Through the years, brethren have had problems with money—its accumulation, control and use. A major source of this problem is the failure to distinguish between individual and congregation responsibilities.

     When churches have bazaars, rent property and operate businesses to make money, they are doing a good work that individuals are authorized to do. Paul said, “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Eph. 4:28). Working is good and the individual who is too lazy to work should not be fed (2 Thess. 3:10). An individual may farm, operate  other businesses or work for someone else, but churches are not authorized to earn money in these ways.

A local church is authorized to raise money by  “each one of you”  giving  on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1,2). God has revealed no other way for churches to raise money. When brethren recognize the distinction between individual and congregational activity, they will not contend that the church can do what the individual is authorized to do. Those who do not understand this Scriptural principle will have churches involved in all kinds of money-making projects.

Another problem is the control and use of money. The Bible clearly teaches a distinction between what belongs to the individual and what belongs to the church. The property of Ananias and Sapphira did not belong to the church, nor did the money from its sale belong to the church (Acts 5:1-6). God  killed  them  because they lied about how much they had given. They wanted people to think that the church had it all, when it did not. Clearly, what they kept did not belong to the church.

Other passages clearly indicate that individuals have responsibilities that the church does not have. When a Christian relieves his widow, the church is not burdened (1 Tim. 5:16). Individuals may provide recreation (1 Tim. 4:8), support political activities (Rom. 13), fulfill social responsibilities (Lk. 10:30-37) and provide for the physical and social needs of family (Eph. 6:1-4), but churches are not authorized to engage in such activities.

Churches are authorized to teach the word at home and in other places (Heb. 10:24,25; 1 Thess. 1:8), and relieve their own needy and send to other congregations who are unable to care for their own (Acts 6:1-6; 11:27-30; 2 Cor. 8:13,14).

Another problem, and this is one that is experienced by many who defend the above principles, is in the saving of money. In this area, too many brethren have the idea that the church can save money just like individuals save money. The principle of investing money for profit is Scriptural for an individual (Mt. 25:26,27), but the church is not involved in building up a bank account “for a rainy day.”

I am not saying that a church must spend every dollar contributed every week. In fact, the church in Corinth gathered and saved money for a year to be sent to Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:10,11; 9:1,2),  and it is reasonable to have enough on hand to meet expected expenses. This is not the same as a church building up a large bank account for nothing. Preachers are begging for support to go other countries, or to preach in small churches in this country; souls are lost without the gospel, and many brethren are sitting on the Lord’s money as if it were their own retirement fund. One preacher told a congregation that if they did not start using the Lord’s money to teach the gospel they had better use it to buy some asbestos suits. He didn’t stay long!

It is just as unscriptural to “sit on it” as it is to raise it through operating businesses or spend it on social or recreational activities. The Lord’s treasury must be raised, controlled and used as He authorized.