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The Autonomy of the Local Church
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The term "autonomy of the local church" refers to a method of determining the rule of church activities. The Church is suppose to be “autonomous” which the literal definition of the word is self-governing; independent; subject to its own laws only. It means that each local church, among other things, selects its pastoral leadership, determines its worship form, decides financial matters and directs other church-related affairs, which also means the Church does not answer to organization or higher up than them, such as the Pope. Now, the church is not completely autonomous because it answers to Jesus Christ, because Christ is the Head of the Church.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
So the question you have to ask yourself is “what do you see from the Bible about how the Church is supposed to be ran.”
“Does it give examples or give anything that the Church is supposed to be run by a denominational board, conventions, etc?”
As we study the Bible to determine the nature of the church's organization, we will find the following reoccurring theme that is at the heart of this matter: Organization of the church begins and ends with the local church, and it should be entirely autonomous of all other organizations, including other local churches.
When we read through the pages of the Bible in search of passages about the church and its relation to other organizations, we find no instance of the church answering to any other congregation or organization. There is no reference to any kind of committees, boards, or conventions - not one. Moreover, these type of organizations and structures become specifically excluded by the distinct organizational structure that we find in the Bible:
"The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock" (I Peter 5:1-3)
"So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed." (Acts 14:23).
The elders, who are to “see over” the church ( represented as the flock) are appointed per congregation. They were not appointed to a city, or a district, or denominational board, or convention. As you see in verse 2, of 1 Peter 5, they were to shepherd the flock of God which is among them. So the elders were to oversee the local church that was appointed by them. The “appointing” I am talking about was from God, through the Apostles, not from a committee or convention.
Now, what is the Biblical support for local church autonomy? There are at least five Biblical expressions of autonomy:
1. The local church has both the authority and the ability to solve the problems of its own members.
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
2. Like I said earlier, The local church has the authority and responsibility to appoint its own leadership. This involves at least pastors and deacons.
And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
3. The local church has the authority and responsibility to commission and to send out missionaries, choosing those whom it desires to support.
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
4. The local church has the authority and obligation to regulate its own membership. Someone has said, “[A]n autonomous local church determines the extent of its own membership by both admitting and dismissing individuals.”
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—in order not to say too much—to all of you.
Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority,
so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
5. The local church is responsible to give an account to God and may do as it sees fit so long as it does not violate Scripture. (Rev 2 and 3.)
So, the local church has the authority and the responsibility to handle everything that goes on there local church.
The Churches Autonomy from the Government.
Now, I think this works well into the topic, the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution says that congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibit the freedom that people have to exercise their religion. Being autonomous, the local church recognizes no governmental control over faith and religious practice. Although local churches obey the laws of governments related to certain matters, they refuse to recognize the authority of governments in matters of doctrine, polity and ministry .
They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
Baptists have consistently rejected the efforts of any secular government entity to dictate to a church what to believe, how to worship or who should or should not be members.Baptists also have rejected the practice of some denominations for denominational authorities to hand down to local congregations what to believe and how to worship. Baptists have insisted that there is no human authority over a local church. Only Jesus is Lord of a church.
Universal or Local?
Now Catholics and Protestants speak of “the Church,” as a denomination or universal or invisible body.Catholics believe that the Church (community of Christians) exists both on earth and in heaven simultaneously, and thus the Virgin Mary and the Saints are alive and part of the living Church. Baptist speak of New Testament churches, a local assembly of born again baptized believers called out to do the Lord’s work and that each Church is in itself, is self-governing and answerable directly to Christ Himself, who alone is the Head of the Church.
The Definition of New Testament Church
Many use the phrase “the Church” to refer to her as a “universal, invisible body” that consist of all saints of all time. But Baptist believe that each local Church is fully Christ’s New Testament Church. In the New Testament, “church” always refers to people, redeemed people, baptized people, voluntarily associated for the worship and the service of God. And when you turn to the New Testament you find local, organized, visible, independent, complete assemblies. As stated earlier, in the New Testament you do not find a hierarchy, committee, convention,or denomination board. But what you find are local churches with there own strengths, their own struggles, and each one of those churches have their own elders and their business was between them and God, with no outside interference.
The Derivation of the New Testament Church
There are those that say the Church began with The Old Testament saints. There are those that believe the Church began on the Day of Pentecost. However, that is another great assumption that is made, because if the Church started at the Day of Pentecost the disciples would not know what the Lord was talking about when He said, He would build his Church in:
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Therefore we, as baptist, concur that “the Church” was founded by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. Also, if the Church had her beginning at the Day of Pentecost, the church would not have a commission.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Believers were given the command spread the Gospel in the Book of Acts, but it was before the Day of Pentecost. So, if the Church had started at the Day of Pentecost, the commission of spreading the Gospel would not have been for the church. Therefore, we conclude, that the Church which was started by our Lord,built on the Apostles and the Prophets and has been entrusted with carrying out the great commission, had her inception with the Life and Ministry of our Lord.
The Designation of the New Testament Church
Now, lets look at the Greek word “Εκκλησία” which is translated as “church.” It comes from a compound word “ek” which means “out of” and “klesis” which speaks about “a calling”. Which carries the idea of “being called out.” It is translated four different ways in the New Testament: “Church” 108 times , “Assembly” 3 times, “Congregation” 2 times, “in every church” 1 time. But Baptist distinguish this in a further way; “Εκκλησία” is defined as “ an assembly of born again, baptized believers called out to do the Lord’s work.” You have to be born again and then be baptized and then you were added to the local church.
But like I said there are those, Catholic and Protestant alike, that like to refer to what is called “The Universal Church.” But a universal church just doesn’t add up with scripture.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Now, we see here that the Church added about 3,000 souls to the Church role. But how would they be able to know that if the Church was universal? They couldn’t. The early church was able to count the number of people that were added to the Church because it was a local church of a local congregation with a local membership. Also, when the writers of the New Testament addressed a book of the Bible, they addressed it to a local church, not a universal body of all churches.
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),
and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:
So, from this we conclude that the New Testament teaches a local church, local bodies and each one of those bodies make up the body of Christ. There is one flock, but many folds. Because by its very definition of the greek word “Εκκλησία,” which is church, there can be no church if there is no assembly. In the New Testament over 100 uses of this word are specific references, in each case this word is used as a specific, tangible assembly.
Credit for Usage
~Pastor Michael Huffman
~ In search of truth.org
~ free sunday school lessons.org
~ baptist distinctives.org
~ baptist distinctive class notes