What constitutes a financial need in any given situation? There are at least three reasons we’ll all answer this question differently. First, we all have different ideas of what a need is. I recently asked my congregation whether high speed internet was a need or a luxury. The room was divided in half. It came as no surprise that those who work in the computer industry were on the need side. They argued that high speed internet is a need because it’s how people in our culture search for jobs. They wondered how we could expect someone to search for a job without access to the internet. Here are some other difficult questions regarding needs:
Do we expect an individual who has lost his or her job to sell some assets to make ends meet? Assuming that most will answer yes, what assets should be expected to be sold? A $20,000 car? How about a $10,000 car? $5,000?
Should the church give benevolence to people whose kids are in private or Christian school or are they expected to put them into the free pubic education system?
What if a family who is receiving benevolence takes a vacation to the Florida Keys? Is this reasonable? Unreasonable?
Should the church expect those who receive money to cut expenses such as cable, eating out, and entertainment until they get on their feet? How much should be cut?
These are difficult questions to answer since each person has a different definition of “need.”
Another reason that we struggle to find common ground is because different people know different things about different situations. What looks like a need from the outside may look differently from the inside. For whatever reason, there are some people who are really careful to hide their needs. They may have no food in their cupboard, but even their close friends don’t know the extent of the need. On the other hand, there are some who are quick to communicate poverty when they are really doing quite well. The issue here is one of information. Few of us ever have the complete picture.
Finally, benevolence is also complicated by the fact that different fields of work require different approaches. Several years ago a church member at SRBC was laid off from a job in a very specialized field. The deacons agreed that the church should help. After a couple of months of searching for a job in his specific field, I thought we should encourage the man to take any job that became available. But a deacon who was familiar with this specific field cautioned me to not cut benevolence and to give the man more time to look in his field. The deacon suggested that a short term job outside of this specialized field would tarnish a great resume and hinder the man’s ability to find long-term work in his profession. I heeded the advice. The church member found a great job in his field within a month. This was a good reminder that different needs will require a different approach.
How should we deal with disagreements in benevolence? First, we should expect diversity of opinion in this area. In any given situation, some will think the church has given too much while others will assume it has not done enough. This kind of disagreement is a great opportunity for us to learn how to work within the larger body.
In addition, benevolence is best done by a group rather than an individual. Whether administered by the pastors, or deacons, or another committee, moving as a group can guard against extreme ideas. It brings a healthy check and balance to the ministry (Proverbs 11:14).
Finally, accurate information is very important, especially in cases of ongoing benevolence. Those investigating the needs of a hurting family may need to ask some difficult and, at times, offensive questions. However, Proverbs 18:13 must be practiced: “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” Better information will allow the church to better meet the real needs of both the church and the community.
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