“How then do we deal with the church bills? Already the church workers are receiving meager allowances. Are you saying they should receive less?”—this is a common reaction to the teaching that tithes and offerings must be eaten. The point is, the coworkers of God should live by faith.
4 The righteous will live by his faith. HABAKKUK 224 Because it is by faith that you stand firm. 2 CORINTHIANS 1
Nobody should worry of where to source money to pay for the church operating expenses or worry about his personal and family needs. No Christian should worry at all about anything. Christians—especially the coworkers of God—should practice what they teach.
35 The Lord is good to everyone who trusts in Him. LAMENTATIONS 3 tev
19 My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Messiah Y’shua. PHILIPPIANS 4
Worrying is just as wrong as putting a price tag on church services or expecting to be paid for them. Religious commercialism is not the appointed task of the Church; promoting love and faithfulness is.
7 Preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is near.” 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. MATTHEW 10
The message of God to His coworkers is this: “Bless your neighbors. Divine Love is not for sale; it charges no fees. You have received it without paying for it, so give it to others without being paid for it. Compel no one to bless you in return.”
17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God for profit. 2 CORINTHIANS 2
The coworkers of God ought to prove to one and all that God is with them taking care of their needs.
20 And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age. MATTHEW 28
They ought to prove that faith is doable and rewarding. This explains why God’s tells them not to bring any provision with them whenever and wherever they are sent.
9 Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10 take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. MATTHEW 10
In the Philippines, a press release appeared in the People's Journal, February 14, 1994 issue, saying the Catholic Church would increase by at least 25% its fees for such services as wedding, baptism, confirmation, house blessing and mass prayer for deceased persons.
The coworkers of God who put a price tag on church services or expect to be paid for them, or who grumble of not receiving enough to cover their needs or desert their posts because “they do not receive enough” are hirelings (John 10:12-13) and pretenders. Otherwise, they are half-baked missionaries who went to the warfront without carefully studying their mission orders. Read to them Ephesians 5:30 which says, “The Messiah feeds and cares for [the new covenanters]—for we are members of His Body.”
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