Guidelines for Inter-Church Cooperation, Part 2

Introduction to the Missions Policy Series and Review of Previous Studies

0:00 This Adult Sunday School class was held on July 23, 1989, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now, as I look out upon those of you who are here for the adult class, I do see at least the faces of several new visitors. We have others who have been visiting with us for a number of weeks, and in a sense, you're not visitors now, though your time among us is temporary, but especially for the sake of those visiting with us for the first time, let me attempt in a very few minutes to bring into sharp focus what we have been doing for the past four Lord's Day mornings, and this constitutes the fifth study here in our adult class. We are engaged in a series of lessons in which I am attempting, on behalf of my fellow elders, to set before you the missions policy. Of Trinity Baptist Church, that is, our policies with respect to our responsibilities for and involvement in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. Now, the precise focus of our study is this.

1:14 We are seeking to see from the scriptures the basic biblical precepts, principles, and precedents set by the apostles. The apostles and their helpers, with respect to the task of the missionary enterprise, and then to show how those principles and precepts and principles, precepts, and precedents apply in their outworking of our specific church life. In other words, what we are doing is not simply attempting to come up with a generic, a general theology. of missions based upon the scriptures, but rather an application of the generic to the specific circumstances, gifts, opportunities, etc., of our own assembly. And therefore, we want it understood we are not pontificating for the rest of the world or for all of the churches, though certainly some of the principles and precepts and precedents must be recognized by the other churches. But, insofar as their outworking is dependent upon variables within each church, we are speaking

2:38 specifically of the missions policy of Trinity Baptist Church, so that you, as the people of God in this place, will have a biblically-based, intelligent commitment to those policies, and, in your own study of the word of God, should you receive light, that we do not have or do not yet have, that you would apprise us of some precepts, principles, or precedents that we may presently be ignoring through our ignorance, or not giving due consideration to them. As we saw in our introductory study, these policies are not the law of the Medes and the Persians. They are our present understanding of the application of these things in the light of the present variables of gift and opportunity. But, at any point where God gives more light and God changes some of these variables, we are prepared to alter our policies while in no way relinquishing the Bible as our ultimate and our authoritative standard. Now, thus far, we have covered two of the seven major pillars on which our policy rests or which constitute our policy. 1.

3:57 We have considered the identity of the major tasks of missions, and the key passage is Acts 14.21-23. And then we considered the authorization and warrant for our undertaking and overseeing the work of missions, Matthew 28.18-20 and 1 Timothy 3.14-15.

The Practice of Inter-Church Cooperation in Missions: Central Question and Previous Principles

4:17 And now we are considering, in the third place, the practice of inter-church cooperation in the work of missions. 2. In this work that we are doing as a specific local church under the Lordship of Christ and by the light and direction of the Word of God, we are involved in a cooperative effort with other congregations. And so we are seeking to extract from the Scriptures the principles which guide us in our practice of inter-church cooperation.

4:55 3. The central question in this third area of concern is, to what extent and in what way should cooperation among churches be cultivated in doing the work of missions? And in seeking to answer that question, we are looking at seven groupings of biblical data which contain principles to help us attain a workable answer to that question. 4.

5:26 Group 1 was Acts 15.1-4, 11.19-22, and 14.27.

5:35 The principle we saw in those passages was this. 1. Communication among the churches concerning the work of missions was consciously and deliberately fostered. It did not just happen.

5:49 It was consciously and deliberately fostered. 2. In the second group of passages, Acts 15.2, 3a, and 16.4, we saw this principle, that counsel was sought by a younger church from a more established church in a matter of doctrinal difficulty in the midst of a missionary situation. The church at Antioch, the younger, missionary established church, was seeking counsel from the Jerusalem church, the more established church with a richer church. 3. In the third group of passages, Acts 13.1-4, 14.27, and 8.

6:26 Romans 15.2, and 16.3, we see a principle that in cooperating among the churches, the younger, less mature churches should seek the counsel of the older and more established churches in doctrinal and practical difficulties. 4.

6:45 And then the third grouping of passages, Acts 13.1-4, 14.27, and 8. Romans 15.1-4.

6:52 Romans 15.1-4. Romans 15.1.

6:54 Romans 15.1-4. Romans 15.1-4.

6:56 Romans 15.1-6. Romans 16.1-6.

6:58 Romans 15.1-2. Romans 15.1-3.

7:00 Romans 15.1-5. Romans 15.1-5.

7:02 Romans 15.1-8. Romans 15.1-9.

7:04 Romans 15.1-1. We saw this principle that financial support was not limited to one congregation, and that the central base of support and what we might call the launching congregation for missionary operations shifted from one church to another when it seemed wise to do so. Paul's initial missionary endeavors were based in Antioch, but when he thinks of going on up to Spain, he writes to the Roman church of his desire to change his fundamental base of operation from Antioch to Rome, and also he expects that the Roman church will bring him on his way, a polite euphemism for saying, I expect you to support me to the extent that support is needed as I go on into Spain. Now hopefully in the time that remains this morning, we can cover the other four groupings of verses and thereby complete this third major element in our missionary policy, the practice of inter-church cooperation in the work of missions. Now remember the spectacles. When I read the verses in these next four groupings of passages, you've got on the spectacles that filter out

Principle 4: Churches Cooperating in Appointing Men for Specific, Temporary Tasks

8:18 light which these texts shed on the question of cooperation among the churches in the work of missions. These passages have much light on many things, but we want to put on the glasses that filter out every other bit of light except the light that is shed on this question of cooperation among the churches. So being restricted to glasses does occasionally have its benefits by way of illustration. All right, group number four.

8:48 And I gave you only one text as a matter of homework, but then in my working through the material afresh for this week, I came up with a second text, and here is the group. Now follow as I read and see if you can isolate the principle contained in these texts. 2 Corinthians chapter 8, verses 18 and 19.

9:20 In these chapters dealing with the benevolence offering being taken for the poor saints in Judea who had felt the ravages of a famine, Paul writes, and we have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches, and not only so, but who was also appointed by the churches. 2 Corinthians chapter 8, verses 18 and 19. To travel with us in the matter of this grace which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and to show our readiness. And now back to 1 Corinthians chapter 16 and verse 3.

10:14 The first two verses, he's giving instructions about the taking up of the collections, and then he says in verse 3, And when I arrive, whomsoever ye pray, shall approve, them will I send with letters to carry your bounty unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet for me to go also, they shall go with me. Question. What is the evident precedent which is illustrated by these texts with reference to our concern now, cooperation among the churches in the work of missions? All right, Tim? All right, there was a common approval of these men by all the churches, so one of the strands is that the churches were involved in a cooperative activity of selecting certain men for a standing office, Tim? Or a specific and temporary task. All right, what was that temporary task? Anyone? Yes. All right,

11:41 Rich? All right. Now, is there any indication that they created a specific office with a title and gave a man a stipend and made him some kind of a standing ancillary officer in the church of Jesus Christ by their collective activity? Yes.

12:07 Yes or no? No. No indication of that whatsoever. The apostle very clearly gave directions to Timothy and to Titus about elders, and in the case of Timothy, about deacons. And we've seen that one of the great tasks of missions is to appoint elders in every city, that is, to secure permanent, competent, resident spiritual oversight. But even though the apostle knew, in terms of the generic state of the world, and he refers to it, a time will come when they may be flush and we may be thin, and there will need to be a reciprocation of this benevolence, he did not establish an apostolically sanctioned benevolent team. You'll notice that. The churches were involved in the

13:01 choice of specific men to carry out a specific and temporary task connected to the church. Now, the church is cooperating with the missionary endeavor, one of the secondary activities. Remember, under heading number one, what were the main activities? We saw them making disciples by preaching, strengthening those disciples and gathering them into churches, and then securing permanent, competent, resident leadership. But we saw there was an ancillary activity of both healing and benevolence. Now, with reference to this ancillary activity, we find the churches cooperating in the choice of men and appointed to perform a specific task. And so the answer to our question, what is the evident precedent which is illustrated by these texts concerning cooperation among the churches, I've put it this way. Several churches engaged in a joint venture for a specific task, joining in the appointment of men to carry

14:09 out that task. But there is no indication that the churches had authority inherently in themselves to appoint a standing committee to do this, let alone give someone a job and a title and a salary, nor did the apostle indicate that. He even seems to indicate in the Corinthian passage that his presence as an apostle was not necessary to accompany these men, if it did not occur to him that he would be appointed to do this. So, the church was not equipped to lead the members of a certain group and the church was not equipped to discipline, punish and persecute Muslims, nor would it be fair if the church working at this Beginning Day led by the evangelical canon, had been arthouse about the roles and the dynamic of such diseases as pointers to Jerusalem andómone of the days of Christ.

Application of Principle 4: Temporary Inter-Church Cooperation in Pastoral Supply and Internships

14:53 As some churches received the support of welcome of these missionaries, their inspections continued until the day that the leaders of the church rose to the husbs, were held in the quarters of Millardwood Cove. It's important to note that one of the lodges in my mind was just outside of a church involved in etiology sister nowhere before but women, who were there in all of that, and who are nowanta asylum veio as Baltimore Bay mejor, as I've done right along, and, burned into the cross these days. But to my mind no punishment was any excuse, I want to show how this principle operates in our mission's policy. As we've been wrestling through this matter of the forthcoming furlough of Steve and Carol and their family coming back from the Philippines, what has happened?

15:27 Well, the church in the Philippines has sent an appeal to a church over here in central Pennsylvania where Bob Carr labors as a pastor, and with it an appeal also has come from the church in Pennsylvania to us that they would be willing to release their pastor for a specific period of time, six months, to perform a specific task to be a regular supply pastor and preacher for the Moonwalk Bible Fellowship, all right? And the church responding has responded with the condition that we will, for a specific period of time, namely six months, help them with pulpit supply, which we have done. And God willing, Jim Rogers with his family will be moving into Bob Carr's home. Now, that doesn't make him an elder. That doesn't make him assistant or associate pastor.

16:27 This does not give him a name and a title, but here is a specific need to which we are responding with a consensus among the churches. This is illustrative. This is illustrative of this principle. Furthermore, right now, someone whom we hope eventually to send to the Philippines is doing an internship down in Moorestown, New Jersey.

16:51 What happened? Well, we believe that such a period of proving of a specific man, namely Jonathan Walker, whose praise, whose credibility was established here in our own assembly, needed a broader base of credibility. And therefore, in inter-church cooperation, we did not impose a situation on John Ruther and his people and make a decree. We sat down and talked with John and said, John, this is what is in our mind as elders.

17:24 Here are the benefits we believe would accrue from such an arrangement. What is your mind? And the matter was discussed among John and his office bearers and his people until that church voluntarily has consented, to cooperate with us in this specific endeavor for a specific purpose, for a specific length of time. Now, that doesn't mean now that we've constituted the church in Moorestown something other than an ordinary meat and taters local church.

17:57 We do not now call that church the missionary apprenticeship church and establish some permanent framework. Here is this flexibility of influence. Here is this inter-church cooperation where specific men involved in the life of these churches are chosen by the churches to accomplish specific tasks. And when the tasks are over, then it's back to steady state again.

18:25 All right? Do you all see that? Any question on that principle? Any comment?

Principle 5: Inter-Church Commendation of Servants and Ministries

18:34 Any addition or subtraction? All right. Let's move on then to the fifth grouping of texts. And these are found, first of all, in the book of Acts, Acts, chapter 18.

18:47 Acts, chapter 18. Remember now, the one thing we want to filter through our eyes is, what do these passages tell us about inter-church cooperation in the work of missions? Acts, chapter 18, beginning with verse 24. Now, a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus and he was mighty in the scriptures.

19:22 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord in being fervent in spirit. He was no laid-back Bible talker. You know what a laid-back Bible talker is? The last thing in the world he ever wants to do is give the impression that he might be excited about anything.

19:40 Well, not Apollos. He was fervent in spirit. And that fervency was obvious. He manifested in the manner of his preaching and teaching.

19:50 And he spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John. In other words, his light on the full revelation of the gospel was limited. So what happened? He began to speak boldly in the synagogue with the light that he had, with his eloquent tongue and his knowledge of the scriptures and his fervent spirit.

20:13 He was using everything he had. For the cause of God's truth. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately. See, he wasn't an opinionated, self-centered, unteachable man.

20:32 Often when someone speaks with authority and with fervency of spirit and with the command of the scriptures, people automatically assume he's so dogmatic, I bet he's bullheaded and you can't teach him a thing. I'm so glad Priscilla and Aquila did not stereotype him. They didn't stereotype him. Though he was eloquent, fervent, passionate, preaching boldly, using the scriptures, they didn't say, well, a guy like that, no way you can head him off.

21:02 Just let him go, get the best you can out of him. No. They assumed him to be a true man. And when they took him aside, they found him willing to sit down over the kitchen table and learn from a man and a woman.

21:15 I'm so glad Priscilla and Aquila did not stereotype him. Yes, because it says, they expounded unto him the way of God more accurately. And in the privacy of a home situation, under the spiritual headship of Aquila, Priscilla entered into those discussions. God have mercy on any of you men who've got a twisted, quirky notion of spiritual headship that you won't let your wife open her mouth in mixed company around the table on spiritual matters.

21:45 Won't let her pray. Amen. So, he's all in front of others. You've got a kooky unbiblical notion of biblical headship.

21:51 It's not biblical, it's kooky, all right? Now, I don't want to get sidetracked on that kind of kookiness, but notice. Luke writes in a very commendatory way that Priscilla and Aquila heard him and they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately, and when he was minded to pass over into Achaia. The brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to receive him.

22:24 And when he was come, he helped them much that had believed through grace, for he powerfully confuted the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. Now, the key section is obviously these words. The brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to receive him. Now, Romans 16, verses 1 and 2.

22:55 And here we encounter another woman of no little parts and abilities. Romans 16, 1 and 2, where Paul is concluding his letter to the church at Rome, the church that he hopes will be the next base of his forward missionary thrust into Spain. And meanwhile, he says, I commend unto you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church that is at Sancrian. Here was a woman who had special tasks assigned to her by the church, and she didn't have an office.

23:31 And all this nonsense about Phoebe being a deaconess is just that. It's nonsense. She was a deaconess in the generic sense that she had a specific role to perform at the bidding of the church, consistent with the...

23:45 With her position as a woman. And Paul writes, saying, that you receive her in the Lord worthily of the saints, and that you assist her in whatsoever matter she may have need of you, for she herself also, now notice, hath been a helper of many and of my own self. Whatever that help was, it was consistent with the relationship of an apostle to a female member of the church. And we know it was not then teaching, prophesying, ruling, because that same apostle clearly forbids those functions to a woman.

24:29 So when people say, well, the Greek word means ruler, proiste me, and they sound very learned. Well, whatever she did for others, she did for Paul. Now, you mean Paul submitted herself to her oversight and accepted her as his elder? Come off it now.

24:48 You say, pastor, you're making fun. You bet your boots I am, because under the name of learning and a little bit of Greek, people use this passage to stand on its head the whole biblical doctrine of male headship in the church. And it needs to be shown for the nonsense that it is. But the nonsense notwithstanding, he still says, I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church, and he says, receive her in the Lord, worthily of saints, and assist her in whatever matters of need she may lay before you in conjunction with the ongoing work of the gospel.

25:28 All right? Now, Colossians chapter 4 and verse 10. Colossians chapter 4 and verse 10. As Paul is bringing his letter to the Colossians to a close, he writes, Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, salutes you.

25:44 Now, that doesn't mean he clicked his heels, and threw a military salute. We have at least one military man here today. That's the old English for greets you. Greets you warmly.

25:55 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you warmly. And Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, touching whom you received commandments, if he come unto you, receive him. And Jesus, that is called Justice, who are of the circumcision, these only are my faithful, fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort unto me. Question.

26:24 What obvious activity is highlighted in these passages and thereby sets a precedent for our mission's policy in the area of inter-church cooperation?

26:41 What obvious activity is highlighted in these passages when, which sets a precedent for our mission's policy in the area of inter-church cooperation? Someone see the umbilical cord that holds these passages together? What's the common denominator? All right, Gabe?

27:22 Cooperating with the apostate, but the church of Antioch standing by, and assisting him in the work, and the role of the church of Colossus, because he's brethren of the church of Antioch. All right, so the principle you would say is that, it's not only the sending church that should be involved in the overall team at any given place, but there can be cooperation in terms of personnel coming from other congregations, joining someone in the endeavor. All right, that certainly is a principle that's in there, but it's not precisely the one that I'm fishing for, although it's certainly there. All right, Barb? All right, the men that were sent were sent with Paul's commendation. Now, did all of them have Paul's commendation? What about the Acts 18 passage?

28:23 All right, Eric? It seems to be that in all of these passages, Paul is talking to other churches and saying to them, receive these brethren. And he's continually saying to the churches, all the churches that he does speak to them, to receive them, and it seems like there wasn't any tension there that these churches wouldn't receive these brethren. All right, so the fact that there seemed to be a disposition of readiness to receive someone commended by the apostle, but I still come back to my question, was the apostle Paul involved in the commendation of Acts 18?

29:05 Rich? Or I should say, a heart for God to do this work. And he says, if, for instance, in Colossians, he says, if he come unto you, in other words, it seemed to be a decision process that he was going to make. And see me, whatsoever matter she has to do.

29:28 Apollos, he said he was minded. All right. He wanted the help of this missionary work of Paul. Okay.

29:42 And further that, and he was commending them to the church. Well, he commended two in their labor. All right, but now my question is, is Paul the only one who did the commending? You're all hung up on Paul's commendations in the latter passages, but I started with Acts 18, who did the commending there?

30:03 All right, Henry? All right, this is crucial. Go back to Acts 18, 27. And when he was minded, in other words, the record seems to indicate that after this further instruction in the way of God more accurately, that in waiting upon God, this man Apollos has a desire, no indication that there was any direct revelation involved, there was a sanctified inclination of God, an inclination of heart to pass over into Achaia.

30:40 Notice it says, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to receive him. No indication that an apostle was involved. No indication that it was a letter just from Priscilla and Aquila, the brethren. In other words, the church, obviously acting in an orderly manner, no doubt under its God-ordained leadership, but it was the brethren that wrote to him.

31:07 That wrote to the disciples. That is, to the churches to receive him. So there was this matter of inter-church commendation even where an apostle was not present. So remember, we go back to one of our four introductory principles in dealing with the data in the book of Acts.

31:28 We have always to ask the question, is what is recorded by precept, principle, or precedent unique to the apostles? Or is it something that is generic to the people of God as a whole? And that's why the Acts 18 passage is so crucial, because some might say, well, it's only a living apostle that can commend brethren among the churches in the missionary endeavor. Ah, but Acts 18 has no living apostle.

31:56 It's unnamed brethren sending a letter of commendation to unnamed brethren and churches in other places. Now, you see the principle, then, in the book of Acts, and the principle, then, we are warranted to extract, is that what Paul did in these letters of commendation as an apostle is not a distinctively unique apostolic function, but should be an ongoing function of the churches, namely, the churches recommending one another's servants, missionaries, and ministries in conjunction with the fulfillment of the Great Commission. So that this matter of inter-church cooperation should involve this commendation of specific men, of specific ministries, and of specific servants of Christ. Now, in the light of that, what must be established among the churches if these letters of commendation are going to mean anything? A relationship of, and I want one word, Pete? All right.

The Necessity of Trust for Inter-Church Commendation

33:14 What is it, Pete? A relationship of trust. There must be a relationship of trust, not blind trust, but trust based upon general communication before you ever involve yourself in something so weighty as commending a servant of Christ. A particular minister.

33:37 A particular ministry in the work of the gospel. There must be general communication in which you get to know one another as churches. The leaders get to know one another. As it were, we run an open shop.

33:50 So that there can be a foundation of trust built by a letter here, a phone call there, a visit here, a letter there, an exchange of pulpits here, all these little blocks and the rest go in here. Sorry, Jerry, this looks like a terrible wall. But it's not. It's not.

34:07 But anyway, it's made of good stuff, you know, it's good and solid. So then when a letter of commendation comes, it finds a foundation of previous trust. If the first time I ever hear from anyone is, so-and-so is approved by our mission board to go to such and such, and he needs to raise his support, and he's going amongst the churches, we'd like him to have . No way.

34:31 Who is this guy? Who is this outfit? The first time I ever hear from a lot of people is when they want to commend. A proven servant of Christ.

34:39 They didn't care about us until they wanted money. And then they write a letter and want us to set up a meeting and have a missionary promotion meeting. We don't do that. And when we, in our policy now, for example, with Jonathan serving his apprenticeship, when the time comes, if and when the time comes that there is a conviction on the part of your elders, in consultation with Pastor Ruther and his people, that Jonathan is ready to be thrust forth, we will then send out a notice to the churches with whom we have built up a relationship of communication, and therefore of trust.

35:21 And we will say, we are committed to sending Jonathan forth. We commend him to you as a true servant of Christ. We know that you have asked us, whenever we're sending out a new missionary, to be sure to include you as one of the churches that is best known to us. We will then send out a notice to the churches with whom we have built up a relationship of communication, and therefore of trust.

35:37 We will say, we are committed to sending Jonathan forth. We will send out a notice to the churches with whom we have built up a relationship of communication, and therefore of trust. We will say, we are committed to sending Jonathan forth. We will say to the churches that we've visited, that you may know of that work, that you may prayerfully consider whether you want to help us financially in that work.

35:44 And so we have a network of churches, and a list of those churches that we will send Jonathan to. Now, it's those very churches, you see, that we are constantly communicating with in our prayer meetings. In the midst of no crisis. They share their joys, their burdens, but every letter that comes and every letter that's read.

36:07 The concern that we share is another building block in the general relationship of trust. And that then becomes the foundation of this kind of specific commendation of the servants of Christ, the various ministries of Christ, and specific missionaries. Right now, it's very interesting, I hold in my hands letters from Zambia, used to be Rhodesia, just up north of South Africa where Pastor Nichols and his family were. And this man writes to me asking, begging, really, for me to come over in the latter part of August and the first part of September to preach at a conference that will bring together students and Christian professionals from all across the country, and the man is reformed, and there is a growing sympathy to the reformed faith, and he pleads with me to come and speak seven times on contending for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. And then he goes on to say, we are starved of sound preachers, especially those of Calvinistic persuasion. We wish that if you come, you should stay a week longer to have a chance to address churches of this persuasion.

37:25 We've noticed there's a growing interest in the struggle. Well, I wrote back and said, I'm sorry, I cannot come. The conference begins the day after I get back from the Philippines. I said, however, and then in this letter he said, and on the basis of what we know of your ministry, from the tapes, from your association, but certain other groups and conferences, we have confidence to ask, if you cannot come, recommend someone.

37:54 Well, I wrote back and said, I cannot come, but tell me. Before I can recommend someone, will it be preaching through an interpreter? Give me some more details. He wrote back and actually gave an outline of the subject matter for the seven meetings, indicated that all the preaching would be in English, that they have English from the first grade onward, all of these people are fluent in English, and then begs me, please, by return mail, to send the name of the man that will come.

38:23 Well, that's right.

38:28 Through a telephone call to one of our sister churches, I believe there is a man who could fit into that situation well. Now, what are we doing? This is inter-church cooperation in the work of the gospel, you see. But there has to be some kind of foundation of trust established if that is going to be a workable relationship.

Principle 6: Financial Support and Cooperation in Missions

38:51 All right, group number six. We must step on the accelerator. All right.

38:59 Philippians. Philippians 4, 15 and 16. Philippians 4, 15 and 16, a passage we looked at last week.

39:09 And you yourselves know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again unto my need. And then 2 Corinthians 11. And verse 9.

39:32 2 Corinthians 11 and verse 9. When I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man. For the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so I will keep myself.

39:55 And then 1 Corinthians chapter 9. Where Paul is dealing. With the fact that he does not use all of his rights in the gospel. Verse 6.

40:07 Or I only in Barnabas have we not a right to forbear working? What soldier ever serves at his own charges? Who planted a vineyard and eats not the fruit thereof? Or who feeds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

40:23 Do I speak these things after the manner of men? Or saith not the law also the same? For it is written in the law of Moses. You shall not muzzle.

40:31 The ox when he treads out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God cares? Or saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written.

40:40 Because he that plows ought to plow in hope. And he that thresheth to thresh in hope of partaking. If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we should reap your carnal things? If others partake of this right over you, do we not yet more?

40:56 Nevertheless, we did not use this right. And then. He summarizes in verse 14. Even so did the Lord ordain that they who proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel.

41:13 Now, question. What do these passages teach us about finances and inter-church cooperation? What do they teach us about finances and inter-church cooperation? You see, the Bible doesn't regard talking about money in the work of God as bathroom.

41:32 Paul is very open about the matters of money and the rights of those who preach the gospel. And some of us have been overly timid to preach on some of these passages, lest people think we were out to feather our own nest. Well, we're to preach the whole counsel of God. And part of that counsel is the biblical doctrine of financial support in the work of God in general.

41:57 But remember now, Paul was a missionary preacher and apostle. Pushing back. Pushing back new frontiers. And he says, when I pushed back a new frontier and went into this new area, only the church at Philippi had fellowship in the matter of support.

42:14 Then he says to the Corinthians, when I was among you, I didn't take your support, but it came from the churches in other parts. Now, what is the principle or what are the principles that we see with regard to finances and inter-church cooperation in the work of missions? I think you see in the umbilical cords holding these. All right, Chuck?

42:47 All right. If a man is recognized as a missionary, the churches involved with him in that recognition ought to commit themselves to supply his need. That that is the ordinary rule that the church that recognizes commissions ought to commit itself to the servant of Christ and the provision of his needs. Any other principles in here?

43:13 Yes, Ron. All right. There is a right that may be voluntarily refused, not only on the basis of the inability of a church to provide. There's no indication that Corinth was particularly poor.

43:37 But for other reasons, lest people should in any way question the motives of the servant of Christ. All right? So sometimes the maintenance of the blameless integrity of the motive of the servant of God will cause him to say, as Paul, could in Acts 20, these hands have provided for my needs and also those with me. No one could ever point to Paul and say, he's in this for what he can get out of it.

44:04 So he was willing to work into the wee hours of the morning at his trade as a tent maker that he might preach the gospel. And if anyone says, what are you getting out of this, Paul? He says, calluses on my hands and a broken heart and dark shadows under my eyes. But I seek not yours, but you.

44:22 And sometimes the only way you can prove that, is to relinquish the right to live with the gospel. All right, any other principle that's seen here? Quickly, someone else have his hand raised. All right.

Key Principles of Financial Support: Voluntary, Non-Coercive, and Integrity-Driven

44:33 Yes, Howard.

44:40 Oh, that's very interesting. The churches were providing for the needs and no other organization. You look in vain for any kind of a so-called para church group that becomes the financial base. So I'm sure as we work through these passages, we would eventually come to something, approaching what I've put on paper here.

45:02 What do the passages teach about finances and interchurch cooperation? Answer, financial support and cooperation was voluntary and non-coercive. When only Philippi was sharing in Paul's new gospel adventure, there's no indication that he manipulated or sought to coerce the other churches. It was voluntary, and non-coercive, and support was sometimes voluntarily refused in the interest of maintaining the integrity of the gospel.

45:41 So in some cases, Paul took no support. In some cases, Paul took support from other churches, even though the one he was planting could support him. Because when the false apostles came along, Paul said one of the things they did is they fleeced you Corinthians to death. Are you punishing me?

46:00 Because I lived at my own expense and robbed the other churches? He even uses the term, I robbed the other churches, not to be burdensome to you. But it wasn't because you didn't have the means. These false apostles come along, and they're driving Cadillacs and having 10-week vacations in the Bahamas.

46:16 And when they come home, they slap you in the face and treat you like dirt, and you still love them. That's sort of a 20th century free paraphrase of what Paul says. He even uses the term, they strike you in the face, they fleece your pockets, they bring you onto bondage, and yet you embrace them and you reject me. So it's an amazing thing.

Application of Financial Principles: Trinity Baptist Church's Commitment to Missionary Support

46:36 The human heart. Second Corinthians is a horrible commentary on what can happen, even by a church planted by an apostle. So in some cases, Paul took support from other churches. So then, the application to us is, we commit ourselves to support those whom we send.

46:54 We appeal to the other churches in a non-coercive way. We don't say, we see God's hand upon the man, we're going to send him, but now we can't send him unless you commit yourself to support him. No, we feel that would be coercive. Now, you see why we're so careful about committing ourselves to major financial commitments that would strap us with heavy indebtedness and large mortgage payments?

47:24 Do you see why we're very, very slow, at times painfully slow, to do things that you say, well, we ought to do. We don't want to put ourselves in the place where when God answers our prayer and raises up a laborer who's a proven man and it's time to send him out, we say, well, you're a proven man, a gift of Christ. Now you'll have to go out and beat the woods for support. We want to be able to say, we are committed to supporting you.

47:52 Then as we send out letters of commendation to the churches, we're able to say, as we've done time after time, so-and-so comes to you with the commitment of Trinity Church fully to support him. He's not coming to ask for money. He's coming to lay out the concern, to stir up prayer. However, if God constrains you and you desire to help in this endeavor, we will gladly see to it that what you give for the assistance and the support of this brother will be used then for other gospel endeavors that our money is freed up to use.

48:30 But what you send will indeed be part of his support. So you see, those practices that we have, brethren, they're not just things we've just sort of come to willy-nilly by trial and error, but they are an attempt to implement these biblical principles. Well, we didn't get through the seventh grouping. Time is gone, more than gone.

Conclusion and Prayer

48:51 We'll have to hold off there. I'll briefly review and take that seventh one and then, God willing, we'll get into the fourth major area next week, and that is the very crucial area of how do we recognize those who should be sent forth to do the work of missions. All right, let's pray. Our Father, we thank you that we have your word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our pathway.

49:20 We pray that it will continue to guide us and that in all things we may ever be ready to be corrected and changed in principles and policies when Scripture demands, and that it will continue to guide us to the right path and to the right path. We pray that we may never be bullied by such changes, but where we are walking according to the word, may we never be bullied from our path by the consensus of others, by the pressure of others, but may we stand firm in the truth as it is in Jesus. We ask in his name. Amen.

49:56 Amen.