My People Are Destroyed for a Lack of Knowledge Hosea 4:6

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My People Are Destroyed for a Lack of Knowledge
Hosea 46

• A Study of Spending the Churchs Money

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Spending the Churchs Money
Warnings

1. Failure to Study the Issues (Ho 46, Ro 102)
2. Attitudes while debating (1 Ti. 63-4)
3. Listen before responding (James 119)

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Spending the Churchs Money
If you cannot find the authority in the
Scriptures, its not a good work no matter how
good it looks to us.

• Authority

2 Tim 316-17 All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God
may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every
good work. It is Scripture that thoroughly equips
us for every good work.
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Authority

Col 317 And whatever you do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God the Father through Him.
Question If we cant find where the Lord says
it, can we do it in His name?
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Spending the Churchs Money
Activities Authorized For the Church

• Assemble
• Observe Lords Supper
• Sing
• Exhort, Pray, Preach and Teach
• Contribution
• Support the preaching of the gospel

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Spending the Churchs Money
How was Money Spent? -- Preaching
One Church to one Man Phil. 410-18 Acts 131-6
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Spending the Churchs Money
How was Money Spent? -- Preaching
Many Churches to one Man 2 Cor. 117-9
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Spending the Churchs Money
Activities Authorized For the Church

• Assemble
• Observe Lords Supper
• Sing
• Exhort, Pray, Preach and Teach
• Contribution
• Support the preaching of the gospel
• Benevolence (Needy Saints)

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Spending the Churchs Money
How was Money Spent? -- Benevolence
One Church to Their Own Members Acts 244-45
434-37 61-6 1 Tim 516
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Spending the Churchs Money
How was Money Spent? -- Benevolence
Many Churches to a Church (Elders) Ro 1525-28
2 Co. 818-21 1 Co. 161-3
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Spending the Churchs Money
How was Money Spent? -- Benevolence
One Church to Churches (Elders) of Judea Acts
1127-30
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Spending the Churchs Money
Activities Authorized For the Church

• Provide for Widows Indeed (1 Tim. 53-16)

• Left Alone
• Trust in God
• Continue in supplication and prayers night/day
• Over 60
• Wife of one man

• Well reported for Good works
• Brought up children
• Lodged strangers
• Washed saints feet
• Relieved the afflicted
• Diligent to every good work

With such qualifications, does it sound like God
cares how the churchs money is spent?
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Individual Responsibility

1Ti 54 But if any widow has children or
grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety
at home and to repay their parents for this is
good and acceptable before God. (NKJV) 1Ti 516
If any believing man or woman has widows, let
them relieve them, and do not let the church be
burdened, that it may relieve those who are
really widows. (NKJV)
do not let the church be burdened, that it may
relieve those who are really widows.
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Who is to oversee the work of the church?

1 Peter 51-2 The elders who are among you I
exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of
the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of
the glory that will be revealed Shepherd the
flock of God which is among you, serving as
overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not
for dishonest gain but eagerly
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Who is to oversee the work of the church?

• Acts 20 28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves
  and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit
  has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of
  God which He purchased with His own blood.

all the flock, among which you oversee
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Spending the Churchs Money

• What is wrong with orphan homes?
• Should orphans be helped?
• Yes!
• Jas 127 Pure and undefiled religion before God
  and the Father is this to visit orphans and
  widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself
  unspotted from the world. (NKJV)

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Spending the Churchs Money

• What is wrong with orphan homes?
• Who should help?
• Who is the audience of James 1 ?
• vs. 12, 14, 19, 23, 24, 25 and 26
• Individual Responsibility
• Jas 127 Pure and undefiled religion before God
  and the Father is this to visit orphans and
  widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself
  unspotted from the world. (NKJV)

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Spending the Churchs Money
James 112-27 NKJV 12 Blessed is the man who
endures temptation for when he has been
approved, he will receive the crown of life which
the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted
by God" for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor
does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is
tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires
and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived,
it gives birth to sin and sin, when it is
full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be
deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift
and every perfect gift is from above, and comes
down from the Father of lights, with whom there
is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His
own will He brought us forth by the word of
truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of
His creatures. 19 So then, my beloved brethren,
let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak,
slow to wrath 20 for the wrath of man does not
produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore
lay aside all filthiness and overflow of
wickedness, and receive with meekness the
implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a
hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a
man observing his natural face in a mirror 24
for he observes himself, goes away, and
immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty
and continues in it, and is not a forgetful
hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be
blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone among you
thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his
tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's
religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled
religion before God and the Father is this to
visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to
keep oneself unspotted from the world.
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Spending the Churchs Money
Quote from defending article What an individual
Christian can do because he is a Christian the
church can do. Can an individual Christian
support false doctrine? No. Neither can a
congregation. Can an individual Christian
support an orphan home? Yes. Can an individual
congregation support an orphan home? Yes.
How It Works



Whos work is this? (Building, Food, Supervisor,
Activities, etc) - Elders of the local
churches or - Institutional Board overseeing
One or many churches to an Institution Board
Where is the scripture?
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Where is the scripture for a middle man
  organization?
• This middle man stands between the church and
  the work
• In all of our scriptures, the money went directly
  to the need (to the work)

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Spending the Churchs Money
Missionary Societies Retirement
Homes Colleges/Schools Publications, TV, Radio,
etc..
How was Money Spent?
The money always went directly to the work that
needed doing.
One or many churches to an Institution (Board)
Where is the scripture?
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Defenses
• The Board is just the method
• The command Visit Orphans, Preach, etc
• It is just the how which is up to us
• Expediency
• Note once the board is in place the local elders
  no longer oversee the work
• This is not simply how

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Are These Legitimate Works of the Church?
• Some Yes
• Mission (support preachers)
• TV, Radio, Publication (preaching/teaching)
• Widows Indeed
• Some No
• Orphan homes
• Schools
• Colleges

A Principle Children care for widows do not
let the church be burdened, that it may relieve
those who are really widows.
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Should the Church Help Non-Christians?

Acts 244-45 And all that believed were together,
and had all things common And sold their
possessions and goods, and parted them to all
men, as every man had need. Context shows every
man here is those among the Christians.
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Should the Church Help Non-Christians?

• Gal 610 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let
  us do good to all, especially to those who are of
  the household of faith.
• What does context show here?

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Should the Church Help Non-Christians?

• Gal. 65-8 For each one shall bear his own load.
  6 Let him who is taught the word share in all
  good things with him who teaches. 7 Do not be
  deceived, God is not mocked for whatever a man
  sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows
  to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption,
  but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit
  reap everlasting life.
• So who is to do good to all, especially those
  of the household of faith? (Individual or Church)

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Should the Church Help Non-Christians?

• 2Co 913-14 while, through the proof of this
  ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of
  your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for
  your liberal sharing with them and all men, and
  by their prayer for you, who long for you because
  of the exceeding grace of God in you.(NKJV)
• Sharing gt Communion or Fellowship II Cor. 614
• men is in italics in KJV
• Whoever the all is would be offering prayers

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Sponsoring Church

• Local churches send money to the elders of
  another church
• Church takes on a work larger than they can
  handle
• Ask other congregations to help
• May be preaching or benevolence
• What flock are the elders supposed to oversee?
• 1 Peter 51-2, Acts 208

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Spending the Churchs Money
How was Money Spent? -- Preaching
One or many churches to Sponsoring Church Where
is the scripture?
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Sponsoring Church - Defense

• Spiritual work overseen by elders of a local
  church
• Problem Elders must leave their role of local
  oversight

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Sponsoring Church - Defense

• Jerusalem was a sponsoring church for the
  distribution of the funds
• Proof 1
• Acts 1127-30 Barnabas and Saul delivered the
  funds to the elders.
• Acts 1225 Barnabus and Saul returned from
  Jerusalem where they had fulfilled their ministry
• Just because they returned from Jerusalem, does
  that mean they didnt go anywhere else?

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Sponsoring Church - Defense

• Jerusalem was a sponsoring church for the
  distribution of the funds
• Proof 2
• Gal. 122 Paul was unknown by face to the
  churches of Judea
• Therefore, he must not have delivered the funds
  to them.
• Gal. 1 is giving the chronology after Paul was
  baptized but before Acts 11.

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Sponsoring Church - Defense

• Jerusalem was a sponsoring church for the
  distribution of the funds
• Proof 2 Gal. 1 -- Paul unknown by face
• Conversion
• Left Damascus and went to Arabia (v. 17)
• Left Arabia and returned to Damascus (v. 17)
• After 3 years, Paul goes to Jerusalem see Peter
  for 15 days (v. 18)
• Went into the region of Syria and Cilica (v. 21)
• It is then that he was unknown by face (v. 22)

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Funding Social Activities
• This issue is not whether someone can eat or
  drink in the building
• This issue is not whether the building is sacred
• The issue is Is there authority for the church
  to plan and fund social activities?

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Funding Social Activities
• What is the purpose of the social activities?
• To draw people in the door
• Cappuccino and Christ
• Coffee and Doughnuts
• Casual Services
• Plays, Performances, Musicals, etc
• Gyms, Softball teams, etc

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Chances are, your local church is moving away
  from the traditional format in an attempt to fill
  emptying pews.
• As South Church in Andover, Mass., was debating
  when to hold an alternative worship service, the
  question wasnt which day is holy. Instead it
  was When do people have nothing else to do? A
  market survey gave them an answer 5 p.m.,
  Saturday.
• One minister in Arkansas instituted his own
  version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, with
  two worshipers/contestants winning 1,000 cash
  prizes.
• One minister cruises the streets in poor areas of
  Bryan, Tex., in a blue bus with a sign
  advertising, We will pay you 10 to come to
  church on our bus.
• http//www.thetrumpet.com/index.php?q3.0.69.0

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Funding Social Activities
• Have we forgotten?
• Ro 116 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
  Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation
  for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and
  also for the Greek. (NKJV)

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Funding Social Activities Defended
• Love Feast
• 2 Pet 213 and will receive the wages of
  unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure
  to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and
  blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions
  while they feast with you,
• Jude 12 These are spots in your love feasts,
  while they feast with you without fear, serving
  only themselves. They are clouds without water,
  carried about by the winds late autumn trees
  without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the
  roots

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Funding Social Activities Defended
• Love Feast What are they?
• We dont know
• Some say Lords Supper (Barns)
• Others meal of the rich for the poor members
• No indication they are church activities
• Both passages are describing false teachers and
  not the love feast
• 1 Cor. 1122 Do you not have houses to eat and
  drink in?

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Funding Social Activities Defended
• Arent we supposed to have fellowship one with
  another?
• Didnt they eat together in Acts 246
• Where did they gather to eat?

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Funding Social Activities Defended
• Defined as sharing, communion, participation in,
  joining together
• Business Luke 510 James and John were
  business partners with Simon
• It is used in the context of spiritual fellowship
  many times
• Act 242  fellowship , Romans 1526 contribution
  , I Corinthians 19 fellowship , I Corinthians
  1016 communion , II Corinthians 614 communion,
  II Corinthians 84  fellowship , II Corinthians
  913 distribution , II Corinthians 1314
  communion , Galatians 29 fellowship , Ephesians
  39 fellowship , Philippians 15 fellowship ,
  Philippians 21 fellowship , Philippians 310
  fellowship , Philemon 16 communication , Hebrews
  1316 communicate , 1 John 13 (TWICE) fellowship
  , fellowship , 1 John 16 fellowship 2842 , and
  1 John 17 fellowship .
• Strong's reference 2842

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Funding Social Activities Defended
• Defined as sharing, communion, participation in,
  joining together
• Business Luke 510 James and John were
  business partners with Simon
• It is used in the context of spiritual fellowship
  many times
• Problem Never is it used in the New Testament
  for social activities in connection with the
  church.

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Spending the Churchs Money

• Funding Social Activities
• If the Scripture never uses it this way
• Why do we think of fellowship as eating a common
  meal together?
• Why do we think of fellowship as fun and games
  eating and drinking?
• Where do we get from this doughnuts and
  coffee--or any other social fellowship?

The World!
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Spending the Churchs Money

• Conclusion
• Do the orphans need to be cared for?
• Do we have social needs?
• Should we educate our children?

Remember the Principle Children care for widows
do not let the church be burdened, that it may
relieve those who are really widows.