It’s well established that religion is big business and has been for many years. But it seems like the practices in the church are trending toward what I call the ‘monetising’ of the gospel’ –which I characterize as growing the church like a business by treating the gospel, fellowship, and other biblical knowledge as products that are in effect marketed and sold in a format similar to how other products and services are promoted and sold. It’s important to understand the principles in God’s Word and ensure that our zeal to spread God’s Word does not take us away from His truth and will about how we fund the works of the Kingdom.
The method to collect funds for the church is fairly well described, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 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” (1 Cor. 16:1-2). This passage is clear as to the frequency (weekly), contingent upon and in proportion to how each individual has been prospered. The way in which we give is spelled out in 2 Cor. 9:7, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). The word translated ‘necessity’ literally means “constraint”. Jesus himself made it clear our giving is not to be seen of men, and it is to be in secret, without fanfare, so that we’ll receive our reward from the Father (Matt 6:1-4). Some congregation use pledger cards for the purported reason that it helps for budgeting purposes. While this may be the case, it’s hard to see how that practice would not constrain an individual by asking for commitments prior to them being prospered. I have not heard of anyone being forced to meet their pledge legally (as you typically would if pledging to a charitable organization and failed to pay), but it certainly seems incompatible with God’s plan for giving and possibly puts folks in a position of either violating their pledge, or giving out of necessity to keep the pledge.
The Bible does not authorize churches to charge fees. But we have examples of fee based services aside from free will contributions. Jesus strongly condemned those who apparently were taking advantage of widows by charging or constraining them as they served them, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation” (Matt. 23:14). He also judged the Pharisees as ‘covetous’ (Luke 16:14) so it seems as if this type of behavior was evidence of that sinful trait of their hearts. It was clear that when Simon willingly desired to enter into a fee arrangement to buy the power of the Holy Spirit, it didn’t go over very well, “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money” (Acts 8:20). When Jesus sent out the twelve to preach, he explicitly denied them the option to charge a fee, “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” (Matt 10:7-8). There are only two examples I’m aware of where fees were charged and accepted for goods or services related to worship of Christ. One was when Jesus saw the buying and selling of items to be used in sacrifice and worship, He didn’t want them in the temple and said, “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise” (John 2:16). In Matt. 21:13 the practice had made it “a den of thieves” so perhaps Jesus went even further and judged their behavior as taking advantage through these sales to the point of thievery. The other example was only service for which money was charged and accepted, (and ironically refunded), which was Judas Iscariot for the betrayal of Christ (Matt. 26:15, 27:4-5). It’s hard to believe any of these fee based examples are given to us to emulate.
So what about our practices in the church today? It’s not uncommon to attend a gospel meeting or lectureship and see or hear about books or other items for sale. We often like to talk about the simplicity of the gospel and the sufficiency of the Word but promote a variety of commentaries for sale that are apparently designed to help fill in whatever gaps may exist between what God has given through the Word and understanding (2 Tim. 2:7, Pro. 2:6, James 1:5). If we really need them aside from the inspired Word, I’d hope they’d be free, and if I have Bible based knowledge or understanding to share, I don’t desire to profit from it through sales.
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I’m certainly not judging those who write and sell books based on knowledge freely received and given by God, or those who charge for others to benefit from their fellowship or edification. It’s clear that those who preach the gospel can be paid from the free will contributions of the saints, “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14) It’s not required but permitted, and the amount is one of judgment. Paul chose not to take money (vs 15, 1 Thess. 2:9, 2 Thess. 3:8) but worked to support himself while he preached. My prayer is the work of the Lord, whatever it’s called, does not require a fee for fellowship or to learn God’s Word, and that I am able to freely give as I’ve received. Perhaps Jesus left a better way, and that was to preach the gospel to the thousands who came to him, and rather than charging them to come, he fed those who were hungry. He invites the weary and heavy laden to Him (Matt. 11:28); His promise is that if we gather in His name, He’ll be there (Matt. 18:20). No fees or copyright warnings attached!
–Matthew Johnson
