The perceptive mind cannot read the bulletins and periodicals in circulation within Canada and listen to conversations and sermons long without realizing that all is not well in Zion. From what they have heard many think that most of the problems are elsewhere and that is understandable since they have not reached t h e proportions here they have in other places. The problems within the church are real nevertheless, and regardless of your feeling at the present you need to be aware of what they are and know the scriptural solution to them. Knowledge is your only safeguard against error and an answer from the scriptures alone is what avails in God's sight. As we all know, the Bible is the only solution to any religious problem. We must demand that men "speak as the oracles of God" or else refuse leadership from them. Every problem within the Body of Christ has a scriptural solution and may we seek for that solution early.

Solution Before Practice

Differences of belief occur first in the mind. If we can solve our problems there on the basis of Scripture they need never to grow into divisions of practice. Jesus recognized the importance of this when he said, " . . . out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34). Paul admonished, " . . . be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Corinthians 1:10).

In the digression of the last century, which was partially over the instrument of music in worship, men remained in fellowship with one another as they thought about and discussed the problem although they differed in their views. When finally the instrument was added, those, knowing the others could not worship with it, drew the line of separation with that addition which to them was a matter of opinion and expediency. May we have learned a lesson from this and keep the differences in mind and under discussion with an open Bible for the answers.

Free, open and honorable discussion will not harm the cause of Truth and it was engaged in continually in the days of the New Testament's origin. Why should we not through this means for which we have approved examples, strive for God's solution to our problems?

What Are the Issues?

But, what are the problems and issues provoking so much discussion and activity among the churches today? When the air is filled with charges and counter charges emotional appeals and personality clashes it is easy for the real issues to be camouflaged. Many in the church may have never really recognized what the real issues are, over which the brethren are contending. The purpose of this article is therefore to focus attention upon the basic issues and I suggest them under three headings: (1) The failure to recognize the scriptural distinction between the individual and congregational responsibility; (2) The practice of the sponsoring church method of fund collection from many sources for the works of Evangelism, Edification and Benevolence, and (3) The building and maintaining from the churches' treasuries of other institutions not under the oversight of the elders in the local arrangement which the Lord ordained. These are the issues.

In the Bible, either there is a distinction between the individual and congregational responsibility or there is not a distinction. It is either scriptural or it is not scriptural for the sponsoring church method of co-operation to exist and it is in harmony with God's Will or it is a violation of It for churches out of their treasuries to establish and maintain human institutions to do good works. These are areas where conviction must rest and I make an earnest appeal to you to study your Bible in the light of these areas of difficulty and disagreement. Now notice each of these more closely.

Individual or Congregational Responsibility

The real question is this: Does the Bible teach us that the congregation collectively, which includes the use of the treasury, has the responsibility to do whatever the individual can do? It has been stated affirmatively in various ways. Some say, "Whatever the individual can do to the glory of God the church can do." Others advocate, "Whatever an individual can do as a Christian the congregation can do collectively." Any way these statements are viewed and stated, they are affirmed as scriptural. If they are, then scripture could be presented to support them.

Keep this distinction in mind. We are not contending that there is nothing both the congregation and individuals do alike. That is not the point, for there are some actions that are the same and are performed by each. For example, both have the responsibility to teach the word of God. What some are doing is trying to establish a general rule that says whatever the individual can do the church can do, if it is to the glory of God. If this were true, all the instructions in the New Testament directed to Christians are also directed to the church collectively. When this point is reached, then it is understandable that James 1:27 and Galatians 6:10 are shifted from individual responsibility over to congregational responsibility also. The door is then opened and the church treasury made responsible for world benevolence to both saint and sinner alike with no limitations or exclusions. Yet Paul shows that there are limitations and conditions in the benevolent work of the church even among the saints (I Timothy 5:16).

If this general rule were accepted it makes of no effect the context of the scriptures relative to the man and the church. It relegates the context into a position of unimportance and insignificance.

This will be discussed more in detail later but for the present notice what will be involved when you have decided your answer to this question! If your answer is in the affirmative and you conclude that the church can do whatever the individual can do, then consistency will require you to approve church support from the common treasury of the colleges and schools among us. It will involve support from the same source for orphan homes and retreats for the aged as well as hospitals. Recreational facilities, summer camps, church kitchens for "Fun, Food, and Frolic" and the sponsorship of Boy Scout Troops that will require financial backing, must be approved. You may not engage in these things yourself but you must, to be consistent, approve their scripturalness.

If, on the other hand, from your study of the Bible you conclude that the church cannot do everything the individual Christian can do to God's glory, then the context must be considered and by that we can know what responsibility God has placed upon our financial ability and the church's financial ability.

This is the real issue that must first be decided because the answer from the Scriptures to this problem will also directly affect the problem of Church support of human institutions, as we will notice under the third point.

Sponsoring Church Method

Some do not like for you to use the phrase "sponsoring church method" or "sponsoring church" with reference to one church collecting funds from other churches for various works. To me it does not matter what it is called, that is of little consequences; the practice is the issue of consideration. However, if you will read Webster's definition of a sponsor, there is no term that will describe the present activities among many churches in a better way.

The only time one church sent money to another church in New Testament days was when the receiving church had a need it could not meet, and a need that the sending church did not have at that time (IICor. 8:13-15). But now it is different and that is what has produced the issue of contention. Focus your attention upon the real question which is this: "Is it scriptural for two or more congregations of the Lord's church to send their funds to another congregation who has undertaken the sponsorship of some project which it cannot financially sup port and to which all are equally responsible as Jar as their ability permits? Either command, example or necessary inference would be sufficient to establish the scripturalness of such an arrangement. However, neither can be given. Therefore, in preference to giving up a practice that is causing much discord and for which there is no authority the only choice is to take the position that "there is no pattern."

The most prominent example of this type of cooperation is perhaps the Herald of Truth arrangement sponsored by the Highland church in Abilene, Texas. There are many others, though most of them are on a smaller scale. There are churches taking the sponsorship of the work in Korea, Germany and other countries. Some are receiving money and sponsoring a work in only one city or congregation. Regardless of the size of the operation, the real problem is not the Herald of Truth only but any arrangement whereby one or more congregations contribute to another church that is not in need as the scriptures present need, but are centralizing control and oversight in one eldership to accomplish their work.

It is wrong to oppose such an arrangement if it is scriptural but it is sinful to practice and operate through such an arrangement if the scriptures do not authorize it.

Study your Bible and see. What saith the scriptures?

Human Institutions

No human institutions are necessarily involved in the sponsoring church arrangements since that is functioning through the congregations and their elderships. This is a separate problem although the scripturalness or unscripturalness of the arrangement must be decided from the same source -- the Bible. The real problem we must solve is not the right they have to exist but the problem of the churches building and maintaining them from their treasuries.

These institutions are bodies or organizations established under a board of directors or the equivalent and are separate from the church and oversight of any eldership. They can exist as profit or non-profit organizations and can arrange to receive their support from farms, dairies, woodwork shops or any source from which an individual can receive his livelihood. The primary question does not revolve around them but around the church and the use of its treasury to build and support them. The question is not a broad one with many complicated side issues. It is not an orphan home question, or a college question, or a missionary society question; it is an institutional question.

The Bible teaches that the Church as Christ established it is complete in every detail to do all the work He gave it to do. It can be done under the oversight of the local eldership. The only unit through which the church can operate and do its work is the local church. There was never a, need in the church of the first century that the church itself did not meet with perfect success and sufficiency. Therefore, where is the need for these institutions today if they did not need them then? They had the same spiritual and physical needs in that day which we have today and we have the same organization through which to meet these needs that they had in that day.

Men can get emotional on the orphan home question today as they did in times past on the question of the missionary society and the great need that existed for it. At the present some again are beginning to use their powers of speech to get the colleges in the church budgets. After the battle has waged long and the smoke has died down, the real issue we must solve will still be the same --institutionalism.

This reminds me of an event which occurred several years back in a Christian Church with which I was acquainted. They had a very stiff disagreement over the instrument of music. The problem was: should we have an organ or a piano? The contention lasted no short time and when it was finally settled everybody was happy for they got both. But the point is this. If you had been called in to help solve their problem scripturally which side would you have been on? You would have said they had not touched the real problem. Before discussing which instrument to have, they had to find first the authority for any kind of instrumental music. If they could find the authority for that, they could then discuss which would be best.

The problem is the same today. Until authority is produced from the scriptures for the existence and establishment by the churches of other organizations to do the work of the church there are no problems with the homes, colleges, or societies.

The Issues Are Not

The problems are not over the right to be educated in an environment where the Bible is being taught; it is not over the right to preach the gospel over radio and television; it is not over the right or wrong of recreation. Neither are the issues over the right of churches to cooperate in aiding a church when it is in need (I Cor. 16) or a gospel preacher (II Cor. 11:8) as churches helped Paul. Furthermore, we all believe in taking care of orphans and the aged, so that is not the problem either. We need to bear these in mind and keep before us what the real problems are.

Conclusion

In these areas where the real problems exist their solution must be found in the Bible. Study these problems in the light of what the Bible says and make up your own minds. Some may have already made up their minds concerning what they are going to believe without ever knowing the basis of our trouble. In the search for truth on any subject the Lord requires one thing and that is an "honest and good heart." If you have a desire to know what is right and will study your Bible to find it, the Lord has promised that you will find the truth. Trust that promise and be diligent in your search for "many false prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1)

Truth Magazine VIII: 9, pp. 10-13 June 1964