GoD's WorK - God's Puzzle Solved

116 God’s Workmanufactured tents. So he supported himself, and refused to acceptany help from the church. However, when Paul was in prison,he did accept assistance and was thankful for the church’s help.Since the laborer is worthy of his hire (Luke 10:7), Paul would acceptchurch funds, but only when he was in need. Notice anotherfact. Never was ministerial help requested from a headquarterschurch. This is because a “local church” kept “church funds”locally by their Deacons. A central church that collected moneyand/or disbursed money did not exist.In short, preaching ministers knew better than to corrupt themselveswith filthy lucre. I Timothy 5:1 defines an “elder” as “beingan older man or father.” The younger men are as brethren.So an “elder” is a senior or older man in the church. A youngman cannot be ordained as an Elder. This is confirmed by theword “presbyteros,” which in the Greek language means “an olderman.”Therefore, the older men were responsible for caring financiallyfor their households as overseer (“episkope”). If they did not perform,they were infidels (I Timothy 5:8). Overall, the individualneedy church members are financially supported by their ownfamily heads, The Firstborn Elders. This was “God’s WelfareSystem.” The subject of widows comes under another category.Since they had no husband and no inheritance, they could receivechurch help - if the widow had “a need” (I Timothy 5:3).There were two kinds of widows. If a widow had a family with anolder head, then the family had to be financially responsible. Theyounger widows were expected to marry again and not be a churchburden (I Timothy 5:14). The older widows (over sixty) with nofamily in the church to help them, would be helped by the church