"Why give to the local church?" Some may decide that they are going to give 20% of their income to "ministry." Maybe they support a friend who works for Navigators. Then there's that missionary family that visited years ago that they now support monthly. Then there's the local pregnancy center that is doing great work and needs an annual gift. Then there's the high school student going on her first missions trip. Isn't that a worthy investment in the Kingdom? So, when all is said and done, an individual may give 15 percent of his income to these worthy causes and the final 5 percent to the work of the church. How should we think about the responsibility to give in light of the options we have?
Before I answer, I should note that it would be wonderful if we did have the problem of Christians giving 15% of their income to worthy ministries and 5% of their income to the church. Again, the average giving to the church is way below 5% - hovering around 1.5-3%. Still, the question remains, is the church one of many ministries worthy of our giving or is it a unique ministry that Christians ought to focus upon especially?
A Biblical Case for Giving to the Church
Donald Whitney in his book, Spiritual Disciplines in the Local Church, advocates for the importance of giving to the local church. He cites Gene Getz who wrote in A Biblical Theology of Material Possessions:
Any view, then, of how Christians should use their material possessions must focus first and foremost on local churches. This is what we see in the Bible. To bypass this important concept in Scripture is, in essence, to ignore what is recorded by gifted men inspired by the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, . . . if Christians bypass the concept of the local church, they will inevitably violate a number of other important supracultural principles. . . . Before we support any particular parachurch ministry financially, it is important to view that ministry through the lens of biblical ecclesiology [e.g., the Bible's teaching on the church]. In other words, we must carefully evaluate the function and goals of every parachurch ministry by what Scripture teaches about the local church.
In the New Testament we read exhortations to give to the church. Monies are distributed beyond the local church, but it is the church that receives them. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to follow the example of the Macedonian churches and give generously. The context is important. Thousands had been converted to Christ at the risk of their lives and at the risk of their jobs. The church responded. Commentator Philip Hughes put it this way:
The material cost to the majority of this great number [of recent converts] must have been immense. Coming as they did from the background of Jewish fervour and exclusivism, it needs no demonstration that they must have become, in consequence of their conversion, the victims of social and economic ostracism, ecclesiastical excommunication, and national disinheritance. Their business enterprises must in most cases have collapsed in ruins and family bonds been heart-breakingly severed. The situation to which the members of this young but numerous fellowship demonstrated their oneness of heart and soul by sharing their possessions and resources with each other.
Giving to the poverty-stricken saints in Jerusalem was an important part of the early church's ministry. So at the end of 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote, "Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of the week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made" (1 Cor. 16:1-2).
Paul did not want the church to have to take up a special collection to help meet the needs of the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. He called, instead, for regular and systematic giving so that the church would be ready when the time came.
The generosity of these early Christians was amazing. They did not have much, but they gave much. Again, Hughes:
So far from enjoying conditions of material wealth and prosperity which would have enabled them to subscribe without discomfort, they gave in circumstances of the severe testing of affliction and rock-bottom poverty. Their own impoverishment was extreme; they were already, as it were, scraping the bottom of the barrel. But, regardless of this, they gave with joy and liberality.
This call to give took place long before the parachurch movement. The church was seen as the primary vehicle for disseminating the gospel and meeting the needs of the impoverished Christians. I think we should still see the church in this light. Parachurch ministries can be very helpful, but the local church remains the ordained means to accomplish the work of the Lord. For that reason, I'm convinced that our "charitable" should go first to the local church and then to the parachurch ministry. Again, here is Whitney's summary:
Giving to God's church reminds us that our Creator permanently owns us and all we temporarily have, including our money. This helps us acknowledge that our Provider and Sustainer gives us the jobs by which we earn our money and the health to work in those jobs (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). And since the church is the local expression of God's work, giving to it is the most direct way of using God's money for God's work.
Possible Objections
(1) "I can't get behind what my church supports."
This is certainly a barrier to giving. We should be a part of a church whose vision for giving is biblical. If it isn't, this may spur you to dive into the ministries so you can change your church's focus for the good. As you partner with the church you may have the opportunity to shape the church and improve her focus. Or, if it seems like a lost cause, it may be reason to find a church with a more gospel-centered view of missions and ministries.
(2) "I don't want my resources going to bulletins and buildings."
There are administrative costs with every mission and ministry. Missionaries from the early church to the present have incurred costs related to travel, for example. The key is to be part of a church that seeks to minimize these costs. I think this is why some are attracted to the house church movement and why some have simply opted out of the church entirely! They see the costs associated with bulletins and buildings as an albatross hanging around the church's neck, keeping it from truly doing the work of the Lord.
However, I think that when used wisely, bulletins and buildings can be part of the Lord's work. It is a privilege to have a place where hundreds (if not more) can meet at once. Yes, there are costs associated with that meeting, but if it can be a place where Christians are equipped and where non-Christians can hear the gospel, it can be a good use of money. There will always be costs associated with gathering--whether it is the wear and tear on a home, the rental of a school auditorium, or the expenses of maintaining one's own building. The question is, "Are the advantages of meeting [fill in your location] worth the costs associated with meeting here?"
The existence of bulletins and buildings should not dissuade a Christian from contributing to a local church but if we have bulletins and buildings we should use them well.
(3) "I'd rather see my resources going outside the church walls then inside to support a large staff."
Church staff should be effectively equipping the congregation to do the work of the Lord. In that sense, our staff should either be local missionaries themselves or be part of the church's plan to make missions possible. In the case of MVBC, Sandy Springs and greater Atlanta area is our mission field. Staff that multiply our ministry locally and internationally are well worth having!
(4) "I can't support the church and the ministries I love."
That may be true, though I do think that if it is, the church needs to be the priority. Also, it is quite possible that by supporting the church you are supporting other ministries. A church modeling Paul's instructions in 2 Corinthians 8 will send along support to other Christians doing good work. That's what we do at MVBC. Many of our missions dollars, for example, go directly to advance the gospel overseas. Some stay in the local area to ministries that we have come to value. So, you can give to the local church and support valuable ministries at the same time.
Also, I think this is a real challenge for us all to try and give more. Yes, prioritize the local church. Start with a tithe but then try to give more as the years go on. Nonetheless, if we learn to live off of less of our income then we are wonderfully situated to be generous to the church and to the parachurch.
No Church is Perfect
It is hard to imagine a local church where every member agrees with every expenditure made by the church. That's why it is so important for members to be informed, involved, and trusting.
Members should be informed. They should have a sense of what the church's priorities are, what it is trying to accomplish, and how it is trying to get there. At MVBC, one great way to get this sense is to see what we pray for on Sunday evenings. This is great opportunity to be informed about our heart and our commitment.
Members should be involved. Wherever possible we should have first-hand experience with a church's ministry. This may involve working with the kids or looking into a short-term missions project.
Members should trust leaders to lead well. At some point, it becomes necessary to trust the people that have been given a direct responsibility of the church's budget. Though they will not always make the best decisions, if the are grounded in God's Word, they will often make very good decisions.
Much Can Be Done
This brings to an end this little series on giving. I am so thankful to be part of a church that wants to be a good steward of what the Lord has given us. It is so tempting to want to hold on to what we have but it is so freeing to know that our stuff really does belong to God and our giving to the church will honor him. Please pray that at Mount Vernon God would be honored in what and in how we give. As we give generously, so much can be done.
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