Cross-Economic Giving (1)
This article by Richard Smit examines the theological and practical principles governing financial assistance between churches in economically disparate contexts. The author argues that while churches have a duty of mercy toward needy saints in other nations, they must balance this with prudence regarding their own missionary work, the health of foreign churches, and inter-church relationships, grounding his analysis in biblical principles about giving and God's providential ordering of economic differences.
Christ is pleased to gather His eternally chosen church by His Word and Spirit from all the nations of the earth. The same good pleasure of God has also determined that the nations from which the church is gathered are not identical, but very different in many respects, including wealth. This difference, which God has established and governs by His providence, is one with which the church must reckon, also in regard to the giving of financial assistance in cross-economic situations. In fact,...
Full article available on sb.rfpa.org