A Board Of Directors
Would it be in harmony with the New Testament for each of the five leading congregations here to select a brother to be a member of a board of directors to take care of the orphans and other needy people of the city of Dallas, said board to have full authority over the work of collecting and disbursing funds, without regard to any local church? — A. T. Harris.
I am not certain I understand what the querist means by the phrase, "without regard to any local church." Surely it is not meant that five churches are to select a board of directors over which they are to exercise no control — that the board is to act in all things without regard to what any local church may wish. If so, that would not be even good business. But why a board of directors ? Whom are they to direct? Is there New Testament authority for such a board? I know of none.
Paul had certain men associated with him in raising funds for the poor saints in Judea. (II Cor. 8:16-24; 9:1-5.) Two brethren are called "messengers" (apostles) of the churches. At least one of these had been selected by the churches to travel with Paul in this business. But these men were not a board of directors — Paul directed. Paul had two reasons for associating others with him in the work: (1) it was a greater work than one man could do; (2) he had enemies that might charge that he was not handling matters honestly. There would have been no need for the arrangement Paul had if only people in the cities where the churches were located had been the objects of charity. It does not seem to be a precedent for local work.
In all such work by churches two objects should be kept in view: (1) the relief, or prevention, of suffering; and (2) the building of Christian character both in those who help and in those who are helped. There is a development of character in personal work and personal contact with the needy that can come in no other way. To see suffering and need means more to a person than to hear of it. To become personally interested in the person or persons you are helping enables you to give heart-to-heart sympathy and encouragement. Such personal contact may be of vast help to the giver and the receiver. This is lost when churches set up a machine through which to work. If the personal worker is discreet and wise, he will not destroy the self-respect of the needy, but will instill into them a spirit of hope and self-respect. If he finds more need than he can supply, he can report to the church. There may be other members who have not found so much need.
The foolish idea that everything must be done through the church, so that the church may receive the credit, has done much to hinder personal work. It has developed churchanity, instead of Christianity, and has robbed the giver and the receiver of the personal contact that is so helpful to both. The board of directors would accomplish the same result. Besides, if five churches can form a board of directors to collect and disburse funds, why cannot the churches of a county or of a State or of the nation do the same ? Where would the thing end?
— R. L. Whiteside in Gospel Advocate, November 26, 1936, page 1135.