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“Collective Work, Collective Funds”
Categories: DOCTRINE, THE COLLECTION, THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH, WORSHIPIs there any evidence in the New Testament that the giving Paul asked for was meant to continue past him picking up the funds?Sincerely,
The Buck Stops Here
Dear The Buck Stops Here,
1 Cor 16:1-2 was a collection taken up specifically for the case of benevolence, but it is also the only Bible example we have of how to collect funds when the church has a need.
In the particular case of the Corinthian church, they needed to collect funds for benevolence… and that was a very common reason for collection in that time of Christian persecution. In today’s culture and world the church finds itself in, we need to pay for things that the first century saints would never have dreamed of (“Electrical bills? What are those?!”). However, just because the expenses we face are not the same, that doesn’t mean that the same guidelines don’t apply. 1 Cor 16:1-2 outlines the mode with which to collect funds to pay for whatever expenses a church may incur. It also explains that it is appropriate for the church to have a store of money for future expenses (1 Cor 16:2-3).
