Church Authority in Missions

Philadelphia Baptist Church

4/22/2007 Sun.  p.m.

Church Authority in Missions

Acts 13:1-5; 42, 46-49

Introduction:

Luke, the only non-Jewish author of a New Testament book (Dr. Luke was a Gentile,) takes us on a missionary journey to the Gentiles. We must emphasize that these journeys, these missionary journeys were endorsed and authorized by a Local New Testament Church.

Truly the Gospel of Jesus Christ knows no social or cultural barriers (Romans 1:16). We also aggree that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be preached to every creature (Mark 16:15).

The Local Independent Baptist Churches are the only Divinely authorized agents for doing mission work in the world today.

Many people believe that mission societies or mission boards and Para-Church organizations have just as much authority to do mission work as do local New Testament Churches, but Christ gave the Great Commission to His Church—not any other organization!

Many believe that these different groups can do a better job that the Local New Testament Church, but that is just not so.

I. The Importance of the Church (Acts 13:1)

1. New Testament Churches looked down upon.

We live in a time when local New Testament Churches are looked down upon by many in the religious world. With so much emphasis on the so-called “universal Church,” the importance of true local independent Baptist Churches have been ignored.

   Evangelical associations and “ministries” are the going thing nowadays. If a person does not have a “ministry,” you are considered some kind of “odd duck.”

   There is so much “religious fraud” going on in this world today. 2 Peter 2:1-3

1. Church Under Persecution.

When the Church in Jerusalem came under attack or persecution, many of the members went underground for safety. As they went out, they went preaching the Word. New Churches were then established in other cities. One of the most prominent was the Church at Antioch in Syria (Acts 11:19-21).

When the Church at Jerusalem (sponsoring Church) heard about the activities in Antioch, they sent Barnabas to check it out! (Acts 11:22-24). He was so excited about what he found out, that he went to Tarsus to get Saul to help him in the work at Antioch (Acts 11:25). It was there at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).

1. Prophets from Antioch

There were in the Church at Antioch prophets who came up from Jerusalem (Acts 11:17). They warned of a famine which prompted a relief effort in behalf of the saints in Jerusalem (Acts 11:28-30).

Acts 13:1 names 5 prophets and teachers who were in the Church at Antioch. They were: Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen and Saul.

God used the Church at Antioch; a Local New Testament Church to do missionary work in Asia Minor.

II. The Authority of the Church (Acts 13:2-5 )

1. Missionary Outreach

When the Lord was ready for a missionary outreach into Asia Minor, He called upon one of His Local New Testament Churches to do the work. Acts 13:2 tells us that as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost instructed them in what to do.

He said, “separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” The example we find in these verses provides a pattern for all Scriptural mission work.

(1). The Lord provided direction through the Holy Spirit. Any mission work that ignores the leadership of the Holy Spirit is doomed from the start. No one should try a mission effort without first getting clear direction from the Holy Spirit.

(2). The Lord used the Church at Antioch to endorse and oversee the mission work to which He had called Barnabas and Saul. Verse 3 says, “When they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”

Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the authority of the Church at Antioch, and were answerable to the Church at Antioch. Acts 14:27 tells that they came back and reported to the Church.

The Lord still does mission work through His Local Independent Baptist Churches today!

1. New Testament Church only authorized Agency.

When the Lord gave His Great Commission, He gave it to His Church which He had established during His personal ministry (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-48). He did not give it to individuals, but to His Church!

1. Authority is in the Church.

The Church has the authority to proclaim the Gospel message. The Church has the authority to Baptize believers. The Church has the authority to administer the Lord’s Supper. The Church has the authority to do the Kingdom work on this world today. Local state and national associations do not have it. (Matthew 16:18, 19).

III. The Message of the Church (Acts 13:42, 46-49)

1. Get the Message out!

The reason for doing mission work is to get the message out! That’s exactly what Barnabas and Saul were going to do. They were not interested in making a name for themselves, or about accumulating the goods of this world, they were interested in spreading the good news of the Gospel.

1. Preached at Cyprus.

The missionary team went to Cyprus and preached the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. John Mark was with them as their assistant.

They ran into a man named Bar-Jesus, a sorcerer who tried to keep them from preaching to the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus. Paul struck him with blindness. The deputy was so astonished at what had happened and at the doctrine of the Lord and believed (Acts 13:12).

1. Preached at Perga.

At Perga John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13).  They went to Antioch in Pisidia and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.

Paul was given an opportunity to speak and he preached the Gospel. The Gentiles heard the Gospel and wanted him to preach again the next Sabbath Day (Acts 13:42).

Almost the whole city came to hear the Word of God preached! But the Jews were filled with envy and spoke against the things which Paul had preached. Since the Jews rejected the Word of God, they turned to the Gentiles. They were glad! Acts 13:46-48

The end result was that the Word of the Lord was published throughout the region Acts 13:49.

Some through the years have the mistaken idea that mission work that is done through a local New testament Church is ineffective and inefficient, but the Lord knew what he was doing when He commissioned His Church to go into all the World!

The mission work done in these passages was done through Local New Testament Churches!

Any type of ecclesiastical hierarchy which usurps the authority of the Lord’s Church is UNSCRIPTURAL! Local Independent Baptist Churches associate together and assist one another with prayerful and financial support, but we must never create something that would usurp the authority of the Local Church!