Church Collection

1st Corinthians 16

1 ¶ Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.
The words "collection" and "gatherings" above are the same word (logia) in the Scripture and the only time the word is used. It is a close relative for the word "logos" or "word" because it is the vehicle for commercial communications.

In commerce, it's true that "money talks."

It is not the case that there are no "money issues" with regard to the church. In fact, there are VERY MANY of them. Money is perhaps God's very favorite test.

Luke 16

11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

The principle is clear: the way money is handled will determine the way ministry of God's Word will go. Today, due to the unfaithful handling of money, many preachers - and therefore churches - simply go without the ministry of God's Word entirely because those "true riches" have not been entrusted to anyone.

Therefore, it is no surprise to discover that, in1stCorinthians 16, the apostle Paul - who WAS entrusted with the true riches - goes well out of his way to make certain two arrangements. First, that each man lay aside his own giving according to his own circumstances - note well, NOT a tithe - so that THERE IS NO PUBLIC COLLECTION.

It's remarkable that so many, while alluding to this very passage, teach exactly the opposite of it's meaning.

Second, the apostle sees to it that he, a minister of the Word of God, is not handling the money of others destined for others so that he cannot be blamed.

Rest assured that Pharisees to this day deride these things when they hear them.