Financial Support for Evangelistic Work Among Churches 教會之間對福音工作的金錢支持

Churches of Christ generally agree that it is scriptural for a local church to support a preacher directly.  

基督的教會普遍認為，地方教會直接支持傳道人，是合乎聖經的。

Examples include Philippians 4:15–16 and 2 Corinthians 11:8, where churches sent support directly to Paul.  

例如腓立比書 4:15–16 與哥林多後書 11:8，都顯示教會直接供應保羅。

However, many conservative churches of Christ object to the “sponsoring church” arrangement.  

然而，許多保守派基督的教會反對「 sponsoring church（統籌教會）」制度。

This is when one church collects money from many churches into its own treasury and oversees a larger evangelistic work.  

也就是某一間教會向多間教會募集資金，集中到自己的庫房，再統籌大型福音工作。

Why is this rejected by many non-institutional churches of Christ?  

為何許多非機構派（non-institutional）的基督的教會反對這種作法？

1. There is no New Testament example of churches sending evangelism funds to another church treasury.  

新約中沒有「教會把福音經費交給另一間教會庫房」的例子。

2. Each local church is autonomous.  

每一個地方教會都是自治的。

1 Peter 5:2 teaches elders to shepherd “the flock among you,” not a brotherhood-wide organization.  

彼得前書 5:2 教導長老只牧養「你們中間的群羊」，而不是管理跨教會組織。

3. The New Testament reveals no organization larger than the local church.  

新約沒有設立比地方教會更大的組織。

Many believe the sponsoring church arrangement creates an unscriptural structure similar in principle to missionary societies.  

許多人認為 sponsoring church 的原則，實際上與差會制度相似，超出了聖經模式。

Acts 11:29–30 is sometimes used to defend inter-church cooperation, but conservative churches of Christ reply that this was benevolence for needy saints during a famine — not centralized evangelism oversight.  

有人引用使徒行傳 11:29–30 來支持教會間合作，但保守派基督的教會認為，那是饑荒中的救濟工作，不是集中管理的福音基金。

Therefore, the commonly accepted pattern among conservative churches of Christ is:  

因此，保守派基督的教會普遍接受的模式是：

• churches may support preachers directly  

• 教會可以直接支持傳道人

• churches may cooperate voluntarily  

• 教會之間可以自願合作

• but one church should not oversee evangelism work on behalf of many churches through a centralized treasury  

• 但不應由一間教會透過集中庫房，代表多間教會統籌福音工作