• Acts 24:17
  • In benevolence?
    • Provide livelihood for its own needy members (Acts 4:34-35; 6:1-6)
    • Send alms to another church that has more needy members than it can relieve so it can provide livelihood for its own needy members. I Corinthians 16:1-2; Romans 15:25-32; II Corinthians 8-9
    • The New Testament pattern is for one church to send money directly to another needy church. The elders of the receiving church are to disburse the funds.
    • Churches are not authorized in the New Testament to set themselves up as sponsoring churches so that they can collect money from many churches to use for benevolence.
    • Widow indeed (I Timothy 5:16)
  • In evangelism?
    • Philippians 4:15
    • Not sending money to another church so they can support preachers.
    • Send wages directly to the evangelist to provide his family’s livelihood (1 Corinthians 9:5:14; Philippians 4:15-16; 2 Corinthians 11:8-9)
    • Preachers should be supported for their work. I Corinthians 9:5-14
  • When money is given to a needy member to supply his livelihood, the scripture calls it alms.
  • When money is given to an evangelist to supply his livelihood, the scripture calls it wages.
  • It used to be common practice for a church to supply a house for the preacher as part of his wages.
  • Several times in the past, Benchley has sent one-time additional support to preachers for temporary needs they had.