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First Affirmative

by Ben Vick

The Scriptures authorize one church to send funds to another church for the purpose of evangelism or edification.

The apostles and elders, with the whole church at Jerusalem, sent letters and men to churches in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia, explaining God’s will concerning the Gentiles being circumcised and keeping the law of Moses ( Acts 15:22-31; 16:4-5). Here is a case of one church’s having aided several churches in the areas of evangelism and edification. If one church can send a letter to help another church in these areas, then one church can send Bibles or tracts to another church to do the same. If one church can send Bibles or tracts for the purpose of evangelism and edification, then the same church could send the money to buy Bibles and tracts for the purpose of preaching the gospel to both saint and sinner.

The New Testament clearly teaches that evangelism and benevolence go hand in hand. Jesus went about doing good, healing the sick and preaching the gospel ( Matt. 4:23-24; Acts 10:36-42). By letting our lights shine (through evangelism and kind deeds) some will be encouraged to glorify God, i.e., obey the gospel ( Matt. 5:14-16). Jesus sent his disciples out on the limited commission to preach and heal the sick ( Matt. 10:7-8). Benevolence is a form of evangelism; it is the gospel in action (Acts 2:44; 6:1-7). Paul did not hold to the false idea that evangelism and benevolence are mutually exclusive of each other. As he went preaching, he purposed to help the poor ( Gal. 2:9-10).

Since benevolence and evangelism are tied together, then that which a church can do in helping another church in benevolence, can by the same token be done in evangelism. Our brethren who are opposed to one church’s cooperating with another church in evangelism argue for an exclusive pattern in evangelism and exclusive pattern in benevolence. But these brethren are not consistent in so arguing. They do not hesitate to use 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 to find financial support for the local preacher, but the passage is dealing with benevolence for the poor saints in Jerusalem. If a church can send money to another church to do a work of benevolence, then it can send money to another church to do a work of evangelism. If 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 is an exclusive pattern for benevolence, then the passage, according to these brethren, should not be used to show that the church can support the local preacher out of the church treasury. Let them cease from using it for taking their salary out of the Lord’s day contribution.

Sometimes it is countered that if benevolence and evangelism are parallel, then a church that sends money to a children’s home can by the same token send money to a missionary society. The children’s home and missionary society are not parallel. The children’s home takes the place of the home the child lost. It does not rob the church of its work. The missionary society, on the other hand, has no right to exist, attempting to rob the church of its work.

The church at Antioch sent money to the churches in Judea to help them with the famine that was coming ( Acts 11:27-30). If one church could send money to other churches to do benevolence, then one church can send money to another church do a work of evangelism or edification.

Paul wrote to the Colossians,

And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.” ( Col. 4:16 )

Here is a case of a church’s aiding another church in edification. If a church can send an inspired letter, it can send the entire Bible to help another church. If it can send one Bible it can send two hundred Bibles. If a church can send another church two hundred Bibles, it can send the money for two hundred Bibles.

Paul wrote, “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.” ( Phil.4:15.) When Paul left Macedonia he went to Athens and on to Corinth. While at Corinth Paul said he “robbed other churches taking wages of them” to do the Corinthians service. This support was made possible by the brethren (Silas and Timothy) who came from Macedonia (2 Cor. 11:8-9; Acts 18:5). Other churches supported Paul while he labored at Corinth, but only the Philippian brethren set up an account of credits and debits for Paul.

An analysis of Philippians 4:15 demonstrates that the church at Philippi received funds and sent out funds. Other churches had fellowship with him at this time (2 Cor. 11:8), but only the church at Philippi had fellowship in the matter of giving and receiving. If Philippi were sending to Paul just as other churches, then Paul’s statement would be false. But Paul said that the Philippian church only had this particular kind of fellowship. The adverbial element, “as concerning giving and receiving.” qualifies or modifies the manner of the fellowship. So, here is an example of a church’s receiving money from other churches to do a work of evangelism. If it could be done then, it can be done now.

It is argued that when one church sends money to another church to do a work of evangelism that autonomy is lost by the sending church. But the churches of Macedonia did not lose their autonomy when they sent aid to help the Jerusalem church ( 2 Cor. 8-9). The Antioch church did not lose its autonomy when it sent help to the churches of Judea ( Acts 11:27-30). Why is it the case that when one church sends money to another church for benevolence, the sending church does not lose its autonomy, but if one church sends money to another church for evangelism, the sending church loses its autonomy?

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