Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 14
August 30, 1962
NUMBER 17, PAGE 1,12a

Church In Business --- (3)

Herschel E. Patton

Motives And Purposes

All who have seriously studied the Scriptures know the emphasis the Lord places upon motives and purposes in connection with action. If our motive is to devise a scheme whereby we may serve God without, or with less, personal sacrifice, the scheme is wrong. It would be something of human origin, prompted by an impure motive — selfishness, covetousness. But, one says, "My motive is not to get by with less personal sacrifice, but to simply gain means for doing good beyond personal sacrifice." It is recognized, then, that one's motive may be noble, but what about such a purpose?

If the purpose is to gain funds beyond sacrifice and "from the heart" giving, to be right, there would have to be Scriptural authority for thus securing funds, and there is none. One can be immersed with an impure motive (for spite or business or social interests), but God is neither pleased nor obeyed. On the other hand one can be immersed with a pure motive (a desire to please God), yet do it for a wrong purpose (as a sign of salvation rather than for remission of sins or to be saved), and God is neither pleased nor obeyed. So it is with raising funds for the Lord's work. The motive must be holy and the purpose must be authorized. The one purpose of sales, banquets, etc., even if the motive is good, is not sacrifice, but to get money. And, efforts to acquire money for the Lord's work beyond "from the heart" giving are not scriptural.

Some churches find themselves receiving income because some benevolent soul left them property — even established businesses. In the early church, property was sold and the money brought. (Acts 2:44, 45; 4:34, 35) When a church keeps income property that (unwisely) has been willed to it, it does so purely to receive income.

It furnishes a way to do their work or enlarge it without personal sacrifice on the part of the doers. The motive and purpose, therefore, for keeping and operating such are commercial.

Natural And Unsolicited Income

I have already mentioned some cases where there is income to certain churches through the increase of property values or special circumstances. In these cases, no evil motive can be attributed and there was no purposing to raise money contrary to Scriptural procedure. In the exchange of property there is sometimes a natural increase (sometimes decrease) of values.

Sometimes, to obtain desirable property (a good location more property must be purchased than is actually needed, since certain legalities demand that said property be sold as a unit. If the property is bought and the not needed portion sold and the money derived from said sales used to decrease the over-all price of the needed property, there has been no commercializing in order to make money — no evil motive or purpose — but a manifestation of prudence and business judgment in securing what is needed without needless extravagance and waste of the Lord's money. Surely, all can see the difference in this action and in the church using the surplus property for locating an apartment building thereon for rental purposes! The motive here would be purely mercenary and the purpose would be to set up a perpetual source of income, not from the heart giving, with which to do the Lord's work.

Perpetual Vs. Extinction

There is a great difference in situations that are perpetual and those that naturally work themselves out or become extinct. A church may find itself with a source of income because of one or more of the situations already mentioned in this paper, but where the desire and aim is the cessation (bringing to an end) as quickly as prudence, legalities, etc. will allow, the Motives and purpose are very different from those actions that result in a perpetual source of income.

Our Lord tolerated the practice of slavery, a condition that existed in his day. While the practice was contrary to the principles he taught, he evidently felt that it would not be prudent or expedient to abruptly uproot such. He did lay down principles, however, that would, when followed, completely eliminate the situation. Paul taught that while being a servant would not keep one from "abiding with God," if one could become free to do so. (1 Cor. 7:21) In verse 23 the apostle forbids the Christian to become a bondservant. If none became bondservants and those who were accepted freedom when possible, the situation would soon eliminate itself.

This principle might well apply to situations that sometimes come to exist with reference to church income. If a thing is not deliberately undertaken to be a source of income and efforts are made to eliminate the existence of such, there will be no danger of churches entering the "big business" field.

Some Tests

As long as congregations own property and need funds for their work, the question of right or wrong concerning certain income will continually be raised. To assist us in deciding what is right and wrong concerning the matter under consideration, a few "test" questions in the light of matters studied, are in order.

1. Does this thing interfere with personal sacrifice?

2. Does this thing involve any disobedience to revealed law?

3. Is there moral wrong — impurity — connected with thus obtaining funds?

4. Are elders put in the position of overseeing something that does not pertain to their scope of work?

5. Is the motive behind the thing the gaining of funds more conveniently than God's prescribed way? To make possible a "big" work to satisfy pride?

6. Is the purpose to raise funds other than through "from the heart" giving?

7. Will this thing be a perpetual source of income rather than terminate itself?

If any one of these seven questions must be answered in the affirmative, then the thing can not meet with God's approval. I have listed some sources of income, other than from the heart giving, where there was and is present no motive or purpose to set aside God's law. The income is due solely to circumstances and the exercise of prudence and foresight in obtaining a legitimate need without extravagance and waste. The source of income will soon be eliminated and never become a perpetual business to be conducted by the church. Certainly, such can not be compared to that which is a continual money-making thing for the church. Of course, man could expect no reward for any use made of such income other than what may come because of vigilance and prudence in the management of the Lord's work. I believe a strict adherence to the principles suggested by the test questions asked, while allowing special circumstances and conditions, will certainly keep churches from having banquets, bazaars and operating business enterprises for gain. All forms of business on the part of churches from pie suppers to breweries, and certainly all "pressure tactics" used on business men to obtain "gifts" (?) would be eliminated by observing the Scriptural principles studied. Religious people should be more concerned with pleasing God than with doing "big things" through means obtained contrary to His revealed will.

— Box 282, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee