By Larry Ray Hafley
In this segment of our series we are shooting down a Hawk. Dove season is closed. We have no foul intentions. Brother Ray Hawk recently wrote a brother and asked several questions to which we wish to respond. Where did we get the letter? Let us just say that a little bird brought it to our attention – hope that we will not ruffle any feathers.
Brother Hawk’s Questions
“Since you now stand where you do because you may read it in the scriptures, I wonder if you would do something for me? Would you give me details with scripture showing how the church can oversee, provide, and arrange for the benevolent needs of a 10 year old Christian that is the church’s responsibility? I would like to know who the father and mother of that child would be if the church is responsible. Please supply book, chapter, and verse. Could the church arrange, provide, and oversee the home life and rearing of that child? If yes, book, chapter, and verse. If not, what organization rears the child? Again, book, chapter, and verse. If the child is overseen, provided for by the church, and all arrangements are made by the elders, book, chapter, and verse for the child’s birthday parties, gifts, and recreational needs. I keep finding brethren who say the church may help Christian orphans, but no one who wants to show how it may be done. Will you?
“I wonder if you will show me book, chapter, and verse where a church ever paid a preacher from the treasury of the local congregation to be located with them? I can find where Paul robbed other churches, but this was in mission work at Corinth to preach and baptize people to start a congregation. If Gal. 6:10 is individual, wouldn’t Gal. 6:6 also be individual with reference to paying the local/located preacher? If not, why not? 1 have heard brethren say there is one way of giving but two ways of dispersing funds from the treasury: in evangelism the church sends to the preacher and in benevolence one church may send to another church. Is there a clear cut passage which shows one church from its treasury sending money to another church in matters of benevolence? If so, where is it? If you can help me with these matters I would appreciate it since I dislike seeing the body of Christ divided over these matters.”
A Parallel Paragraph
Let us construct a parallel to Brother Hawk’s opening paragraph: Since you now stand where you do because you may read it in the scriptures, I wonder if you would do something for me? Would you give me details with scripture showing how a benevolent society can oversee, provide and arrange for the benevolent needs of a 70 year old Christian, a woman, that is the church’s responsibility? I would like to know who the husband of that woman would be if the church is responsible. Please supply book, chapter, and verse. Could the benevolent society provide the headship and the domestic duties for the care of that woman? If yes, book, chapter, and verse. If not, what organization cares for that woman? Again, book, chapter, and verse. If the woman is overseen, provided headship by the benevolent society, and all arrangements are made by the board of directors, book, chapter and verse for the woman’s birthday parties, gifts, and recreational needs. I keep finding brethren who say the benevolent society may help Christian widows, but no one who wants to show how it may be done. Will you?
Hawk’s Dislocated Comments On Located Preacher Support
Brother Hawk asks about support of a located preacher. Surely, he believes all things require scriptural authority; he doubtless accepts wages from a local church to be located with them; so, we probably use the same passage he uses.
If Galatians 6:10 is to the church, would not Gal. 6:7-9 also be to the church with respect to sowing, reaping and judgment? Would that exclude individual accountability? Further, if Gal. 6:6 eliminates the church’s right to support the preacher and puts it all on individuals, as Brother Hawk seems to intimate, then if Gal. 6:10 is to the church, that eliminates the individual from doing good to all men and to the household of faith. “If not, why not?” When Brother Hawk explains that, he will have his answer. But whatever the outcome about the individual or the church in Gal. 6:10, there is still no place for a human organization to do the work God assigned to the church.
“Clear Cut” Passages
Speaking of “clear cut” passages, perhaps there are some that will answer the following questions: “Is there a clear cut passage which shows one church from its treasury sending money to another church in matters of evangelism? If so, where is it?” And another: “Is there a clear cut passage which shows one church from its treasury sending money to a benevolent society in matters of benevolence? If so, where is it?” Remember, we need some “clear cut” passages.
One Way Of Giving; Two Ways Of Dispersing
“I have heard brethren say there is one way of giving but two ways of dispersing funds from the treasury: in evangelism the church may not send to a missionary society, but in benevolence a church may send to a benevolent society. Is there a clear cut passage which shows one church from its treasury sending money to a benevolent society in matters of benevolence? If so, where is it? If you can help me with these matters I would appreciate it since I dislike seeing the body of Christ divided over these matters.”
Conclusion
Most of Brother Hawk’s confusion is centered in two areas. First, he evidences a lack of understanding of generic and specific authority. Second, he fails to see that the controversy is primarily over who, the church or a benevolent society, is to do the work of caring for certain needy ones. It is not a matter of “how.” Therefore, a discussion involving these two vital points is in order. Truth Magazine will be happy to publish such a study provided that a magazine published by Brother Hawk’s persuasion will also publish the same study. Finally, I am sure that someone could be found to come to Jackson, Tennessee, where Brother Hawk preaches, and have an oral debate on these issues. But do not hold your breath. There is no church in Jackson, Tennessee that will endorse Brother Hawk in such a study as I have proposed. What a pity, especially since both Brother Hawk and myself “dislike seeing the body of Christ divided over these matters.”
Truth Magazine XXIII: 27, pp. 437-438
July 12, 1979