The Focus Of Giving In The Early Church

Jesus spoke extensively about the persecution His followers would face before His death. Everything He foretold regarding the persecution of His disciples came to pass after the birth of the Church.

This widespread persecution left the Christian community impoverished, requiring them to care for vulnerable widows, orphans, the homeless, and the jobless.

As a result, the focus of giving in the early church was not on raising funds through tithes and offerings for outreaches; projects, initiatives, or even to support pastors.

Instead, their primary focus was on pooling resources to meet the immediate needs of the saints within the Christian community.

This focus on sacrificial giving was a response to their prevailing circumstances, not necessarily a model to be emulated in every generation.

When we examine giving in the early church—from the context of Israel to Paul’s missionary journeys, which led to the establishment of Gentile churches—the principle of giving emerges clearly: meeting the needs of others with love and selflessness.

“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need” (Acts 2:44-45).

“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common… Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold” (Acts 4:32-34).

“They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do” (Galatians 2:10).

“Now concerning the money collected for [the relief of] the saints [in Jerusalem], you are to do the same as I directed the churches of Galatia to do” (1 Corinthians 16:1-4).

“For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem” (Romans 15:26).

These examples reflect the early church’s principle of giving: generosity rooted in love and unity. The focus was always on meeting immediate needs, driven by the challenges they faced.

It is crucial to understand that the early church’s practices were shaped by their circumstances and challenges.

Their collective sharing and sacrificial generosity were appropriate responses to persecution, poverty, and the communal structure of the time.

However, these specific practices were not set as a precedent for all churches in every age to follow.

Had the early church relied on tithes and offerings to support their mission, it might have created a misguided precedent for future generations.

GOD’S servant: Peter Collins Obeng

        GRACE COVENANT GLORY