Church Cooperation in Financing Evangelism: Scriptural Basis and Practice

DEBATE ON CHURCH COOPERATION ON FINANCING EVANGELISM Sat. June 9, 2021 Proposition 2 Church cooperation is generic irrespective of aspect; it is scriptural for a church to send money from their treasury unto another church s to help the recipients in evangelism work

My proposition stated : a) Definitions of some operational works in my proposition i. CHURCH COOPERATION: by this I mean one church working together with another in carrying out the divine commission Church co-operation is generic irrespective of aspects. It is scriptural for a church to send money from their treasury unto another church to help the recipients evangelism work.

iv. SCRIPTURAL : by this I mean that the bible teaches by necessary inference or implication and thereby authorizes one church to provide assistance ( this may be any available v. SEND MONEY : by this I mean that having resolved with the generic authority of MUTUAL HELPFULNESS, a church(es) are empowered to iii. IRRESPECTIVE OF ASPECT: by this I meant whether it is physical or spiritual aspects church cooperation is not limited to only physical ( feeding of the hungry, helping resources within the power of the church or individual as the case might be) ii. GENERIC : by this I mean that, the mission and authority to carry out this act of cooperation is generic and not specific , cooperation is governed by generic laws and not specific laws. destitute saints). church) such resources may be money, men materials etc. Furthermore, I meant that there is no biblical teaching of one pattern for evangelism and another for benevolence. deliver such fund to the recipients (

viii.HELP: by help it is meant that the church receiving has the God given right to use the funds donated to carry out the spreading of the good message( gospel) ix. EVANGELISM WORK: by this I meant the receiving church s gospel work could be done effectively with such scriptural. MAJOR PREMISES: All total situations the components parts of which are scriptural are total situation which are scriptural. MINOR PREMISE: The total situation described in my proposition is a total vi. TREASURY: by this it is meant that a particular church having a store of resources. Those resources might include money but not limited to money. vii. ANOTHER CHURCH: by this I mean one church receiving from another church of Christ. funds. MODE OF PROOF: In proving my proposition I shall be using a logical device known as; THE COMPONENT PARTS OR THE CONSTITUENT ELEMENT ARGUMENT: IT STATES AS FOLLOWS; situation which component parts of are

The proof of my major premise is 1Crinthian 13:8-10 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be abolished. Where has come, then that which is in part will Salvation etc. together the whole Bible is inspired? I doubt he does. Will Brother Lesley deny that Mark is CONCLUSION: The total situation described in my proposition is a total situation which is scriptural. be scriptural, he has proved the whole to be scriptural. Where there is knowledge, it will vanish away. Of course this is somewhat technical but in everyday language it means; When one proves every part of a thing to Every part of this thing is scriptural Therefore the whole thing is scriptural there are languages, they will cease. be done away Is the major premise valid? Yes it is! This is how we prove the identity of the inspired so is Acts, Romans etc. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is complete Church, New Testament worship, Plan of Therefore, when they are brought

19 Going, therefore, disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy 15 so that you may be blameless and harmless children of God, above reproach that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored known the good message) This is a THE MINOR PREMISE: The minor premises are the constituent element or component parts so let us proceed to introduce them. course the Lord does the saving) by means of evangelism (Matthew 28:19,20) lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. lights in the world, CONSTITUENT ELEMENT ONE: Every congregation rests under the obligation to strive to save souls ( of Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as in vain. generic authority. Also, Philippians 2:15, 16 16 holding fast the word of life so The Lord expects us as individuals and as congregations to hold forth (make

FIGURE ONE GENERAL OBLIGATION TO MAKE KNOWN THE GOOD MASSAGE CHURCH Is this point out of harmony with scriptures?

CONSTITUENT ELEMENT TWO: Every congregation has the right ( liberty of action) to seek to meet this obligation by undertaking the accomplishing of one or more various specific work. Proof: I call your attention to Philippians 2:13 .. So you can see that it is scriptural for a church to will.

Lets See The Diagram Below: GENERAL OBLIGATION TO MAKE KNOWN THE GOOD MESSAGE Preacher Work Religious Journals Radio Broadcast Tracts Ministry

Proof : As scriptural proof to CONSTITUENT ELEMENT THREE: component part, I call your attention 2cor 8:10,11 there was a readiness to desire it, so there may be also a completion out of what you have. deny this? 11 But now finish doing it so that as Bro Lesley, can you see it is scriptural for a church to will to do a thing and Will brother Lesley and those who stand with him dispute the clear facts that a congregation has the right to will? Is this point unscriptural? congregation has the right to do it advantageous for you who were the first a year ago not only to do, but also to desire to do this thing. After willing (deciding) to do it(the accomplishing of specific work) a 10 And in this I give advice: For this is also scriptural for her to do it, will you

CONSTITUENT ELEMENT FOUR: in the sense that neither of them has oversight of accomplishing of the specific work: Before either of two churches has oversight of the accomplishing of a specific work, the two churches are equally related to that specific work,

Cong. A Cong. B SPECIFIC RADIO BROADCAST

CONSTITUENT ELEMENT FIVE A change of relationship occurs when one of the churches actually undertakes (has entered agreement) to This is what it means to be equally related.no one is in oversight to the radio station air time. bring the specific work to fulfillment under its oversight let me draw a little more to help us understand what is been said on point 5

Cong. A Cong. B NOT EQUALLY RELATED NOW HAS OVERSIGHT SPECIFIC RADIO BROADCAST

let us read Act 11 : 27 30 And this came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, everyone according to his ability, Relief sent to the elders which elders were these? CONSTITUENT ELEMENT SIX Scriptural Proof: Now at this time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 Then one of them named Agabus stood up and determined to send relief to the brethren are not known Does brother Lesley know? Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, serving as overseers, not Another church may give assistance to this church to aid her accomplishing of give to another church may involve signified by the Spirit that there would who dwelt in Judea. 30 This they did, and sent it to the elders by the hand of Remember no assumption in a pattern; Church A having covenanted to take that space, now has oversight in all matter of expediency. under compulsion, but voluntarily according to God; not greedy for money, but with eagerness this specific work. physical needs, be a great famine throughout all the world. Barnabas and Saul. The assistance which one church may Jerusalem or all of the Judea? The details

The assistance which one church give to another church may involve spiritual matter .Let us read Act 15: 23 -32 23 And they wrote this letter by them: The apostles and elders and brethren send greetings to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 24 Since we have heard that some went out from us, to whom we gave no commandment, have troubled you with their words, unsettling your souls, 25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with Antioch, Syria and Cilicia vs22 What does the above passage state? The Jerusalem church chose me to be sent to Antioch vs 22 brethren sent by the Jerusalem church were to tell by word of mouth the same It tells us that Judas and Silas were the 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It tells us the Jerusalem church prepared an epistle to be sent to brethren at thing contained in the epistle vs 23

This passage shows that Bible teachings which involves spiritual matters so one on this matter generally, the church This passage shows that one church may send a write up to another church; this that one church may send tracts to one for the purchase of tracts or bible It shows that in light of point number the matter of one church helping This passage shows then in light of the fact church might send funds to another church sending men as well as writing. There is no single pattern no exclusive pattern in It tells us that Paul and Barnabas, Judas and Silas went to Antioch and there they gathered multitude, the church together and delivered the epistle vs 30 Act 11 :30 by the hand of Barnabas and Paul assistance to another church, has right to support those she sends out principle which allow this would allow television time to be purchased men. Judas and Silas exhorted the brethren at Antioch vs 32 They wrote thus by them the same as send some of its own men to render another church so long as it is expedient to the cause of Christ. writing materials tract may be purchased, the same This passage shows that a church may act through the hand of a number of Now what does the passage show? It shows that one church can scripturally shows that a church may send a tract to church, it can also send funds to another church for the purpose of the purchase of four, if a church may send funds so that another.

I call bro Lesleys attention to 2corinthians 11:8 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them, in order to serve you. The passage says Paul received WAGES assume is not to prove a thing, the funds came to Paul to do services to the church. The church in Jerusalem wrote to the church in Antioch. Brother Lesley, there you have all the authority for church cooperation no exclusive pattern. from other churches to do service to the church in Corinth. We weren t told how those wages got to Paul. These other churches were helping the Corinthian church when Corinth was not no man can prove those funds went to Paul directly as a matter of faith. To in need remember, Paul robbed churches not just a church.

i. But out of or based upon the principle of mutual helpfulness, your abundance at this present time may supply their want. Here is a general authority for church co- In the first part of vs 14 in the expression by equality the word by is from the Greek word ek it is a proposition it means out of an ellipses after ek making the passage read ; but out of or based information together, the passage read as follows; 2corithians 8:13,14 For I do not mean that others be relieved and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their need, that their abundance also may be a supply for your need, that there may be equality. equality and so on. Scholars tells us that we must supply iii. Equality means fair sharing or mutual helpfulness putting all this ii. This passage set forth the authority for church cooperation and never one for evangelism and another for benevolence. designation source, in other words the passage really says but out of upon the principle of equality. operation .

PRINCIPLE OF MUTUAL HELPFULNESS SPECIFIC INSTANCE SPECIFIC INSTANCE SPECIFIC INSTANCE

iv. Such assistance might be from a church with little power to give : advocates of exclusive pattern of church cooperation abundance. 2Corinthian 11:8. b. The Macedonia were deep in poverty when they gave to some of the poor in Jerusalem 2Corinthian 8:1-5 a. The church in Corinth was assisted by other churches when Corinth has in This is like the law of love which could be expressed in multiple ways. in evangelism( to use their phraseology which is not biblical thought) insist that churches are those without power to give object of charity.

Also in Romans 15: 25, 26 we have the following; matter of choice with the giving church 2Corinth8:8-10 sakes He became poor so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 And in this I give v. The assistance may be given when it is a 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet for your 4 begging us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And this 25 But now am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For it pleased them of I do not speak by commandment, but as advice: For this is advantageous for you who were the first a year ago not only to do, but 1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia, 2 that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty, abounded in the riches of their liberality by the will of God. contribution for some of poor saints who are in Jerusalem. (Asv) . 3 For I testify that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord, they did, not as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain proving through the diligence of others the sincerity of your love. also to desire to do this thing.

vi. The assistance may be given when it is a matter of choice with the receiving church Listen to what the scripture says in Romans 15:31 31 that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints

The assistance may either be (i) beyond the power of the giving church or (ii) according to their power.

Proof 2corinth 8:1-5;12. CONSTITUENT ELEMENT SEVEN: This work (or situation involving this specific work) need not be brought about by some catastrophe.

Proof: 2Corinth 11:8other churches support Paul to preach in Corinth not because of natural disaster or catastrophe Acts 11:24 24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And many people were added to the Lord.

Our moderator and Brother Lesley, I have proven it to you all the component parts involved in my proposition as I affirmed. The arguments are valid(syllogism) : 1. The middle term is distributed at least once 2. No term which is not distributed in the premise is distributed in the conclusion

3. It is not the case that they are two negative premises 4. 4 since neither premise is negative, conclusion is not negative and 5. Since both premises are affirmative , the conclusion is not negative. Thus having violated no rule of the syllogism the argument is valid.

I have presented the component parts of the total syllogism involved in church cooperation. I have offered all the scriptural proof for my affirmation in doing that I have proved that there is no exclusive pattern, one for benevolence and another for evangelism in God s word.

It is purely a human theory church cooperation is generic authority that involves various specifics of fulfilling that obligation of saving souls.

THANK YOU!

QUESTIONS FOR BRO. LESLEY 1. Both human and material resources in a local congregation are under the oversight of the elders? 2. Can one church send Bible to another church to assist the receiving church preach the gospel?

3. Can one church send, specifically to buy a copy or copies of the Bible for the purpose of making known the good message? 4. What principle of the Bible or Christianity permits one and disallow the other? 5. All works of preaching rest with one congregation, no two congregations share preaching work together: True or False?

6. In your book "Church and human institutions" you posited that when a a church sends a preacher to do evangelistic work in a place that work is the work of the sending church: True or False? 7. Paul was sent by the church at Antioch as such his work in Corinth was a work of Antioch: True or False? 8. If questions no 7 is true, why was Paul accusing the Corinthians of "robbing other churches .... to do service whereas the work he is doing is the work of Antioch?

9. (a). Church autonomy means the right of the elders in a local congregation to decide on all matters of expediency: True or False? (b). When the elders decides on a matter without been compel to do so they have acted scripturally: True or False? 10.When local churches sent money from Galatia to Jerusalem elders they lose their autonomy: True or False?

11. In preaching under the generic command of great commission a. Church A supports radio preaching b. Church B support tract ministry c. Church C supports preachers work Now no one church choice is binding on the other: True or False ?