Autonomous, but Interdependent In this brief paper I would like to tackle the subject of the autonomy of the local church and its relationship to other churches and denominations. Within the Baptist tradition, this is an issue that continues to raise emotions on all sides. My passion for the gospel and my deep desire as the servant leader of Converge Great Lakes to see our 118 congregations work together for the joint mission of reaching people for Christ locally, regionally and globally motivates me to write this short commentary on this subject. Historically, the Baptistic movement has stressed the autonomy of the local church, and rightly so. But, at times, we have neglected the importance of working together as 118 interdependent entities who can accomplish far more together than we ever could apart. Many years ago, I heard a speaker say something that literally changed my life. It was a simple but profound phrase: Truth out of balance leads to error. Since hearing that statement approximately 35 years ago, I have sought to be a person in balance. By God s grace, I seek not to overreact to situations. I apply this same principle to the process of exegesis, making sure that I always study a text within its biblical context. As a former professor in the Pastoral Studies Department at Moody Bible Institute, I told my homiletics students, If you ever preach a text without preaching the context, be careful lest you preach pretext. As a pastor, professor and denominational leader, I seek to have all the facts before I respond to a situation. This is particularly important when it comes to developing a theological construct. One must be careful and prayerful in approaching God s holy word, so that the theological suppositions that we glean from the holy text are as balanced and true to the original author s intent as possible. As we look at the autonomy of the local church and its relationship to other churches, particularly within our family of churches, allow me to suggest a few presuppositions, or as author William Klein would say, pre-undestandings. 1 I come to this topic through the lens of a denominational regional executive. What does that mean? I love the church, and I believe that the local church is God s primary tool to reach this world. I believe that local churches can do more together in reaching our world when we choose to partner together around mission. 1 William Klein et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, Thomas Nelson, 2004, p. 99.
Autonomous, but Interdependent Converge Great Lakes Dr. Dwight Perry 2 of 7 Because of my understanding of scripture, I also believe strongly in the autonomy of the church, that is, the privilege that each local church has to be self governing in its own internal affairs. I believe we need to be careful in interpreting scripture to make sure we are interpreting scripture in its proper context, seeking to understand the original author s intent to his audience. With these important presuppositions on the table, let s begin to address the question of the autonomy of the local church and its relationship to other churches and including and especially within a denominational network like ours in Converge Great Lakes. I believe there are five biblical principles that guide this discussion Principle #1: Christ is the head of the church. In Matthew 16:13, Jesus turned to his disciples and asked them an insightful and profound question, Who do people say that I am? Jesus was not looking for kudos, but He was trying to help the disciples to understand for themselves that he was more than a prophet. (Remember, prophets were influential in His day.) Jesus was the Son of the living God. While this passage is familiar, we often forget the context. This took place toward the end of Jesus public ministry. He was being persecuted not by the Roman government, nor by the irreligious, but by those who were both powerful and religious. All three of the synoptic gospels (Matthew 16:13-16, Mark 8:27-30, Luke 9:18-21) record this incident. All three address the question of Jesus identity. But Matthew supplies the context in verses 1-12. The Pharisees and the Sadducees competed with each other for power. But both groups felt threatened by Jesus, so they formed an alliance to discredit Him. They tried to trip Him up, and damage His reputation in the eyes of His followers. Let s look at the remainder of the passage: And they said, Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. Matthew 16:14-20 NASB Jesus is the Son of the Living God, and the church belongs to Him. The church did not belong to the disciples. It did not belong to Peter. The disciples, along with millions of others through the centuries, were used by God to build His church. As leaders, it s critically important that we remem-
Autonomous, but Interdependent Converge Great Lakes Dr. Dwight Perry 3 of 7 ber that it is not our ministry that we are trying to build; it is His ministry. We are nothing more than conduits of His grace and gospel to others. We are not the source of His ministry. That was the trap the Pharisees and Sadducees fell into. They were more concerned with building their own kingdom than they were with God s kingdom. Our small c local church is the visible expression of Christ s bride, the big C universal or invisible Church. What does Jesus pray for His church? I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:20-21 NASB Principle #2: Christ s church is to be self governed. It is clear from the New Testament that each new church was to become a self-governing entity. Elders or overseers were to watch over and care for the flock assigned to them. The apostles empowered indigenous church leaders (e.g., Acts 13:1-3, 14:23). These leaders were to function under the teaching of the apostles. They were to exhort and shepherd the flock that God had called them to lead. Each local church was to be self governed by elders or overseers. There are two primary Greek words used in the New Testament when describing those who are to shepherd God s flock. The word episkopos which is used in a more limited sense only five times in the New Testament (Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:2, Acts 20:28, Titus 1:17 and 1 Peter 2:25) and the word presbutos used 66 times in the New Testament (e.g., Titus 1:15, Acts 14:27, 1 Peter 5:1, 1 Peter 5:5). Most scholars believe that these words were used interchangeably to describe the elders, overseers and spiritual leaders of the church. 2 Beyond that, the New Testament provides very little guidance in terms of the structure of the local church. Here are some relevant passages: Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 1 Peter 5:1-3 NASB The phrase, allotted to your charge (translated those in your charge by the ESV), can be literally translated allotments. Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28 NASB ( Overseers is translated from the Greek word episkopos, or one who is holding the office of an elder.) 2 Walter A. Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Baker Reference Library, 2001, and Joseph Thayer, Thayer's Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament, Hendrickson Publishers, 1995.
Autonomous, but Interdependent Converge Great Lakes Dr. Dwight Perry 4 of 7 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 NASB Even to the casual reader of the New Testament, God s intent is clear: Local congregations are to be self governed by leaders who meet biblical qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9). Since there is little prescriptive language in the New Testament for the local church, outside the need for elders or overseers to watch over these bodies of believers, it seems that each local church can and should have leeway in how they structure themselves to carry out the Great Commission and reach their world for Christ. Principle #3: Christ s church should cooperate for greater impact. Even though each local expression of Christ s church is to be self governed, this does not negate a regional strategy of mutual cooperation for the sake of the Great Commission. The New Testament shows that local congregations cooperated with one another for the sake of mission. Consider these examples of inter-church cooperation: Reaching a different people group with the gospel. (Acts 13:1-3) Taking up of an offering to minister to the poor. (2 Corinthians 8:1-15) Addressing major theological issues confronting the church. (Acts 15) Calling upon the regional leader to help bring clarity and counsel to a conflict in the church. (1 Corinthians 1:10-17) Coming together to start new congregations and appoint elders over these congregations. (Titus 1:5) In each of these situations mentioned above there were three consistent themes: Churches worked together to accomplish a common mission. Though local congregations were to be self governed, there were instances where no one congregation could address the need that was being dealt with. Even in joint mission endeavors, local congregations never lost their individual identity.
Autonomous, but Interdependent Converge Great Lakes Dr. Dwight Perry 5 of 7 As the servant leader of Converge Great Lakes for nine years, I receive the greatest joy when I see our churches working together to accomplish our joint mission to reach people for Christ here in Wisconsin, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and around the world. Principle #4: Christ s church is made stronger through accountability. The New Testament narrative makes it clear that regional leaders were sent forth from the church, not as separate from the church, but accountable to the church to help coordinate the work of churches in a particular region. (Acts 13:1-3, 15:2-4) Whether it was Paul, John, Titus or Peter, God appointed and used leaders who had a regional influence to help shape the local church s mission and direction. Their influence, however, never made them entities unto themselves but humble servants of God. For the sake of the gospel, they were willing to mutually submit to one another in an atmosphere of biblical accountability. Consider this example: But when Cephas came to Antioch, I [Paul] opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? Galatians 2:11-14 NASB Wow! How could Paul do this to Peter? Wasn t Peter the one about whom Jesus said, Upon your profession of faith I will build My church? (Matthew 16:18 paraphrased) Although Peter was a Christian superstar, Paul not only confronted him, but he did it publicly. Paul did not confront Peter because he was trying to lord it over him or embarrass him. Instead, he confronted him because some were preaching a different gospel (see Galatians 1:6-10) and undermining the faith of the new believers in Galatia. The mission of the gospel was being subverted. Paul understood this, and he understood how Peter s actions would be interpreted. Since Peter s actions were public, Paul s rebuke was public. Paul was concerned for the new believers who needed to stay true to the gospel. They needed to know that Jesus and Jesus only saves. For the sake of the gospel, we hold ourselves accountable to one another not only at the individual level, but also at the local church level. Principle #5: Christ s church submits to appropriate, biblical authority. It is also clear from the New Testament narrative that these regional leaders had some level of authority at least in the formation of new congregations. They would seek to give over that authority as quickly as possible to a local elder or governing team.
Autonomous, but Interdependent Converge Great Lakes Dr. Dwight Perry 6 of 7 From a biblical perspective whenever we talk about authority, we are always talking about delegated authority that comes from God, and is ultimately accountable to God who is the authority over his Church. Our authority, if we have any, does not come from who we are, what degrees we hold or how much experience we ve gained. Spiritual authority comes from God as a result of His sovereign choice. (Psalm 75:6-7) I m not saying there are no qualifications for those who aspire to spiritual leadership. (1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-10) But it is clear that God is the ultimate authority, and we are His under-shepherds with the charge to care for the flock given to us. All of this is for the glory of God and the fulfillment of the Great Commission. To God we will someday give an account. (1 Peter 5:2-5) It s important to make a distinction between regional leaders today and those who functioned in that role during the first century apostolic era. The regional leaders mentioned in the New Testa - ment were unique in that they possessed apostolic authority. They had certain characteristics that no other person or group of persons possesses: They walked with Jesus during His entire earthly ministry. They were eye witnesses to His resurrection. They were given specific authority to define doctrine and set in order churches. With that in mind, only the original twelve plus the Apostle Paul (he was the exception to what is stated above) had what most evangelicals consider apostolic authority. It is my conviction that apostolic authority in the literal New Testament sense no longer exists. This authority was demonstrated a number of ways in the early church. For example: Appointing leaders over churches. (Titus 1:5, 1 Timothy 1:1-5) Disciplining church leaders when they fell into moral or theological error. (1 Timothy 4:1-11, 3 John 1:10-12) Raising funds cooperatively for joint mission projects. (2 Corinthians 8, Romans 15:22-27) Correcting theological error and clarifying doctrine. (Acts 15, Galatians 2) In today s church, persons who call themselves apostles or who assume authority over local churches are not in line with my understanding of the New Testament. Spiritual authority rests in the hands of local church leaders who have been called by God to shepherd God s flock within a local church context. What authority does a regional leader have today over a broader group of churches who have covenanted together around the same mission and the same overall theological understanding of scripture? Based on my understanding of the New Testament, I believe the only authority is that which is given by a local church to a regional leader to help that church accomplish it s mission. (Acts 13:1-3, 15:2-4, 16:4-5, 18:18-24)
Autonomous, but Interdependent Converge Great Lakes Dr. Dwight Perry 7 of 7 As a middle judicatory leader of a regional movement of churches, it is my conviction that Converge Great Lakes exists to serve the church and will not exist if it fails to effectively serve the church to accomplish the Great Commission. This is why our mission statement is so critical: The GLBC exists to glorify God by strengthening churches so that they might reach people for Christ locally, nearby and around the world. Conclusion The New Testament, church history and present day experience teach us that when local congregations work together for a common mission, God is glorified (John 17) and the Great Commission is fulfilled (Acts 1:8). This brief paper is in no way intended to be the final word on this subject, nor is it intended to comprehensively look in detail at every aspect of this very complex topic. It is only intended to whet your appetite as a reader to go back into scripture and explore this topic for yourself. In so doing, you will have the opportunity to clarify the biblical and theological framework around your partnership with Converge Great Lakes. Heartfelt thanks! I want to thank the individuals who took time from their busy schedule to review, critique and help write this short paper. I also want to thank Mr. Dwight Clough (DwightClough.com) who is a partner with me in writing. I m able to come up with the concept, and he, by the grace of God, makes it clear so others can understand it.