Those of us who have had bad experiences with churches or pastors that were only focused on taking advantage of the congregation financially most certainly can leave us embittered against the church taking offerings. The congregation gets upset when the pastor, staff, and building are the priority rather than the people both inside the church and in the community. The congregation and even the community in which the church is located get upset when such a church demands a percentage of the members’ income, when it promises wealth in return for giving, and when the pastor is living extravagantly at the expense of its members and their sacrifice.
The Scriptures warn church leaders not to be greedy or to take advantage of the people in their care. An example of such a warning is found in 1 Peter 5:2-3 which reads, “Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” Among the qualifiers for church leaders is that they must not be a lover of money and greedy of filthy lucre (see 1 Tim 3:3,8 and Titus 1:7).
Does this warning mean that the noble and right thing to do is to no longer ask for the congregation under their care to support the church in which they are a part of? While to some it may seem noble to attempt to run a church without money, I doubt that have not really considered what a church like that would look like. Such a church would not have a meeting place. Even if the meeting place was donated, look at the picture of the building closer – it needs maintenance and paint – not just for aesthetics, but also to prevent the much greater expense of replacing rotted wood and siding. Such a church would have to sing hymns that are rights free and use the King James Version or similar rights free versions. This church would have zero evangelism and impact on the community in which it is located. This church would not have a children’s program because it couldn’t pay for even the most miniscule items such as paper and crayons, children’s Bibles, it wouldn’t be a place that children would want to attend. It wouldn’t pay its pastor or have any support staff. The pastor would have to work outside of the church fulltime as a result he would not offer pastoral care, he would always struggle with preparing sermons for Sunday services and never be have the time to equip others for works of service. Such a church wouldn’t have a phone or way for people to contact the church if there is a need. They would not be able to help the poor in their community. Perhaps they would have a few financial backers who would control the purse strings of the church thus telling everyone else what it could do or what doesn’t meet their approval. I could go on, but I am sure that if one would only think about what kind of church this would be they would realize they would not want to be a member of such a church.
This kind of church would not give to missions and the spread of the gospel, this church would be self-focused and become arrogant. This church could never teach financial responsibilities to its people. This church would be afraid of its members and only cater to what they want to hear and do. No, this church would not be a good church at all.
Most of all, this church would be a disobedient church. The Bible teaches the body of Christ to give to the needs of others saying, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:6-7). And, “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else” (2 Cor 9:10-13). The Lord will divide sheep and goats on the very issue of giving to those in need (see Mt 25:31-46).
Some may say, “There is no specific command to give towards a building or meeting place!” Okay, in the New Testament there is not such a command – but in the Old Testament there most certainly was. Question about this may arise from the passage where Peter is asked if Jesus paid the temple tax. Here is the passage:
After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" "Yes, he does," he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes — from their own sons or from others?" "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." (Matt 17:24-27).
Noteworthy first of all is that Jesus did pay the tax for himself and for Peter. The second thing is that Jesus’ main complaint seems to be that it was considered “duty or tax” imposed upon people. Lastly, it interpreted only in a couple of translations that this is the tax called for in Ex 30:13-16 and Neh 10:32-33 for maintenance of the temple. It seems more logical to me that when Jesus mentions the “kings of the earth” taking tribute he is not talking about the priests in the Temple. This maybe the event that was later misinterpreted by others who tried to trick Jesus into saying it was not right to pay taxes to Caesar (Mt 22:17). While it is true the early church often met in homes, it is also just as true that they continued to meet at the Temple till its destruction. Further, while it is true that during the persecution of the church the church also met in catacombs; once persecution subsided, the church did begin to build places of worship for the purpose of gathering, convenience, and evangelism.
Concerning the pastor the Bible teaches, “Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” (1 Cor 9:13-14). Again, “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?” (1 Cor 9:7-12).
Who would go to a church that didn’t receive offerings? Would not those that attend be selfish, personally greedy, and uncaring about the needs of others? Wouldn’t they be unconcerned about the spread of the gospel, reaching their community, and making sure their children have the gospel presented to them in a way that they would be understand it? Wouldn’t they most likely be unwilling to invest their time and talents to this church?
What at first glance may seem attractive and noble would end up proving to be dishonoring to God.
