BECAUSE OF ITS OPPOSITION TO INNOVATIONS IN ORGANIZATION

As in other areas, innovations have crept into the organization of the New Testament Church. In fact, it seems it was in this area that innovations first made their entrance into this sacred body. We read in Acts 20:28-30, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to 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. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves." The apostle Paul is talking to the elders of the Church of Ephesus. He tells them that from among themselves men would arise and draw away disciples. This was done. Through the organizational makeup of the Lord's body, satan found a way to destroy that which was good. And it eventually led to the Dark Ages.

What type of organization did the Church have? Where was its headquarters and who ruled it? All of these questions are important and demand an answer. First of all, we must remember that Christ is the head of the Church. Ephesians 1:22-23, "And He put all [things] under His feet, and gave Him [to] [be] head over all [things] to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." Colossians 1:18, "And He is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." Since Christ is the head, and He is in heaven, the Church has no earthly headquarters. If it did, that would be proof it was being governed by human beings and not by God. Thus, any other organizational makeup the Church might have must be in harmony with the teachings of the scriptures and the head, Christ.

There is no such organizational structure known in the Bible as is common to man-made denominations--no boards, directors, superintendents, etc. The papal system is unscriptural also. There is no authority for a universal earthly head of the Church. This entire system came about by a misuse of power and a misinterpretation of the scriptures. In New Testament times, each congregation was an independent group. They had their own elders and deacons. They exercised no authority over other congregations. Nor were they engaged in unscriptural cooperative efforts. This independence is what is known as "congregational autonomy," meaning that each Church was a unit within itself. That is the way it should be today, but alas--innovations!! Just how long this autonomy continued, we do not know. We do know that soon after Paul had the conversation with the Ephesian elders the trend away from things scriptural started. The Churches formed organizations and grouped themselves together. For example, the elders of one Church would get together with the elders of another Church and so on until many Churches were represented. Men were chosen out of the group to represent them at even larger meetings with other groups until this process built, and built. Finally, the end was the election of one man to become the universal Bishop over the entire Church. He was called the Pope. Now, granted, this did not happen overnight. In fact, it took years and years even for the first few steps to take place. But, in time, the gigantic monster of anti-scriptural organization reared its ugly head. That which had begun so successfully was, at least for the present, destroyed or greatly hampered. Today, religious organization is built largely upon the likes and dislikes of man. The main object is to "get the job done." The how is not even taken into consideration, that is, with reference to its being scriptural. What we need now is for the Church to return to the original plan of organization--each Church a unit, with its elders and deacons. Philippians 1:1, "Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons."

Let us now notice the qualifications of these men called bishops and deacons. 1 Timothy 3:1-13, "This [is] a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having [his] children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the Church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the [same] condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise deacons [must] [be] reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being [found] blameless. Likewise [their] wives [must] [be] reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." Again, we find these instructions in Titus 1:6-9, "If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict." So, the Bible gives the qualifications of the men who are to exercise the oversight in the local Church along with their helpers.

But what about a Church that has no elders and deacons? What prevails here? The answer to this question is seen in Paul's instructions to Titus, a preacher or evangelist. Note chapter 1:5, "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you." It was the job of the preacher or evangelist to set in order the congregations so that they could stand on their own feet, so to speak.

In a very simple manner, this scripture sets forth the organization of the Lord's Church. He is head. Each congregation is a self-governing unit with its elders and deacons. The evangelist who preaches the gospel and plants congregations is authorized to set them in order or bring them to a state of maturity where they can carry on themselves. 

Note: for convenience, we have outlined the qualifications of elders and deacons.

Elder

Negative Qualifications

Deacon

These are the Biblical qualifications for the only Church offices--bishop/elder and deacon.  We wonder why the modern churches started to require their leaders to be unmarried.  We wonder how these unmarried men can rule their children and house well if they don't have any.  We wonder why some of the modern churches maintain expensive palaces as their world headquarters.  We wonder when people are going to realize that these are innovations of man and not the will of God.

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