Here is the situation. Years ago, the church met in a house. As the church grew, they were able to build a church building. The church repurposed the house as the preacher’s house. Later when times became difficult, with members moving away to find work, the church made the decision to rent out the house to supplement their support. By doing so, the church was able to continue to work despite the financial hardship. Was the church authorized to rent the house? There are members who believe that renting the house is unscriptural. I would appreciate it if you could provide a clear and reasonable response from the Scriptures. The last thing we want is to cause division. Thank you.
Let’s have lunch at a local eatery. These days, most restaurants serve alcoholic beverages. In my case, I try to evaluate whether a particular candidate for my meal is a restaurant that serves booze or a bar that serves food. The distinction can be subtle, but usually one can discern a difference in atmospheres between the two. The focus and primary purpose of restaurants and bars differ, though they both offer elements of either. The point that we want to offer for consideration is, “What is the intent?” Please bear with me for a moment as we progress.
Certainly, the scriptural instruction for a congregation to finance itself is freewill giving weekly on the Lord’s Day (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). That ought to be the means by which a congregation intends to finance the various obligatory expenses that it incurs. Yet, there are numerous incidental areas in which a congregation may also derive an income, about which no one usually raises any concern as to whether that is scriptural (e.g., bank interest, CDs, proceeds from the sale of a church building when constructing a new meetinghouse, monetary gifts coming to the church on a day other than Sunday [through the mail on Monday], inheritances or renting out vacant property).
The Lord’s church is authorized to make a weekly freewill collection on the first day of the week during the assembly. Yet, Christians and the church also have the responsibility to be good stewards of the assets in their care. Consider the implication and principle in Matthew 25:27: “So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest” (NKJV). While the churches of Christ are not authorized by Scripture to engage in commercial enterprises with the intent of earning money (e.g., secular businesses such as owning beverage, sugar or insurance companies, erecting and managing amusement or tourist sites, running carwashes and bake sales), they do have the duty to effectively manage their resources, though that may garner additional funds to the weekly contribution.
Some Christians and congregations try too hard, and other Christians and congregations do not try hard enough to follow biblical instruction. Though mankind (inside and outside of the Lord’s church) is given to extremes, we need to search for biblical balance. Christians and churches should allow nothing to be divisive that is subject to personal opinion and judgment instead of clear biblical instruction – based on command or direct statement, approved example, or implication from which we are obliged to infer exactly what has been implied.
So, going back to the “let’s have lunch” analogy, what is the intent, focus or primary means for financing the local congregation? Respecting local congregational finances, what are the incidentals involved in good stewardship?
