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Financial accountability in the message: Difference between revisions
Financial accountability in the message (view source)
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::''Related articles'': '''[[Are Christians required to tithe?]]''' and '''[[Church Governance in the Message|Church governance]]''' | |||
'''''Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.''''' (Lord Acton) | '''''Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.''''' (Lord Acton) | ||
William Branham created a very dangerous situation for the local church when he provided that 100% of the tithes was to go to the pastor. In most message churches this means that the pastor has complete control of the tithes and there is no financial accountability as to how the pastor spends the money. | William Branham created a very dangerous situation for the local church when he provided that 100% of the tithes was to go to the pastor. In most message churches this means that the pastor has complete control of the tithes and there is no financial accountability as to how the pastor spends the money. Unfortunately, this almost guarantees that financial abuse will take place and, in larger message churches (based on our experience), financial abuse is quite common. | ||
=Summary= | |||
=What the Bible teaches= | Paul provides an example of financial accountability. If Paul took pains to ensure that his handling of money was above reproach, church leaders ensure accountability structures exist as well. This is important to protect the pastors and elders and deacons from unwanted criticism. | ||
Church leadership should ensure that there is transparency to anyone who gives funds to the church and structures are in place that prevent potential abuse. | |||
==What the Bible teaches== | |||
::''Related articles'': '''[[Are Christians required to tithe?]]''' and '''[[Church Governance in the Message|Church governance]]''' | ::''Related articles'': '''[[Are Christians required to tithe?]]''' and '''[[Church Governance in the Message|Church governance]]''' | ||
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In addition to Titus, Paul sends two church representatives of proven worth and recognized stature to help Titus with the collection effort (v. 23). The first is merely referred to in the text as the brother (v. 18); no name is provided. But where a name is lacking, credentials are not. To the brother’s credit is the fact that he was chosen by the churches to accompany the offering (v. 19). This brother is also someone who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel (v. 18). The second church representative is unnamed as well. This individual, unlike the first, is well known to the congregation: our brother (v. 22). This raises the total that Paul sends in advance of his arrival to three persons.<ref>Linda L. Belleville, 2 Corinthians, vol. 8, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1996), 2 Co 8:16–24.</ref> | In addition to Titus, Paul sends two church representatives of proven worth and recognized stature to help Titus with the collection effort (v. 23). The first is merely referred to in the text as the brother (v. 18); no name is provided. But where a name is lacking, credentials are not. To the brother’s credit is the fact that he was chosen by the churches to accompany the offering (v. 19). This brother is also someone who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel (v. 18). The second church representative is unnamed as well. This individual, unlike the first, is well known to the congregation: our brother (v. 22). This raises the total that Paul sends in advance of his arrival to three persons.<ref>Linda L. Belleville, 2 Corinthians, vol. 8, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1996), 2 Co 8:16–24.</ref> | ||
What is clear is that Paul does not simply hold himself accountable to God. He also holds himself accountable to "men," those that have donated the funds. '''If Paul held himself accountable to men, how do message ministers )or anyone that deals with church funds for that matter) think they can get away without being accountable to those that donate to the church??''' | What is clear is that Paul does not simply hold himself accountable to God. He also holds himself accountable to "men," those that have donated the funds. '''If Paul held himself accountable to men, how do message ministers )or anyone that deals with church funds for that matter) think they can get away without being accountable to those that donate to the church??''' | ||
=Should all of the tithes go to the pastor?= | =Should all of the tithes go to the pastor?= | ||
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:'''''The tithings goes into the church for the pastor and so forth like that to live on.''' And then the—the—the '''building funds and things like that is a separate fund altogether. Now, that—that is Scriptural.''' <ref>William Branham, 61-1015M - Questions And Answers, para. 176-180</ref> | :'''''The tithings goes into the church for the pastor and so forth like that to live on.''' And then the—the—the '''building funds and things like that is a separate fund altogether. Now, that—that is Scriptural.''' <ref>William Branham, 61-1015M - Questions And Answers, para. 176-180</ref> | ||
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[[Category: Unfinished articles]] | [[Category: Unfinished articles]] | ||