Understanding who the Church should support

(1 Timothy 5:9-16 – Understanding who the Church should support)

Two thousand years ago when these scriptures were written, it was a very different world to today. The role of the church was different in a number of ways, and these scriptures highlight some of those differences.

But even so, there are principles contained in these verses that can apply equally well to the church today as they relate to understanding who the Church should support.

In addition there are teachings in these words that we can still learn much from. They relate to how people behave and what correct behaviour should look like.

Understanding who the church should support

Most of these words speak about widows and understanding who the church should support.

Two thousand years ago it was typical that the man of the house was the bread winner and the women of the house were supported by the men.

Before a woman was married she was supported by her father. After she was married she was supported by her husband.

But if her husband died and she was widowed, then it became unclear who would support her.

There was no government support. There were no widow’s pensions or bereavement allowances. And even today there are some parts of the world where these things have not changed.

However, in Western countries, the government has taken over these responsibilities. But in days of old, the widow had a tough time and it was often the church who provided support for widows.

Who did the church support?

We see from the scriptures that the rules Paul specified in this section, were to provide guidance. The rules provided information so the church would gain understanding of who the Church should support. This is what the scriptures tell us:

9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband; 10 and she must be well attested for her good deeds, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way. 11 But refuse to enrol younger widows; for when they grow wanton against Christ they desire to marry, 12 and so they incur condemnation for having violated their first pledge. 13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, gadding about from house to house, and not only idlers but gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. 14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, rule their households, and give the enemy no occasion to revile us. 15 For some have already strayed after Satan. 16 If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her assist them; let the church not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are real widows. (1 Timothy 5:9-16)

Basically, Paul instructed that any widow who had family should be supported by their family. Any widow who was young enough to marry should marry and be supported by her new husband. And only older widows over sixty years of age should be enrolled and supported by the church.

This made it simple for the early church. But as stated, these conditions do not exist today, at least in most of the Western world.

Principles we can use for understanding who the Church should support today

There are some principles in these words that help us to understand who the church should support today. The church may not have to financially support widows as they did two thousand years ago, but there are other forms of support that the church offers today.

The church offers emotional and spiritual support to people today. They offer encouragement and help to those who need it.

But often all of these needs fall upon the pastors and preachers in the church. And to be honest, that is not right nor fair to these people.

The whole church needs to support those who need support. Spiritual and emotional support does not have to rest with just the pastor or preacher in the church. Everyone in the church can support those who are in spiritual or emotional needs.

One of the problems I have seen in recent years is the pressure that has been put on pastors and those in leadership roles. Pastors, preachers, and chaplains are suffering breakdowns because they just cannot cope with the stresses that they are being forced to bear.

But in the early church when the workload grew, they simply appointed more people to help. This was how the “Seven” were appointed when the Apostles could not effectively do all the work required in the service of the church.

1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Proch’orus, and Nica’nor, and Ti’mon, and Par’menas, and Nicola’us, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. (Acts 6:1-6)

In the same way, the body of the church needs to step up to assist with ALL of the matters that affect the church. God gave gifts to the church that some should be pastors, teachers, evangelists, apostles, and prophets. The pastor is not always the best person to provide support for some issues and those with these other gifts should pick up the slack.

When it comes to understanding who the church should support today, sometimes it is the pastor who needs the support. If we are to ensure these people do not crack under pressure and suffer breakdowns, then we, the rest of the church, need to help support them and the rest of our church family when and where we can.

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