Church Cooperation
Knowing that the church is to engage in the work of preaching the gospel, caring for its needy and edifying the saints, the question often arises, "Can churches cooperate in accomplishing any of these works? This is a logical question, and worthy of careful consideration. According to Webster, cooperate means, "To act or operate jointly with another or others." Did one church in New Testament days act jointly with another church or other churches in accomplishing these works? To answer we must turn to the New Testament.
Jesus charged his disciples to "preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:16), or to go "teach all nations" (Matt. 28:19). This charge was given before the church was established, but when it was established it became the pillar and ground of the truth. (I Tim. 3:15) At first there was only the church in Jerusalem, but they preached the word; then there were churches throughout Judea, and they preached the word; then on to Samaria and to the other nations of the world. Wherever the gospel was preached, and the church established, the responsibility of preaching the gospel was laid upon those converted. When each church "sounded out the word of the Lord," as did the church in Thessalonica (I Thess. 1:7-8), all the churches were cooperating, acting jointly with other churches, in preaching the gospel to all the world. In their cooperation they did not have consolidation of funds from the many churches into one treasury which was under the oversight of the elders of one church. Neither did they establish a missionary society apart from the church and cooperate by contributing to that society. But they did cooperate in preaching the gospel as each church preached the gospel to the best of its ability, which is what the Lord expects of each church. Each church, whether it is made up of ten members or a thousand members, has the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the best of its ability. Naturally the church of a thousand members will have more who can preach and more money to support preaching than the church that has only ten members, or a hundred members. But when each church does its best to preach the gospel of Christ to the world, it is doing what God expects, and is cooperating with all other churches that are doing the same.
In the work of edifying the saints, each church is to edify itself. (Eph. 4:16) In doing this the local church may invite men from other places to come teach them, or may purchase printed material written by someone who is not a member of that church, but as each church arranges teaching, etc. for the edifying of its members, all churches will be acting jointly in the perfecting of the saints. But as was noted in the work of evangelism, this would be done without many churches working through one church, or through a single organization. Cooperation does not require consolidation.
When the churches through Judea were brought into a state of need because of a "great dearth," the church in Antioch sent "relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea." (Acts 11:27-30) Here we see Antioch cooperating with the churches in Judea in supplying the need of the saints. This was done by sending directly to the church in need, for the relief was sent "to the elders" who would distribute this to those of that church who were in need. Some years later when the Jerusalem church was in need many churches cooperated in supplying their need. Churches in Macedonia, Achaia and Galatia sent to the church in Jerusalem. (See Rom. 15:26; I Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8, 9) Here churches acted jointly with other churches in supplying the needs of the saints in Jerusalem. Once more it should be observed that this cooperation did not involve the consolidation or amalgamation of the funds of several churches into a common treasure, or under the control of a common "board." It may also be observed that there was not another organization set up, as something apart from the church, to which churches contributed. They did not cooperate in this manner. They did cooperate by acting jointly with each other in supplying the need at Jerusalem. Churches today may cooperate in exactly the same manner as churches did in the apostolic days.
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? There is absolutely no authority for one church to send to another church to preach the gospel. There is no authority for many churches to send money to one church to preach the gospel. But, says one, Why can churches send money to another church or churches to relieve the needy, but cannot send money to preach the gospel? There is a simple and logical answer: Each church bears exactly the same responsibility to preaching the gospel to every creature, i. e., preach the gospel to the best of its ability. However, in supplying the needs of the saints, each church has a responsibility to care for its own, as Jerusalem was responsible to care for its own, and when it is unable to fulfill this responsibility other churches may send to it to help it fulfill this responsibility. 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. This is after the wisdom of men. After all the reasoning is done, and every argument is made in an attempt to justify churches sending to another church to preach the gospel, the truth yet remains that such was not done in the apostolic days.
In the matter of relieving the saints the scriptures show:
1. One church sending to another church to help that church relieve its needy. Corinth sent to Jerusalem. 2 Cor. 8, 9.
2. One church sending to many churches to relieve their needy. Antioch sending to the churches in Judea. Acts 11:27-30.
3. Many churches sending to one church to supply the needs of the saints. Churches of Galatia, Macedonia and Achaia sending to Jerusalem. Rom. 15:26; I Cor. 16:1-1.
In the matter of preaching the gospel the scriptures do not show:
1. One church sending money to another church to preach the gospel.
2. One church sending money to many churches to preach the gospel.
3. Many churches sending money to one church to preach the gospel.
Thus, churches cooperate in preaching the gospel when each church preaches the gospel to the best of its ability, for all churches bear the same relationship to the preaching of the gospel. But in benevolence one church may send to another church whose members are in need. Let's respect the Lord in the matter of cooperation.
— Butler, Missouri