Local Church Fund-raising

Local church fund-raising has both pros and cons. The pros of local church fund-raising are:

1. A means or opportunity of applying the Word of God which teaches about Giving. (2 Cor 9:7-10)
2. A way of raising funds for the poor and needy. (Prov 28:27)
3. A way to provide to the needs of the full-time ministers of the Word.(1 Tim 5:17-18)
4. An opportunity to exercise the gift of giving. (Rom 12:8)
5. A way to provide for the needs of missions and missionaries as they execute the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20)

The cons of local church fund-raising are:

1. If the money is mismanaged and misused, the fund-raising would have caused more harm than good.

Appropriate way to do local church fund-raising:

1. It must be free-will offering not pressured. No manipulation. Giving must be out of a heart of love. (1 Cor 13:3)
2. It must be discreet, not a show or show-off. (Matt 6:1-4)

The Southern Baptist Cooperative Program is a most appropriate way to raise fund towards the execution of the Great Commission. This Program inculcates among Baptists, the spirit of:

-Cooperation and Unity
-Loving and Giving to others
-Blessing God and others
-Association and inter-church fellowship.

The Cooperative Program also alleviates the stress of IMB missionaries having to raise their own financial support like in some other missionary-sending agencies. And Baptist seminary students certainly benefit from the Cooperative Program which allows them to pursue their theological studies. 

May God guide local church fund-raising unto His Glory!