Arguments for Church Sponsored (Financially Supported) Missionary Societies

·         Sponsoring Church Defined

1.    “(1) It is a congregation which assumes the oversight and control of some activity in the general field of evangelism, edification, or benevolence.[1]”

2.    “(4) Many congregations delegate their funds and responsibilities to the overseeing and controlling congregation for their fulfillment and application or expenditure.[2]”

3.    “(5) The elders of the sponsoring church thus becomes the official board of a church cooperation vested with the authority of overseeing, controlling, and prosecuting the work involved.[3]”

·         Jerusalem Elders – Sponsoring Eldership

1.    “While taking advantage of the open pulpit of the Plano church on March 7, 1971, Brother [Gordon] Brewer set about to find scriptural authority for a diocesan eldership.[4]”

2.    “(1) Antioch sent relief to the brethren in Judea (Acts 11:21-36).”

3.    “Rom. 15:25-27. 31; 1 Co. 16:1-3; 2 Co. 8 & 9 show relief was sent to Jerusalem.”

4.    “CONCLUSION: The Jerusalem elders were the overseeing, sponsoring church for the aid sent to Judea.”

5.    “But somebody says, “Didn’t churches in Macedonia and Achaia send to the church in Jerusalem?” Weren’t there occasions in the New Testament when funds went from one church to another church?[5]”

·         Church Cooperation

1.    “’Surely churches can cooperate’, someone may be thinking.  In fact, many referred to these issues as ‘questions about cooperation’.  Churches that objected to institutionalism were referred to as anti-cooperation churches.[6]”

2.    “But, someone says, Many churches sent to one church to supply the needs of the saints, cannot many churches send to one church to preach the gospel?[7]”

3.    “Some brethren reason and quibble about this matter, and conclude that preaching the gospel is more important than relieving the needy, therefore if churches can send money to one church to care for its needy they can surely send money to one church to preach the gospel.[8]”

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[1] Eugene Britnell, “The Sponsoring Church,” The Gospel Guardian, 13, no. 17 (August 1961), 1, 9, 12-13a.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Larry Hafley, “Set for the Defense – Jerusalem a Sponsoring Church?” Truth Magazine, 16, no. 38 (August 1972): 2.

[5] Hall, 24.

[6] Hall, 25.

[7] Billy W. Moore, “Church Cooperation,” Gospel Guardian, 12, no. 7 (June 1960): 8-9a.

[8] Ibid.