We Give (The Collection)

Acts of Worship, Pt. 4

Introduction

The next act of worship we will look at is The Collection. Whenever the discussion of money is mentioned or giving as part of the service, people tend to sour at the idea. You might hear people say, “All they want is our money.” It is the one thing that people have a problem with aside from the concept of baptism for salvation. Let’s look at some ideas.

Raising Funds

One of the main reasons that people rankle at the idea of putting money in the plate during Sunday Service is that they feel that their money won’t be put to good use. They feel that members of the church will use the money to line their own pockets rather than pay for things that are needed.

It’s one thing to give money to a local charity; something that they know the money is going to a good cause such as, the American Heart Association or Muscular Dystrophy. Even when people buy Girl Scout Cookies, they don’t see it as helping the Girl Scouts but rather buying the cookies. 

That is the key for most. They want something for their hard-earned money; a materialistic item to serve as a keepsake. You might notice that a lot of the megachurches don’t pass the plate around looking for contributions. Instead, they invite you to visit a gift shop on the way out and purchase a T-shirt, post cards, the preacher’s latest book, or some other item to show that you were there.

Other religious organizations will hold car washes, pancake breakfasts, or Casino night to raise money for their congregation. Yet, if you look for these examples in the scriptures, you won’t find them.

God’s House of Merchandise

        In Jn. 2:13-17, Jesus cleanses the temple of the money changers and those who sold livestock for the sacrifices. He overturned tables and chased the men off with a whip of cords. His statement in verse in verse 16 is very powerful, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!” That is exactly what the congregations are doing today who are partaking in events such as gift shops and car washes to raise money. They see it as helpful; God sees it as sinful.



The Collection according to Scripture

In 1 Cor. 16: 1-2 the apostle Paul give instructions concerning the collection, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.” We are to give as we have prospered. There is no other way that a congregation is commanded to raise money. That would be going beyond what is written (1 Cor. 4:6; 2 Jn. 9).

It is the responsibility of the members of a local congregation to provide for the needs of the church; paying the preacher, keeping the lights on, maintaining the property and the building, and buying supplies such as bibles, study materials, and song books.

What about Tithing?

This question was once asked of me in regards to what is called tithing. Under the Old Law, it was required of men to give one-tenth of all that he owned; money and livestock (Lev. 27:30-33). This is not commanded under the New Law; the Law of Christ. In regards to how much is to be given we turn to 2 Cor. 9:7. Paul writes, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” The amount that you give is entirely up to you. It is necessary though that you remember, that if God comes first in your life, then you want to give an amount that will reflect that.

For example, if a man pays a large sum for a sports car then puts $5 in the plate at the church building, he isn’t putting God first. The question to ask is: Does this many need the sports car? The answer is ‘No’; especially if he has a family to feed. The car is a luxury that he can do without. He can’t do without food, clothing, or shelter for himself and his family. As Paul writes in 1 Tim. 5:8, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Your own family and the church family should come well before your own self.


Pledge to Give?

In some denominations they ask you to fill out a pledge card; an amount of money that you will give on a weekly basis to the congregation. Not everyone is capable of giving the same amount every week; especially, if they lose a job or get a demotion. Some congregations will confront you and ask why you have contributed as you pledged. They are more interested in the money than the reason. How then can someone be a cheerful giver with this kind of pressure?

Instead of revolving a budget around how much people are expected to give, they should revolve it around how much they receive. Otherwise, certain things need to be scaled back or trimmed from the budget. Stick to necessities where the collection is concerned. Singles groups, Youth Ministry, and other activities are NOT of the church. And no one, aside from the preacher, should be paid out of the church treasury.

Conclusion

One final example about giving is found in Mk. 12:41-44. The story of the widow’s mites shows the difference in giving. As Jesus states in verse 44, “for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

If we understand that everything that we have is given to us by God then rightfully, all that we own is His. In other words, the things that we have should be use to glorify God rather than self. In 2 Cor. 8:5, Paul writes that the people first gave of themselves. They decided that God came first and that they would devote themselves to Him. We should do the same.