Chapter 1: Introduction to Local Church

1. God's Church and God's Churches

For the purposes of our study, we make a clear distinction between two related but different things: The Church (or, "universal Church") and churches (or, "local churches"). Altough the focus of the study is the local church, you cannot effectively discuss one without the other. The Universal Church and the local church are both divinely instituted and interdependant.

A. God's Church — The Church

"The Church" is mystical, invisible, universal and general. It is also singular, for God has only one "Church."

It is the same "Church in the past, present, and future. God's people whether in the 1st century or the last, are members of this one and the same Church. When we write of God's Church in this study, we do so synomously with the Body of Christ — which is His spirit-filled and earthly appendage throughout the church age.

Romans 12:5 — So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

B. God's Churches

1 Corinthians 14:23 — …the whole church be come together into one place…

"God's chuches" are real, concrete, visible, local, and specific. It is the universal Church as it is taking on local or temporal form.

The word church, in the Greek, is ekklesia, which means to "summon forth" or "to call out" the people. The Hebrew word qahal means "assembly" or "congregation as in Psalm 22:22.

Psalm 22:22 — I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation [qahal] will I praise thee.

In this study, the word "ekklesia" will be considered in the context of: a local body of Believers gathered together for worship of God and fellowship. (Ephesians 4:16) For clarity, we will use the words ekklesia, local church, local assembly, local body and congregation interchangeably; intending no distinction of meaning between them rather intending to represent as closely the words of the scriptures in focus.

2. God's Order for this Age is the Local Church (Not I-Lands)

An underlying premise of this study is that God's plan to grow and preserve his Universal Church absolutely and essentially includes the local church.

Many do not respect the local church as God's ordained order for this church age. The structure of the local church may vary with size or locality, but it is still God's order for this age. The local church is divinely patterned for effective evangelizing of the world and bringing his people to maturity.

A. Islands are to be Avoided

Believers must relate to a local body and not become an island to themselves. To separate ourselves from the local body is unscriptural as we cannot fully function in a Godly order permanently remaining alone. We are all parts of the same Body which is made visible in many "local bodies".

Not one of us is to be fully or permanently independent of the other. It is God's plan and purpose that each member of his Universal Body be joined to a local body of Believers. A man, or woman, who refuses to join themselves to a local body of Believers may often feel they are wasting their effort in participating in a local church, but they should resist this independent spirit as contrary to Scripture.

Within the Old Testament tabernacle, there was a designated place of worship. The Believer was not to remain at home to worship. He was to gather with the local body in a designated place of worship. There is no Scriptural basis for remaining at home to worship while the local body is gathering together on one place even if you do enjoy the "Electronic Evangelist" more than the local elders.

B. Becoming an Island Alienates You from the Umbrella of God's Providence

God provides for His Church through the ministry of the local church. Church order and leadership were clearly seen in the Old Testament as part of God's plan of provision for his Israel. Aaron and his sons were a type of the N.T. fivefold ministry. (Eph 4:13) The watchmen on the walls of the cities of Israel are a type of the leaders of the N.T. church who are watching for our souls. It is the responsibility of the elders to guard against those with erroneous teachings who would kill and destroy the Body and its local bodies. (Heb. 13:17) The shepherds upon the hillside of Judah and Israel were a type of God's chosen leadership for his church today. They are not only entrusted with the care and guidance of the flock but of feeding the flock of God with nourishing spiritual food. (Acts 20:28)

Acts 20:28-31 — Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Notice the providence of God for His Church in Acts 20, which He adminsters through "overseers" and "elders": feeding, protecting, and guarding the flock &mdash the church of God.

3. God's Pattern for the Local Church

The local church being an essential part of God's universal order of His Church in this church age, we should concern ourselves with the details of what that should look like.

The goal of this study is to consider thorughly God's instructions and intentions concerning the local church. It is not satisfactory for us to merely experiment and find "what works" or what "has worked". In this study, the greater weight of value will be placed on what we can know and consider as it is revealed in Scripture. What blueprint has God given for the ordering and the activity of the local church? As a secondary weight, we will include relevant historical examples.

A. God Has Set His Pattern in Scripture

In His Word, God offers a pattern for the formation of local churches.

First, he directed Believers to assemble together in given locations.

Hebrews 10:25 — Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Next, God ordains where to establish a local church, and sometimes even where not to. (Acts 16:6-10)
God also puts into place the leadership ministries he would have in each local assembly.(Acts 14:23)
Though most Believers recognize that God designates leaders, they do not always give much thought about the fact that God also brings in members. (I Cor. 12:18)

We should carefully consider God's placement in the best church for them, especially in this day of running to and fro by many church members.(Job 1:7) If God sets us in a particular church as members or leaders, we must remain there until God moves us and not before. Never should we move merely because we have been offended.

B. God's Principles for Church Government

There are some general principles of church government, which we must observe if we want to fully follow God's pattern.

Sovereignty of the Local Body

Nowhere in Scripture does God teach a denominational type of church government. Each local church is to be a sovereign body, even though they are to enjoy fellowship with other local assemblies.

Life and Love in the Local Body

The local church is first to be a spiritual "organism" and then to be an "organization". Good church government will not produce spirituality. In the church of the living God, there must be life and love before structure.

Order in the Local Body

After there is life, good structure in the form of church government will help to maintain that life. As a family requires parents, and as a flock requires a shepherd, so the household of faith requires spiritual elders.

We need the fivefold ministry so that we may come to maturity within the body. (Eph. 4:11-13) Leaders cannot give what they do not possess. They must meet the scriptural qualifications seen in I Timothy 3.

A common error today is the belief that we do not need men to lead us, that "we have the Holy Spirit to lead us, don't we?" The Spirit leads and governs the church through human vessels.

Hebrews 13:17 — Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

To bypass everyone and seek leading only from God is usually the sign of a rebellious and independent spirit ("I-Lands" as mentioned in secion #2 of this chapter). These islands often use a verse of Scripture out of context, such as, I John 2:27 to justify refusing submission to God-anointed and God-called teachers.

If we choose to reject the teaching that God has ordained a strong oversight in the ministry for the local church, we should carefully measure our motivations. (II Thessalonians 2:10-12)