Examining Churches and Religions
Part 5
By Allan E. McNabb

In this series we’re examining churches and religions by asking questions, eliminating false churches and religions, and identifying the Lord’s church.

The questions we’ve asked so far are:
Does the church believe Jesus is the divine Son of God?
Does the church believe Jesus is the only way to God?
Does the church teach anything different from the doctrine of Christ?
Is the church a denomination?
Is the church organized as authorized in God’s word?
Does the church wear a name authorized in God’s word?
Does the church exclusively teach and practice salvation as God commands?
Does the church take up a collection and observe the Lord’s Supper exclusively on Sunday?
Does the church observe the Lord’s Supper as God commands?

By answering these questions we’re able to eliminate every religion but Christian, and every church but the Lord’s church.

Now, we continue with two more questions that will more clearly identify the Lord’s church.

Does the church finance it’s work exclusively through the collection on Sunday?
As mentioned above, most churches take up collections on various days of the week, for which they have no authority.

Besides this, many churches finance their work through all types of fund-raising efforts.
Some teach their members to tithe, which is part of the Mosaic Law and not the law of Christ.
Some teach their members to give goodwill offerings in addition to tithes.
Some buy and sell property for the express purpose of making a profit.
Some rent out their property and facilities.
Some own and operate businesses.
Some take contributions from secular organizations such as charities and governments.
Some have secular fund-raising projects such as car washes and bake sales.

As a result, churches based on human doctrines are entangled in greedy pursuits, rather than in serving God as He commands.  They seek to please men for the sake of gaining money, rather than pleasing God.

The Lord’s church is different.  Governed by Christ’s law, we raise funds for the church by no other means than the collection on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 9:21; 16:2).

We only take up a collection on the first day of the week, and don’t solicit funds from non-members.  We don’t take money from secular organizations like governments or charities, we don’t have church owned businesses, and we don’t have fund-raising projects.  As a church, our focus is on serving God and doing His will, not on raising money.

If a church is taking up money on a day other than Sunday, or if it’s raising funds other than by the first day of the week collection for the saints, it’s not the Lord’s church.

Does the church only spend money from the treasury for work God has authorized?
Many churches have divided over money.

Brethren in the Lord’s church split over the spending of funds from the treasury in the mid 1900’s, which was necessary, so those who were approved could become evident (1 Cor. 11:19).

The Lord’s church is bound by the law of Christ to use funds collected as God authorizes (Col. 3:17). 
We can use these funds to do the work God instructs us to do as a church.
Assembly of the saints (Heb. 10:23-25; Eph. 4:11-16).
Evangelism and teaching (Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 4:11-16).
Support of elders (1 Tim. 5:17-18).
Support of preachers, given direct to the man from the supporting congregation; the money is not sent through an administrative body such as a denomination, missionary society, or sponsoring church (2 Cor. 11:8-9; Phil. 1:3-5; 4:15-16; 3 Jn. 1:5-8).
Benevolence to Christians (2 Cor. 8:1-4; 9:1, 12).  Individual Christians are benevolent to all men, as they have opportunity, but the church is only benevolent to Christians (Gal. 6:8-10).
A congregation is benevolent to its needy members (Acts 6:1-6).
Widows who do not have family to support them can be supported by the church on a permanent basis (put on the list), if they meet specific qualifications (1 Tim. 5:3-16).
A congregation can send benevolence to another congregation for benevolence; the money is not sent through an administrative body such as a denomination, society, or sponsoring church (Acts 11:27-30; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8:19-23).

In contrast, the churches of men use money they collect for many works not authorized by God.
They pay salaries and support church offices God hasn’t authorized, such as priests, directors, and denominational representatives.
They pay for observances of holidays which are not authorized by God, such as Christmas and Easter.
They pay for church sponsored social fellowship, such as kitchens, fellowship halls, gymnasiums, and camps.
They make contributions to administrative bodies such as denominations, societies, and conventions.
They fund and support human organizations such as hospitals and colleges.
They fund and operate businesses.
They are benevolent to people other than Christians, and support widows who do not meet the Bible qualifications.

If a church is spending money from its treasury for work God has not authorized, it isn’t the Lord’s church.  It’s doing the work of man, rather than the work of God.