Financial Responsibility In The Church

I also discovered that the Levites had not been given their prescribed portions of food, so they and the singers who were to conduct the worship services had all returned to work their fields. I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, “Why has the Temple of God been neglected?” Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties. And once more all the people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms. [Nehemiah 13.10-12] 

There is nothing wrong with volunteer work, but when it comes to the daily administration for the gathering of God's people, volunteer work is insufficient.

The people who 'make it happen' as far as the Church goes, should be paid (and paid well). To expect volunteer work from these workers is to cheapen and degrade the work they do. Consequently, with few exceptions, excellence is missing from most volunteer work because the Church cannot require excellence from volunteers!

How this 'shows up' is in sloppy administration of facilitating the gathering of God's people. One of the most evident manifestations of this sloppiness is indeed in the area of music. While many people attending a worship service are gracious toward the volunteer musicians and singers, a true musician or singer will immediately know the difference, much akin to the screech of fingernails on a chalkboard.

As seen in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading, sub-par is not the way to please God!

The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’ “You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. “Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’ “You defile them by saying the altar of the LORD deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?” asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings. [Malachi 1.6-10]

Of all lifeless organizations, the life-filled organism of the Church should be ashamed to beg for volunteers. Tithes and offerings should be an integral part of church membership so that the Church can afford and therefore offer excellence in the execution of worship services.

How "Jesus paid it all" morphed into the "anything goes" or, "at least they tried" mentality of the Church today is shameful. God is every bit as holy in the New Testament and He was in the Old Testament!

The whole IRS 501c3 tax status (United States) is indicative of the problem. When the Church began to receive charity from the government, just like every other government program (Welfare, for example), excellence went out the window. It should be the Church giving charity to the government! In this inverted system, where the government is left to administrate the charity God actually requires, taxation (a secular form of the "tithe" but rife with exploitation, excess and corruption) is required!

It's not really the politicians' fault either. The responsibility for excellence (i.e.. holiness) rests with the Church. "Grace" does not mean "anything goes" but that is exactly what the Church has conveyed increasingly more as time has advanced. 

In all practicality, it is now too late for the Church to try to take back its financial responsibility (charity to the world) because the ineffective "charitable" systems of government are so complex and overburdened with waste that the very process of reform would lead to utter collapse.

True revival is not limited by practicality though...

So, what is the solution (since I've so graciously pointed out the problem)? It starts with the Church acknowledging the problem for what it is and genuinely and humbly repenting before Holy God by faith in Jesus Christ. The Church should be "the Church" tightening its "grace" belt and lovingly excluding those who refuse to tithe and make offerings (as freeloaders are problematic to society, so they are to the Church!). Church workers should be paid well and subsequently be expected to serve in excellence which will inspire growth (i.e. more tithers). In this, the Church should show the world what financial responsibility looks like reclaiming its charity status thus relieving the government of that misplaced duty.

More specifically, the solution above should be taken to our "personal prayer closet" FIRST!

Currently, the "bride" Jesus is returning for is a mess. It's no wonder He said there will be "few...":

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

Will there be a revival to the magnitude of making Jesus a liar? Well, put like that, obviously not. However, it does not relieve the genuine Christ-follower of his responsibility to pursue his own cross (which, by the way is truly a responsibility of excellence in resignation from self-centeredness). With Jesus' stern words, we can be sure "freeloaders" won't make the cut. Grace is NOT sloppy. God is just as holy today as ever. 

The true Church (as compared to popular churches) will allow Jesus Christ to demonstrate holiness through its well-defined membership and administration of services. It will not depend on sloppy volunteers but instead handsomely pay excellent "Levites" (workers and musicians) as needed. This does not preclude nice buildings and furnishings, but instead compliments them.

Too much? See Matthew 7.13-14 again...

There is a revival stirring. As much as we hate to admit it, this revival will involve renewed financial responsibility in the true Church (which may or may not be the big popular churches).

Father, help us get it right in what is "the Church" today. May we understand from Your reference of us as Your bride that we should make every effort to be prepared and adorned to Your standards - as can only be achieved in total submission to Jesus. So be it!