Should the Elders know what each person gives?
Question:
We have three elders at our local congregation, and one of them handles the banking, pays the bills, etc. Is it wrong for the other two elders to want to know more about the congregation's financial situation and individual members' contributions? We are expected to give of our means or first fruits. I'm not sure everyone is doing that. I'm not trying to be nosey; I just want everyone to understand their responsibility.
Answer:
In most congregations, the financial books are handled by a designated treasurer, who is typically one of the deacons. For safety, multiple members have access to the information. This provides checks against accidental or purposeful mishandling of the funds and prevents a single point of failure if something happens to the treasurer.
Elders should be aware of the church's budget and cash flow. They are involved in decisions about the church's activities, and often, the available resources will impact those decisions. I do not believe that elders make all the decisions for the congregation. They should help guide the congregation to make good decisions. (See The Rule of Elders.) However, the primary duty of elders is the spiritual health of the congregation's members.
Giving is an individual's decision. "Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (II Corinthians 9:7). I don't decide what another person should give. I encourage members to give, but they should not feel as if they are being forced into giving more than they want to give. I can't think of a reason why people need to know the amounts each person gives. We don't announce what we give to the poor, and in the same way, we stay quiet about what is individually given to the church. "But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:3-4).
Personally, I prefer not to know what individual members give because I don't want to treat the members differently (James 2:1-7).
