A Church Business Meeting

The Bible doesn’t command a church business meeting, but principles there do provide the basis. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 16:2-4: “2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. 4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.” How does that relate to a business meeting?

First, the subject is a collection of money by the church, its revenue. Second, as to how the church at Corinth used that money, Paul says to the whole church in verses 3-4, “whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters” would go with him to provide accountability for the offering.

Two principles surface. One, the church appointed these people, which is a church vote. Two, the accountability of the church related to making sure the collected money was used in the manner authorized. The collection and how the church used it is the purpose of the budget and financial statement.

The New Testament teaches a congregational form of church government in a few different places. It goes back as early as Jesus institution of church discipline (Matt 18:15-17). The church at Corinth disciplined someone from the church, encouraged by Paul in 1 Corinthians 5. He refers back to this in 2 Corinthians 2:6: “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.” “Many” is the word that means “majority,” which suggests a vote. This is church business.