Supporting Evangelists

By Ellis J. Crum

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     There is no further need of listing scriptures to prove that evangelists should be financially supported. The thing currently needed is to enlist congregations to support their faithful workers. If it is true that evangelists have a right to be supported on about the same basis as the average member of the body of Christ, then they should be supported not only for the present but for old age too! It seems to me that it is only practicing divine economy for evangelists to buy their own homes, when possible, to have life insurance, and also health or accident insurance. Times have changed greatly since the time of our Savior. Men seldom receive their wages at the close of day -- they are usually paid at the end of the week; sometimes they are paid two weeks in arrears. Due to these prevailing conditions, life has to be geared a bit differently than in New Testament times. While we should not be "anxious" or worried about tomorrow, and we should trust God to give us our "daily bread," yet I doubt if it would be pleasing to our Lord to buy our food on a "daily" basis. Most people who make daily trips to the grocery store are poor managers, and spend much more for food than those who budget and plan for a week or more at a time.

     The Lord being The Great Economist, would have us to make the best of our stewardship. True, the church should come to the rescue of the evangelist when he is sick; they should see that he is properly buried when he dies. However, if an evangelist receives adequate support NOW, little or none will be needed later! In most instances it would be easier on the congregations if he had insurance. It is usually easier to gather up a little regularly than to rake up a lot at the last minute. When I think how some active evangelists are supported now, I wouldn't want to trust some congregations to support me or my family in time of old age! I speak this to the shame of the congregations to whom this "shoe fits." The home congregation of evangelists should inquire into their needs, and see to it that they are met! Men once driven from the field seldom return. And all the time the cry goes out: "We need more evangelists!"

     An evangelist has more expenses than some. Oh, I know there are those who are making a lot of extra expenses by trying to live too high. However, I had reference to what I believe you will consider as legitimate expenses. Consider his clothes. If he dresses shabby, he is a slouch; if he dresses well, he is a dude! He must endeavor to strike a happy medium and appear neat at all times. Some men still have their wedding suit after 15 years! As work clothes are cheaper than suits, the item of clothes adds to a preacher's expense account rather heavily. Food is another expensive item in any home, but especially so in the home of the average evangelist. Not that they dine on fancy foods, but usually their home is like Grand Central Station -- company coming and going all the time. While this makes added work on his wife, and usually necessitates the children giving up their usual beds, I remember few if any complaints along this line. Besides the joy of entertaining brethren, he will often have neighbors and friends in for meals in order that he might influence them for Christ. In spite of the resourcefulness of his companion, all these extra meals do something to a limited grocery budget!

     Another little item of expense is postage. Due to a heavy correspondence this small expenditure sometimes seems large to one with such a limited income. However, the thing that reduces the resources of an evangelist quicker than for the average member is traveling expenses. Besides his railroad and bus tickets, his car expense whether at home or away from home is quite an item. He frequently provides taxi service for the

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brethren and those in the community, a thing which he should be glad to do as an act of service; however, even cars known for economy are expensive to operate. Congregations should be as fair as the U. S. Government, which allows preachers to deduct their travel expenses from their gross income. Sometimes he may wonder how he has been able to make it through the year after deducting allowable expenses. Truly the Bible teaches that congregations and individuals should provide traveling expenses for evangelists. Speaking of Gaius, the apostle says that his good works "have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well" (3 John, vs. 6). To the congregation at Corinth Paul wrote: "that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go" (I Cor. 16:6). Not only is travel expensive, it is also time consuming. Men in the field need time for study and research.

     If congregations will not support evangelists, they can work with their hands as did Paul. Like the apostle Paul they should be determined to preach the gospel: "Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel" (I Cor. 9:16). Therefore, whether the brethren support him or not he will continue to preach the gospel. If an evangelist is self-supporting the church receives little or no glory. She may have trained him but she is not sustaining him! If he costs the church nothing she has no credit going to her spiritual account! He may be a servant for the church, but when he is not supported he is not a servant of the church.

     It is the responsibility of evangelists to give this much needed teaching. Usually such remarks as these are heard only in private when two or three preachers get together. The motives of the evangelist may be impugned, but he will stand condemned before God for failure to give these instructions. Paul told Timothy: "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches" (I Tim. 6: 17). Rich congregations need this teaching too! Some are making a bank out of the church of our Lord.

     Congregations have an obligation to support evangelists. In this matter we should consider the New Testament example of sending the assistance direct to the worker. Concerning the Philippians, Paul wrote: "For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity" (Phil. 4:16). There is no Bible authority for an evangelist's home congregation acting as a centralized agency for receiving funds for him. In the early church they always sent the money direct to the worker or where the funds were needed. Evangelists who cannot be trusted to make proper use of the money received, should not be in the field. If he is not trustworthy he should not be recommended for this great work of preaching the gospel. Congregations should know something about the man they are recommending and sustaining. I pray the day will soon come when Christians and congregations will awaken to the need of supporting and encouraging those who are willing to devote their lives to the spreading of the ancient gospel. You can talk about Paul working with his hands until the Lord comes again, and the same inspired man will still be stating: "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel" (I Cor. 9:14).