A One Talent Church

Trying to justify something which a church is doing and has been called into question causes some people to latch onto a passage of scripture, take it out of its context, and use it as though it is proof for what they do.
Consider the practice of taking funds contributed into the common treasury on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1,2) and investing those funds in CDs or interest- bearing accounts and then citing Jesus’ parable of the “talents” (Matt. 25:14-30) as justification.
In the parable, a man “going into another country” delivered his goods to three servants, “to each according to his several ability,” and went away. The first servant was given five “talents” (money) and “traded” and gained five more talents. The second servant was given two talents and likewise gained another two. The third servant was given one talent and, being afraid, hid the talent in the earth, doing nothing with it.
When the master of those servants returned, he called them to give account for the money that had been entrusted to them. He commended the first two and rewarded them for their efforts. The third admitted that he had done nothing with his talent and tried to blame his master for his failure. Before his master cast out that unprofitable servant, he said, “…you ought therefore to have put my money to the bankers, that at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest” (v.27).
Some brethren seize upon this verse to justify investing the Lord’s money solely for the purpose of earning interest rather than using it in the work of the gospel. Hundreds of thousands of dollars rest comfortably in such accounts. In the meantime, deserving gospel preachers around the world are in need of support. In some churches, efforts to reach the lost in their own community and edify the members are at a virtual standstill and needy Christians are denied assistance because someone has a tight grip on the interest- bearing treasury “purse strings.”
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
It is a misuse and abuse of Matthew 25:27. The Lord’s church and the treasury of the church are not even remotely included in this parable. Check the context: Matt. 24:45-51 is about an evil servant­— an individual. Matt. 25:1-13 is about five wise and five foolish virgins—individuals— waiting for the coming of the bridegroom. Matt. 25:14-30 is about three servants—individuals.”
What was Christ’s message in this parable? Was he really giving financial advice to churches about investment? If that was not his point, then it cannot be our point, and we must not violate the context and expand the intended application for some other purpose. The obvious application concerns personal ability and opportunity given to us by the Lord and our use of that ability and opportunity to its fullness.
To be consistent, those who cite verse 27 as their “proof text” would have to say that the “one talent” servant represents a “one talent church” and the “talent” represents the treasury of that church. Would that mean the other two servants each represent a “five talent church” and a “two talent church”? Would that mean that the masters’ commendation of those two servants would authorize churches to go into business and “trade” to make money for the Master? By the way, by what means will the Master receive the “interest” in those savings accounts when he comes?
Of course, all of this is nonsense! There is no such thing as a “one talent church.” Matt. 25:14-30 is about profitable and unprofitable individuals.
Those who see themselves as caretakers and custodians of a church treasury may say, “It is none of your business what we are doing.” But it is the Lord’s business and it is the Lord’s money. It is right to warn those who stubbornly hoard his money that there will come a time of accounting to the Lord. The continuing context (Matt. 25:31-46) shows that we will stand before the Lord in judgment as individuals.
There must be open transparency on the part of those who are involved in handling the Lord’s money. When he was raising funds (benevolence) for needy Christians, the apostle Paul went to great lengths to assure the Corinthian church that “avoiding this, that any man should blame us in the matter of this bounty which is ministered by us: for we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Cor. 8:16-21).
That being said, the right thing to do is to make a regular financial statement (report) available to all of the members of the church. Why not, if everything is open and “above board”? This is not charging that there is dishonesty or fraud—it is protection against such charges. All of the members have a right to know the full financial status of the church and should insist on knowing, and those handling the money should want them to know.
A few misguided souls take the position that the treasury cannot be used to assist local members who are in need. Such people need to read Acts 4:32-37 about the Jerusalem church. “…For as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need.” Those who have a stranglehold on the treasury may say, “But there are conditions.” No doubt! There must be “need.”
I fear souls may be lost because some are unwilling to spend the Lord’s money to spread the gospel to the lost and erring and because there are those who sit on the Lord’s money as though it belonged to them rather than to Him.
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