Should a church pay for a member’s cremation or ask if his house is in order?
Question:
On two separate occasions, the church paid for a member's cremation. One member was asked if he had his house in order. Is this proper?
Answer:
The church is only involved in helping members with major disasters, such as a famine in the region (I Corinthians 8 and 9), or, in the longer-term, widows who have no family to take care of them (I Timothy 5:1-16). You did not mention if the cremation was for someone the church has authority to aid or not.
The church is involved in teaching God's word and one such issue is being good stewards of your finances. It would be appropriate to discuss whether plans have been made regarding future expenses, including one's death. See sermons on money matters.
