same occasion.Second, local churches – which should have independent function and local oversight – give away control of the money they send.Acts 14:23; I Peter 5:1-2We never read anything of a collective larger than a local church.Wayne Goforth, “Why I Left the Institutional Position”Stick to the simple New Testament pattern!
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