How do you feel about a preacher’s home that the preacher does not live in being rented out? The congregation also has one other home that it rents out. Is that scripturally wrong?<\/p>\n\t
The problem is a lack of authority. The Scriptures are clear that a church is to raise its funds by voluntary offerings. “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come<\/em>” (I Corinthians 16:1-2). In this particular case, this was the raising of funds to help needy saints in Judea through a famine, but the church has other obligations as well, such as the support of a preacher. “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel<\/em>” (I Corinthians 9:14). No other means of raising funds by a church is found within the New Testament. Therefore, we appropriately conclude that this is the only authorized means God gave for a congregation to fund its operations.<\/p>\n The church is not in the rental business, nor should it be. It has more than enough work in teaching the gospel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: How do you feel about a preacher’s home that the preacher does not live in being rented out? The congregation also has one other home that it rents out. Is that scripturally wrong? Answer: The problem is a lack of authority. The Scriptures are clear that a church is to raise its funds by…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[154],"class_list":["post-14242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-church-funds"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31376,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-a-congregation-at-least-partially-support-a-local-preacher\/","url_meta":{"origin":14242,"position":0},"title":"Should a congregation at least partially support a local preacher?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Even though an away congregation is supporting an evangelist full time because the one he is preaching for is small, shouldn't they (the congregation he is working with) still\u00a0try\u00a0to provide some support for him in whatever way? Answer: If another congregation is supporting a preacher fully, then the preacher\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68491,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-should-a-church-handle-a-significant-event\/","url_meta":{"origin":14242,"position":1},"title":"How should a church handle a significant event?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Greetings Brother Hamilton, I trust your worship service went well today. Please, I need your guidance on these matters: What can the church do when someone in the church dies? How should the church go about it? I need a procedure. In other words, how can the church take\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30093,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-for-a-church-to-organize-meals\/","url_meta":{"origin":14242,"position":2},"title":"Is it wrong for a church to organize meals?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 8, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was reading through a couple of articles on your website when I ran into \"Using a Kitchen in a Rented Hall\" and I became a bit concerned. See, the church I attend has a potluck dinner every first Sunday of the month following morning services. We meet in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16850,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-do-you-think-about-a-church-funding-a-school-or-senior-housing\/","url_meta":{"origin":14242,"position":3},"title":"What do you think about a church funding a school or senior housing?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 15, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was just wanting to get more information on schools in the Lord's church. Our minister is in the process of obtaining funds from the church to open up a school in order to teach the children to read. He also mentioned opening a home for the seniors with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29889,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-proper-for-a-church-to-give-gifts\/","url_meta":{"origin":14242,"position":4},"title":"Is it proper for a church to give gifts?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 9, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Please, I would like to ask the following questions: Is it scriptural for the church to organize a send-forth program for its outgoing preacher, elder, or faithful member who is relocating? The program typically involves citation, extolling of virtues, prayers, and presentation of gifts purchased by both the church\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20842,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/questions-about-the-use-of-funds-given-to-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":14242,"position":5},"title":"Questions about the use of funds given to the church","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 14, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Having read your articles and also\u00a0was a member of the conservative church for 24 years I have some questions. The conservatives say it is ok to use the Lord's money for a $20,000 yard but wrong to give a sinner some food from the treasury. Really? 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