Some Questions Answered
In the January 25, 1960 issue of the Boles Home News, a preacher, (no name) asks, almost demands that some questions be answered. The title of the article is, "Now I Want Some Questions Answered!" It will be observed in reading the article that he, like so many others, has failed to distinguish between the work of the individual Christian and the work of the church. This failure will lead to destruction of the identity of the church, for it would place her in any work that is good. But since God has separated the two we must in rightly dividing the Word of Truth, separate them also.
In my attempt to answer our brother's questions, I realize that these have been answered many times before by God fearing men. I claim no originality in these answers, since they came from the same source, God's Word they are the same. They are submitted only with the hope of helping to preserve the scriptural pattern for the work of the church. I shall send a copy to Brother Oler, however I feel certain it will not appear in the Boles Home News. Thus I am sending a copy to the editor of the Gospel Guardian where it probably will appear. I do hope the anonymous querist will find it.
Our preaching brother has nine questions outlined some have one or more questions within a question. Many of these can be answered in one answer. That is — the church in fulfilling her responsibility can buy the services of other institutions. In the case of preaching the gospel, (Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 3:10), the church can execute this by the printed page. Thus she can buy the services of a printing house. In the support of the gospel preacher, (Phil. 4:10-18), she can buy the services of a railroad, hotel and restaurant. In caring for her own needy saints whether child, widow or man, as in Acts 4:31-37. This can be done by purchasing the services or goods of institutions that offer services or goods needed to execute this work. It might be from a grocery store, clothing store, medical doctor or hospital or even a hotel. But this would still be the church doing her work.
All of these questions are based on the assumption that the church in supporting a preacher while in a gospel meeting by placing him in a hotel, is the same as the church supporting an institutional children's home. This is a false assumption. Let us notice: we have the example of supporting the preaching of the gospel. (Phil. 4:10-18.) By our preaching brother's admission he was placed in the hotel by the congregation. Services received were paid for by the church. This congregation was only doing her part of supporting the preacher. She did not send a contribution to the hotel. She did not take the oversight of the hotel. She purchased service. The hotel did not usurp the work of the church by selling these services.
But let us observe the children's home set up. Some of these homes are under the oversight of elders of the church of Christ. In the New Testament times elders were to oversee the congregation where they were elders and only this. (I Pet. 5:1-3.) When elders oversee such an institution as the elders of a congregation, they place the church in what ever work that institution might be engaged in. Such as live stock breeding, farming of all types, printing etc. Next we notice that when a child has been placed in the home the elders have no more say about the child. They have relinquished all authority. The home usurps the work. This is not the case when the church rents a hotel room for the preacher. Furthermore, these homes are filled with children from broken homes, usually from all over the country. They are not the responsibility of the church.
The congregation in the New Testament time cared only for her own. (Acts 6:1; 11:29; I Cor. 16:1; II Cor. 8:4; 9:1.) If these needy children have believing kin, they are their responsibility. (I Tim. 5:8.) Am I opposed to caring for these needy children? I am not. But I am opposed to the church doing anything that Christ has not authorized.
If the church can scripturally support these benevolent institutions and thus fulfill her responsibility in benevolence, she can also support the missionary society and fulfill her responsibility in the preaching of the gospel. If one is right, so is the other; if not, why not? Then too she could support the colleges, for they are edifying the members of the church. So all the church would be left to do is worship and raise the money to sustain these man made institutions.
How then can these needy children be cared for? First, members of their family must accept their responsibility or be lost. (I Tim. 5:8.) Second, they may be cared for by individual Christians. (Gal. 6:10; Jas. 1:27.)
In our final observation let us notice that if the church can make a contribution to any home that is caring for the needy children, then she could also contribute to any hospital, school, or doctor that is caring for needy children. Let the church do the work God authorized. Let the individual Christian do his God given work. But where God has separated the two, let us strive to keep them separate. If brethren wish to set up homes, hospitals, and schools for the needy, well and good; but keep them separate from the church. Let the church be the church and do the work of the church.