Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 3
September 27, 1951
NUMBER 21, PAGE 12-13b

Questions About Preachers, Elders, Feeding, Hiring, Etc.

Floyd Thompson, Santa Ana, California

Question No. 1. Are not elders to feed the church?

Answer: Yes. Paul said to the elders of the church at Ephesus, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:28)

Question No. 2. Where is authority for elders hiring a preacher to do their own work of feeding?

Answer: There is no authority for elders hiring a preacher to do their work of feeding.

Question No. 3. Who is feeding the churches, elders or preachers?

Answer: Both should be. Paul told the elders to feed. (Acts 20:28) Again, did not Paul, who was a preacher, say "I have fed you ...?" (1 Cor. 3:2)

Question No. 4. What New Testament church had the one man preacher system such as we have?

Answer: No New Testament church had a "one man preacher system" of any kind. If the "such as we have" is meant to include the whole church, it includes too much, because I know of many congregations of the church who do not have a "one man preacher system." If "such as we have" refers only to a local condition, the querists should know whereof they speak before such a charge is made. If a "one man preacher system" exists it is without authority of God, hence wrong. If there are elders in any congregation where such is the case, there is a double fault. First a preacher (or anyone else) "who loveth to have preeminence among them" sins. Second, elders are to be blamed for letting such a condition arise without doing something about it.

Question No. 5. Did New Testament preachers work regularly for churches on a contract and salary such as ours do?

Answer: This question is not hard to answer except that there is no way for me to know what is meant by "such as ours do." Some of us may do differently than "ours do." The Testament does not make known the length of time a preacher can preach the gospel in one locality. What is a "contract" but an agreement? What if a preacher should agree to come and preach for "whatever you want to give me?" Does he not have a contract? Is there anything sinful about "And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard?" Paul said, "The labourer is worthy of his hire."

Question No. 6. Did elders of any church ever hire a located preacher?

Answer: This question is somewhat like the other. What is meant by "located preacher." How long does it take a preacher to get "located?" If a preacher is asked to come and preach in a gospel meeting to last for "one month" is he "located" or not? If another preacher is asked to come and preach in a gospel meeting for "as long a time as we think best" is he "located?" If it should come to pass that a preacher assembled himself with the church for a whole year and taught much people (See Acts 11:26), would he be "located" or not? The Testament does not make known how long one should preach at any place.

We learn from 2 Corinthians 11:8 that Paul received "wages." From 2 Corinthians 12:13, we learn that he should have been "burdensome" to the Corinthians.

I wonder what would be said of "the elders" if just anybody and everybody uninvited preached? Could it be said of them "they watch for your souls?" Would they be "taking the oversight thereof?"