Pooling resources for general church purposes?
Felicity Dale at “Simply Church: A House Church Perspective” writes “How should we give financially within the simple/organic/house church?” This post is part of a series that she’s been writing on finances among simple churches. (I pointed to an earlier article in the series in my post “Did someone forget to pass the offering plate.”)
Because of her post, I began to think about churches and money in Scripture again. Today, believers typically pool their money with others among their “local church.” Later, people decide how that money is spent. Yes, there are usually budgets, but the use of the money is not actually decided until the money is spent.
Do we see anything like this in Scripture?
Well, there are at least two instances of believers pooling their money. (Felicity points out these passages, among others, in her post.):
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Acts 4:34-35 ESV)
Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. (1 Corinthians 16:1-4 ESV)
In each of these cases, believers were pooling their money together. But, they were doing so for a particular reason: to help those in need.
They did not store the money and decide later how to spend it. And, more importantly, they did not spend it on themselves – even for “ministry” purposes. The money was give to people who were in need.
This is quite different than the way that money is used in the church today.
Interesting stuff. I just posted a link to a conversation about churches hoarding, um I mean saving, large amounts for future operating expenses. The picture of stewardship in the New Testament looks completely, almost diametrically, different from how we see money and stewardship today.
For Acts 11:29 and 2 Corinthians 11:8-9, do you understand that pooling of resources was not involved?
Arthur,
I saw that conversation. That was very interesting indeed.
Pondero,
No, I think those passages show other instances of believers pooling their money. But, once again, I think they were pooling their money for a specific purpose – caring for someone in need – whether in need from a famine or in need because he was traveling away from home and his place of business.
-Alan
Alan,
I came across this passage earlier today and have been thinking of it in light of this post. It’s from 1 Timothy:
“If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.” (1Ti 5:16 ESV)
It seems to go along with some of what you have been saying – that resources were pooled mainly to help those who were in need. But it seems also that this might have a further nuance: don’t make the church (as a collective) meet the needs of your own relatives if you have the means to do so yourself. That seems to be a theme of 1 Tim 5 in general.
Andy,
Yes, and that 1 Timothy passage reminds me of something else: pooling your resources with others among the church does not excuse you (as an individual) from helping others that have need, including those in your family.
-Alan