“…work with your own hands, as we commanded you,  that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.”

• We are to work so that we lack nothing.
• I’m working hard, but I do lack some things.  What do I do?

“He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”

• Start giving to those in need and your needs will be meet.
• Are there those in need that we are not to give to?

“If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”

• We are not to give to someone who refuses to work to meet his own needs.

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

• We are to work to provide for our immediate and extended family.
• For those who work within the family without pay.
• For those who are unable to work for their living.

So, why are we to work?

• We are to work to meet our own needs.
• And those of our families.
• And to give to others to meet their needs.

By sowing we reap.

• And move from having some of our needs met.
• To having all of our needs met.
• And from having all our needs met to having an abundance.
• There is more to finances than just this basic truth.
• But this is basic truth.

We are to work to give to those who are working hard to give to us.

• This is good.
• This is right.
• This is commanded.

Jesus to the Twelve when He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God: 

• “Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.”

Paul to the Corinthians.  A list of really good questions:  

• “Do we have no right to eat and drink?
• Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
• Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?
• Who ever goes to war at his own expense?
• Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit?
• Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?
• Do I say these things as a mere man?
• Or does not the law say the same also?
• For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.”
• Is it oxen God is concerned about?
• Or does He say it altogether for our sakes?
• For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
• If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?
• If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?
• Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
• Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?
• Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.”

Paul made a choice.

• Paul chose to not exercise his right to be supported by the Corinthian church.
• He did this out of love for them.
• So that the false apostles who wanted their money would be shown to be false.
• So he worked for a living so that he could give them the gospel for free.

This is what we have been doing for you.

• Jane does not ask for donations for herself.
• She has been working full time for the Ecclesia for years.
• She doesn’t accept donations when they are offered.
• She refers people who want to give to me, Bill Brady.
• I refer them to one of our facilitators who is in need.

We refuse to charge for what we do.

• We believe that it would be wrong trading if we did.

Sometimes we have asked for a suggested donation.

• We did at the beginning of Tree of Life Group.
• We have done less and less of this over time.

I didn’t feel comfortable asking for a donation. 

• Because we were just beginning.
• And the value of what we were doing wasn’t yet evident.
• And because as a father my heart is to give.

But I see clearly now that we are not asking you to support fathers.

• We are asking you to support fathers who are working for you.
• Fathers who are working for you are worthy of double honor.
• Double honor = Honor as a father + And honor as a worker.
• We are to honor a worker by supporting them.

^‘Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.  For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”’ 

• An elder is to be honored because they are an elder.
• Those who are ruling well are to receive additional honor.
• Those who were laboring in the word and doctrine are to receive double honor.
• In our terms laboring in the word and doctrine is revealing truth from the word.
• Or from encounter.
• We do this by facilitating encounters, dialog and chats.

We all give time freely to the Ecclesia.

• Fathers who begin working on behalf of the Ecclesia will begin to give a lot of time.
• Soon this will make it difficult to also make a living by working a full-time job.
• Then they need our support to make up the difference.
• Unless they already have a way to support themselves that doesn’t take much time.

These fathers are worthy of our support.

• Your support frees them to move into fathering.
• This is their heart’s desire.

You need to support them as much as they need to be supported.

• “It is more blessed to give than it is to receive.”
• We all need to be blessed.
• And we all need what fathers give us.

Give where your heart is.

• Many of us were, or still are, aggressive givers in the old wineskin.
• Jesus said that we put our money where our heart is.
• Where is your heart?
• Is it in the old wineskin or is it in the new wineskin?
• If it’s in the new wineskin then give to the new wineskin.

We don’t accept donations to One United Body.

• We believe in giving directly to individuals.
• Who are moving into fathering by facilitating.

See this page on how to give to those who are facilitating.  

List of facilitating fathers