“Transparency.” I have not seen a biblical article that explains why it is ‘scriptural’ to believe that the “contribution” does not belong to any particular member of the church. It is the Lord’s money. In all of the congregations that I have visited, here in …, not one person is requiring that their leaders provide a regular report of the income and expenses received and dispensed within the congregation they are a member of. Most often, the ‘preacher’ works with one or two people that knows the amount of weekly contributions. Nor does this ‘insider’ group encourage a financial report of the expenses against the weekly “offering.” My request is that you provide your prospective of your understanding on what the New Testament has to say on this subject.
The “love of money” (Timothy 6:10) is an ever-present human malady, even among members of the church. There are few congregational considerations that garner more attention than church finances (e.g., budgets, what various works cost, appropriate application of funds, etc.). Since money is of both of special temptation and general interest, financial transparency should be the normal operating procedure for any congregation of the Lord’s people. The apostle Paul provided us with a biblical example of providing this financial transparency when he enlisted several respected brethren to accompany him with the funds for poor saints in Judaea (1 Corinthians 16:3-4). “…who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind, avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us — providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Corinthians 8:19-21 NKJV).
