--------------------
The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
--------------------
December 27, 2009
--------------------
Contents:
1) The Organization of the Church (Earl Kimbrough)
2) News & Notes
---------------------
-1-
The Organization of the Church
by Earl Kimbrough
The Lord designed the church according to his own will and
circumscribed it with certain distinguishing marks which are clearly
set forth in the Scriptures. No one of these essential features
of the church is more important than any other. "All things" must be
"according to the pattern" (Heb. 8:1-5; 1 Pet. 4:11). But history shows
that no part of the divine plan for the church has been abused with
greater destructive consequences to the whole than what is generally
called the organization of the church. This was the initial error that
paved the road to Papal Rome and the most significant failure of the
Protestant Reformation. It was also the opening wedge that divided the
churches of the Restoration movement and led the larger portion of them
into denominationalism. The Lord's design for the organization of his
church, therefore, must remain a major concern of those who desire to
"speak where the Bible speaks" and to "be silent where the Bible is
silent."
The Scope of Church Organization
The organization of the church cannot be understood without recognizing
that the word "church" is used in two different senses in the
Scriptures. The universal church is the spiritual body of Christ
composed of all the redeemed souls over whom Christ reigns as head
(Eph. 5:23-27; 1:22-23). However, the universal church has no
organization on earth. Each member of the body is united with Christ,
but this union is affected and maintained by individual submission to
his will. The apostles were set in the church as special
representatives of Christ with authority to make known the Lord's will
for the present age, but their concurrent reign with Christ is through
the New Testament (Matt. 19:28; 2 Tim. 3:17-18). A careful search of
the Scriptures reveals no trace of any earthly head or hierarchy over
the church. Neither is there evidence of any organization within the
body of Christ on a national or regional basis.
However, the New Testament does show the organization of Christians on
a very limited and clearly defined level to carry out certain
collective responsibilities. This is the local church made up of the
disciples at a particular place who meet, work and worship together
according to the will of Christ. This use of the word "church" pertains
to separate local congregations, such as, "the church that was at
Antioch" and "the church of the Thessalonians" (Acts 13:1; 1 Thes.
1:1). The independence and autonomy of the local church is exemplified
in the New Testament. Each congregation had its own local membership.
For instance, "the church of God which is at Corinth" consisted only of
the saints in that city (1 Cor. 1:2). Each congregation maintained
control of its local fellowship. It received faithful brethren into its
number, retained spiritual oversight of its members (through its
elders), and expelled those who refused to walk uprightly according to
the truth (Acts 9:26-28; 11:26; 1 Cor. 5:13; Rev. 2:14-16). Each
congregation also performed its own divinely assigned mission.
The Divine Order in the Local Church
"All things" pertaining to the church were subject to Christ (Eph.
1:22-23). This, naturally, embraces everything that concerns the local
church, as well as everything that concerns the universal church. The
apostles' teaching was bound on all congregations equally. Paul
reminded the Corinthians of his ways in Christ which, as an apostle, he
taught "everywhere in every church" (1 Cor. 4:17). His instructions to
one church were ordained "in all the churches" (1 Cor. 7:17; cf.
14:31-34). Thus, there was uniformity in all the churches. The
apostolic order established in one congregation is necessarily the
order established in all others. This was not only true in the first
century, it is also true now, for what the apostles bound on the church
then is still bound (Matt. 18:18).
The organization the Lord designed for the local church is very simple.
Each congregation is self-governed under the spiritual care of men
divinely chosen to oversee its membership. These men are known as
"elders" or "presbyters" (Acts 20:17; 1 Tim. 4:14). The word indicates
that those to whom the Holy Spirit applies it are mature Christians,
experienced in the faith. But other descriptive terms are also used to
designate the elders of a local church. They are called "bishops" or
"overseers" to show the nature of their work (Acts 20:28; Titus 1:5-7).
They are also called "pastors" or "shepherds" indicating the manner of
their oversight (Eph. 4:11). Their service as shepherds is
further seen in the pastoral word rendered "tend" or "feed" -- "tend
the flock of God" (1 Peter 5:2). It means "to act as a shepherd" (W.E.
Vine).
Soon after Barnabas and Paul established the churches of south-central
Asia Minor, they "ordained (appointed for) them elders in every church"
(Acts 14:23). Four important facts are stated or implied in this
action. (1) Each church had its own elders. (2) The elders of each
church were plural in number. (3) The elders within each church were
equal in authority. (4) The eldership of each church was independent of
and on an equality with the elders of all other churches. These facts
are in harmony with and are underscored by all else the Scriptures
teach concerning elders. No congregation that respects these facts will
have any problem in regard to the organization of the church, provided
the men chosen to serve as elders are qualified for the work.
Elders who function as the Lord intends will be on guard for the
spiritual welfare of the flock over which they have responsibility
(Acts 20:28). They will "take care of the church of God" (1 Tim. 3:5).
They will "rule well" and "keep watch over" the souls entrusted to them
(1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:17). They will uphold and defend the word of God,
keeping the church in the way of truth and protecting it from false
teaching (Titus 1:9; Acts 20:29-31). Moreover, they will perform their
duties without "lording it over" those allotted to them, but will prove
to be "examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:2-3). The qualifications for
elders make it certain that those who serve as shepherds of the Lord's
people are willing and able to do the work to which they are appointed
(Cf. 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).
The elders' oversight begins and ends with the local church. It is
limited to the members, work and resources of the congregation in which
they serve. The Ephesian elders were shepherds of the flock of
God at Ephesus, but they had no responsibility over the flock at
Smyrna, nor any other church in Asia or the world (Acts 20:28). Peter's
exhortation to elders also limits their oversight to "the flock of God
among you" (1 Peter 5:1-4). What more could be said to more clearly
ascribe the bounds of elders' authority?
In addition to elders, the Lord provides for deacons in the local
church to assist the elders. Paul's letter to the Philippians shows
that deacons were an established order in the congregation with the
elders. It is addressed to all the saints at Philippi "with
(including) the bishops and deacons" (Phil. 1:1). Evangelists in
the church are charged with preaching and teaching the word of God (2
Tim. 4:1-5; Acts 8:5; 11:26; 20:20; 21:8). But evangelists are not in
charge of the church. Like deacons, teachers and other members of the
congregation, they serve under the oversight of the elders.
The Sufficiency of the Lord's Plan
The congregational organization the Lord gave for his church is fully
sufficient for all governmental details of its work. This sufficiency
is obvious from the fact that the organization is exclusive (Cf. 2
Peter 1:3). If more were needed, more would have been given. No other
order can exist by apostolic authority. Nothing else is "according to
the pattern." Nothing more may be set up "in the name of Christ"
(Col. 3:17). Anything added to the Lord's plan for congregational
independence carries us beyond the teaching of Christ and into that
realm where there is no fellowship with God (2 John 9-10).
The Lord's exclusive plan necessarily eliminates any means for the
function of the universal church, whether by a confederation of
churches or an intermediate agency to act for the churches. The Lord's
church needs no outside organizations or inter-congregational
arrangements through which to work in evangelism, edification,
benevolence, discipline, or anything else that concerns its mission.
Conscientious elders who understand Paul's instructions to their
Ephesian counterparts in Acts 20 will not delegate any part of their
work to any other elders or institution on earth.
The first century churches operated only in their separate
congregational capacity. The local church "sounded forth" the word of
the Lord in its own and adjacent regions (1 Thes. 1:8). It supported
preachers at home and abroad, sending directly to their need (1 Cor.
9:14; Acts 11:22; Phil. 4:15- 16). It provided relief for its indigent
members and when sister churches were destitute it sent directly to
their necessity (Acts 4:32-35; 11:27-30). It was also fully sufficient
in edification (Acts 20:28). Nothing -- no board, ecclesiastical order,
or intermediate eldership -- stood between the church and its work.
None was needed; none was allowed.
The Danger of Disregarding the Lord's Plan
More than a century ago, David Lipscomb wrote, "We sincerely and
earnestly believe all organized bodies for religious purposes outside
of, within, above or below the congregations of the Lord are sinful and
treasonable" (Gospel Advocate, Jan. 18, 1870, pp. 27-28).
Sin is the violation of God's law; and treason,
specifically, is a betrayal of trust or a breach of faith.
Disregard for the independence and autonomy of the local church,
whether by overt institutionalism or weakly camouflaged under a
"sponsoring church," violates God's law and is a breach of faith. This
is exactly what institutionalists are guilty of and Lipscomb used
well-chosen words when he labeled their practice "sinful and
treasonable."
There is other danger also inherent in institutionalism. Once brethren
overstep the bounds of divine authority to work through organizations
outside their own congregation, they open the floodgate to further
apostasy. It is only a matter of time until such churches lose their
New Testament distinctiveness and blend smoothly into the
denominational landscape. Those who try to justify institutionalism
will pervert the word of God to achieve their purpose. This is seen in
the futile attempt to find a missionary society in the Great
Commission, a "sponsoring church" in Acts 11:27-30, and a benevolent
board in James 1:27. Another real, though less apparent, danger is
found in the difficulty men have in ever returning to the simplicity of
the apostolic order once they have tasted the intoxicating power and
glory of institutionalism.
"Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in
Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons" (Phil.
1:1). This is the only organization the Lord gave for his church. Each
congregation is an independent body with its own elders, deacons and
other members. Each does its own work under its own elders. There are
five good reasons why this plan should be explicitly followed by every
church of Christ on earth. (1) It is authorized by Christ. (2) It is
simple and practical. (3) It is all-sufficient for what is needed by
way of organization. (4) It is a strong force in holding the
disciples of Christ to the right course in all matters of teaching,
faith and practice. (5) Disregarding it will end in spiritual ruin. As
the lamented James M. Pickens expressed it so long ago, "If the door is
set ajar for innovations, how shall we determine where it shall stand
or that it should not stand wide open, and that continually?" (The
Christian Monthly, Aug., 1870, p. 233.)
-- Via Searching the Scriptures, August 1978, Volume 19, Number 8
---------------------
-2-
News & Notes
Clay Leggit (Donna Gail St. Clair's uncle) will be having surgery this
coming Thursday for pancreatic cancer. Let those of us who are
Christians be remembering him in prayer.
---------------------
The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can
be
lost
(Heb.
10:36-39;
Rev.
2:10;
2 Pet.
2:20-22).
--------------------
CHURCH OF CHRIST
201 Rushing Road (at the Hampton Inn), Denham Springs, Louisiana
70726
Sunday services: 9:15 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 4 PM (worship)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
tedwards1109@gmail.com
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go
Directions:
Take the Denham Springs exit (exit 10) off of I-12. At the end of
the exit ramp, turn north. Go about a stone's throw to Rushing
Road. (You'll see a Starbucks, Circle K, and two other gas
stations; with each on each corner.) Turn left on Rushing Road,
and go less then 0.3 of a mile. Hampton Inn will be on the
right. We assemble in its meeting room, which is very close to
the reception counter.
--------------------