The churches growing out of both the Reformation Movement and the Restoration Movement inherited this unquestioned view of church organization. Among the early leaders and supporters of the Restoration Movement, we can see how the shift from an organism to an organization under the influence of Barton W. Stone and his periodical, Christian Messenger. He…
With the death of the apostles and the destruction of Jerusalem at the end of the age, the people of God began to drift toward the organizational patterns of the surrounding culture. Part of this influence came from Judaism and the Synagogues, but the most damaging influence came from Roman imperialism. We believe these two…
The best way to understand a word is to study its use. As to its usage, the word, ekklesia, appears in literature outside the New Testament letters that describe a class of people with the same craft, profession, or citizenry to conduct business. In the New Testament, the word is used by Luke to describe…
Dictionary definitions are often selected by authors in an effort to support their views. I use them only to illustrate that the definitions do not disprove our use and meaning of the word. In The Community of Believers, I write, “Moulton and Milligan explain that the word ‘meant originally any public assembly of citizens summoned…
When I wrote a book entitled, Community of Believers, I made a mistake of using the word “church when talking about the ekklesia and “church institution” when talking about the organization. My rationale for that decision is based on a precendent set for the use of the word, “baptism.” It is a transliteration of the…
Synagogues are used by many church devotees as a justification for the church organization and model of forms in religious services. It is, no doubt, an influence being an organization. However, using the Synagogues as justification hardly offers any approval from God. That there were leading officials in the synagogues is seen by the…
Once again, the edification of the brethren was carried out by individual Christians. The obligations to “one another” in the New Testament are repeated over and over. Each one had a gift (1 Cor. 14:26) that contributed a part to the increase of the body (Eph. 4:16; Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12). Teachers, prophets, evangelist,…
We read in the New Testament of brethren who were experiencing a famine and would receive contributions from other saints to supply their needs. The same brethren who supplied the need chose a carrier who delivered the supplies (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8-9, Romans 15:31). An early example is found in Acts 4:34-37. It…
Let’s examine the work of evangelism identified as a work of the church organization and explore how it is performed in Scripture. The pattern of evangelism was carried out individually. The preaching of the cross was the responsibility, yea, the privilege of every child of God. That this was accomplished without a pulpit by those…
In view of Paul’s teaching that regulates the use and purpose of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthains 14, it is apparent that the main emphasis in saints getting together is to fulfill the needs of the body. Each provided a need for other members of the body, the accomplishment of which could be met…