Liberating Planet Earth

The Liberation of th Church 95
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if
anyone will not work, neither shall he eat (2 Thessalonizuis 3:10).
To reduce the financial risks to church members, the deacons
should see to it that every member buys basic insurance policies to
protect his family, if such policies are available. Insurance is one
of the greatest inventions of the modern world. It allows people to
share risks in an economical fashion. Life insurance and accident
insurance are very important. If necessary, the church can pay ltie
insurance premiums, and name itself as the trustee beneficiary of
life insurance policies, so that widows and children can be assured
care if the husbands die. But husbands should be encouraged to
buy annual renewable term life insurance: no savings program,
just a simple “I die, and the company pays” kind of policy.
Authority in the Church
As we have already seen, the fundamental kind of human government
is se~-government. No institutional government can
afford to police its members day and night. Thus, the goal of
preaching should be to increase the self-government of the members.
They must be taught to recognize which Biblical principle
applies in each historical situation.
Self-government is to be invoked each time the church offers
the Lord’s Supper. “But let a man examine himself, and so let him
eat of that bread and drink of that cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28). This
involves self-examination and confession of sins before God. By
having frequent communion meals, the church encourages selfgovernment
among members. This is a strong argument for having
weekly communion. But church officers should be warned in
advance: introducing weekly communion to a God-fearing church
will often. create major problems, including rebellion and church
splits. There are wolves in sheep’s clothing in every church, especially
churches that have not had a continuing program of discipline
through excommunication. The evil-doers in the congregation
will feel the pressure of weekly communion. They will surface,
and they usually like to drag other members into controversies
against the church’s oficers. Be prepared for this. That is