When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. (Acts 18:5)
Paul left Macedonia and passed through the city of Athens on his way to the city of Corinth. This was a coastal trading city which was rich and had abundant resources. While in Corinth Paul was a tentmaker, working with Aquila and Priscilla, who loved the Lord. On the Sabbath, he went to the synagogue to preach the Word of God and exhorted everyone. One of the reasons why Paul preached the gospel only on the Sabbath was that he wanted to earn money making tents so he could supply his own needs. Later, Paul's co-workers Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia to join him and brought funds from the Macedonian church (cf. Phil. 4:15). During this time Paul could concentrate on evangelism every day and didn’t need to make tents.
We know from the Bible that the church which supplied Paul’s needs was the Philippi Church in Macedonia. This church not only supported Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica but also supported him in Corinth. Therefore, while he was preaching the gospel in Corinth and establishing the church, he did not burden them economically (2 Corinthians 11: 9).
Both the Philippi Church and the Corinthian Church were established by Paul. The Corinthian Church was very rich, and the Philippi Church was relatively poor. But Paul, who served in the Corinthian church, was actually supplied by the Philippi church, not the Corinthian church. Why was the Philippian church willing to supply Paul's needs? This was not only because they had a spiritual vision, but also they loved God which was more important, so they also loved God's servants.
The church’s support of its ministers is an old topic, but still a prominent question in the Chinese church. The Chinese church still has difficulty providing the needed support for its ministers. Although this topic is sensitive, it is mentioned again and again.
Because of a lack of resources, some ministers often have to leave the threshing floor of the church and work outside in society. They raise their families while serving God in the church. Some married couples cannot serve together in the church, so one must work so the other one can serve in the church. Some ministers go directly to work in society and no longer serve in the church.
The economic level of today’s society is constantly improving, and most churches do not lack financial resources. However, many churches today still owe their ministers their salary. What they really lack is not money, but the love and knowledge of the truth.
The fact that the Philippian church can have such love is inseparable from their knowledge of the truth. Because they truly understand the truth, they can have true love. Although the Corinthian church has all kinds of spiritual gifts, the pursuit of truth is still inferior to that of the Philippi church, and their love is also inferior.
If our church wants to have true love, they must first strive to understand the truth. As preachers we also have an obligation and responsibility to do our best to teach the truth, to use wisdom and knowledge to guide believers to understand the truth. In this way, they can grow continuously in their spiritual lives.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
使徒行传灵修系列：如何让传道人专心服侍？
西拉和提摩太从马其顿来的时候，保罗为道迫切，向犹太人证明耶稣是基督。（使徒行传18:5）
保罗从马其顿离开，途经雅典城来到哥林多城，这是一座经济发达、物质丰富的沿海贸易城市。保罗起初在这座城市是一边跟着亚居拉和百基拉这对爱主的夫妇制造帐棚，然后只有在每逢安息日的时候去犹太会堂传讲神的道，劝勉众人。保罗之所以只有在安息日的时候传福音，其中很重要的一个原因就是因为他要制造帐棚，要供应自己的所需。后来保罗的同工西拉和提摩太从马其顿来到哥林多城与保罗汇合，带来马其顿教会的资金供应（参 腓4:15）。此时保罗就可以不用分心去工作，每天都可以专心去传福音。
从圣经中可以知道供应保罗宣教的教会是马其顿的腓立比教会，这间教会不仅支持保罗在帖撒罗尼迦的福音事工，也支持他在哥林多城的事工，并且是一直在供应保罗的需要。因此保罗在哥林多城传福音的时候，虽然建立起了教会，但是他也没有给哥林多教会的经济上造成负担（参 林后11:9）。
腓立比教会与哥林多教会都是由保罗所建立的，而且哥林多教会是很富有的，相对而言腓立比教会就显得较为贫穷。但是在哥林多教会服侍的保罗，居然是由腓立比教会供应的，却不是哥林多教会。为什么腓立比教会愿意供应保罗的需要呢？这当中不仅仅是因为腓立比教会有这个属灵的看见，更重要的是因为爱神，所以也有一颗爱神仆人的心。
教会对传道人的供应，这是个老生常谈的话题了，在华人教会中，这个话题尤为突出。因为华人教会在供应传道人方面，仍有亏欠，所以这个话题虽然敏感，但是也时常一再被提起。
因为供应的问题，时常导致有些传道人不得不离开禾场，到社会去打拼，一边养家糊口，一边服侍神；有些传道人夫妇则是不能一起服侍，必须要有一方去工作，用这种方式来维持另一方的服侍；有些传道人则是直接去工作，也不再参与服侍了。
其实现今社会的经济水平都不断的在提高，绝大多数的教会都不会缺乏到哪去。可是现今许多教会依旧在供应上亏欠传道人，他们真正缺乏的并不是金钱，而是缺乏爱心，以及缺乏对真理的认知。
腓立比教会能拥有这样的爱心，其实也离不开他们对真理的认识。因为他们真正的明白真理，才能有真正的爱心。哥林多教会虽然拥有各样属灵的恩赐，但是在真理上的追求仍然不如腓立比教会，自然在爱心方面也不如。
因此我们现今的教会若是要拥有真正的爱心，首先必须要努力认识真理，这样才能生发真正的爱心。所以作为传道人也有义务与责任要去尽力教导真理，用诸般智慧与知识引导信徒认识真理，让他们的属灵生命也得以不断成长。
（注：本文作者为福建一基层教会全职同工）
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. (Acts 18:5)
Paul left Macedonia and passed through the city of Athens on his way to the city of Corinth. This was a coastal trading city which was rich and had abundant resources. While in Corinth Paul was a tentmaker, working with Aquila and Priscilla, who loved the Lord. On the Sabbath, he went to the synagogue to preach the Word of God and exhorted everyone. One of the reasons why Paul preached the gospel only on the Sabbath was that he wanted to earn money making tents so he could supply his own needs. Later, Paul's co-workers Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia to join him and brought funds from the Macedonian church (cf. Phil. 4:15). During this time Paul could concentrate on evangelism every day and didn’t need to make tents.
We know from the Bible that the church which supplied Paul’s needs was the Philippi Church in Macedonia. This church not only supported Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica but also supported him in Corinth. Therefore, while he was preaching the gospel in Corinth and establishing the church, he did not burden them economically (2 Corinthians 11: 9).
Both the Philippi Church and the Corinthian Church were established by Paul. The Corinthian Church was very rich, and the Philippi Church was relatively poor. But Paul, who served in the Corinthian church, was actually supplied by the Philippi church, not the Corinthian church. Why was the Philippian church willing to supply Paul's needs? This was not only because they had a spiritual vision, but also they loved God which was more important, so they also loved God's servants.
The church’s support of its ministers is an old topic, but still a prominent question in the Chinese church. The Chinese church still has difficulty providing the needed support for its ministers. Although this topic is sensitive, it is mentioned again and again.
Because of a lack of resources, some ministers often have to leave the threshing floor of the church and work outside in society. They raise their families while serving God in the church. Some married couples cannot serve together in the church, so one must work so the other one can serve in the church. Some ministers go directly to work in society and no longer serve in the church.
The economic level of today’s society is constantly improving, and most churches do not lack financial resources. However, many churches today still owe their ministers their salary. What they really lack is not money, but the love and knowledge of the truth.
The fact that the Philippian church can have such love is inseparable from their knowledge of the truth. Because they truly understand the truth, they can have true love. Although the Corinthian church has all kinds of spiritual gifts, the pursuit of truth is still inferior to that of the Philippi church, and their love is also inferior.
If our church wants to have true love, they must first strive to understand the truth. As preachers we also have an obligation and responsibility to do our best to teach the truth, to use wisdom and knowledge to guide believers to understand the truth. In this way, they can grow continuously in their spiritual lives.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
Devotional Series from Acts: How Can Ministers Focus on Serving?
