Biblical Evidence for the Autonomy of the Local Church

Описание: All human authority for the governing of the local church resides within the local church itself. The local church is responsible only to its Lord and Word of God in governing itself. Thus, we say that the local church is "autonomous." The local church calls its own Pastor, assigns responsibilities to its officers, receives, disciplines, and dismisses members and supports missionaries.
WHAT DOES AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH MEAN?
-Many local churches are controlled to some degree by an ecclesiastical authority outside the Church.
-district superintendent
-bishop
-presbytery (council of priest) -denominational conventions (like SBC)
-Areas that are commonly controlled by an outside authority includes the selecting of a Pastor, holding title to property, selecting curriculum, choosing missionaries and allotting income.
-Autonomy Defined
-Means to "self-governance" or "self-rule."
-Means it is free of any and all outside ecclesiastical
control.
-Means that all authority for the doctrine and practice
of local church resides within the church. -Means that the leadership and congregation both acknowledge the Jesus Christ as its HEAD and ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY.
*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 might have the preeminence.

*Heirarchy within church organizations does the same thing...it cuts off the direct authority of God with his church..with his people!
-A great example of this is the denial of the Scriptures in the common tongue by the Catholic Church...and the widespread unbiblical practices that were taught to the people as Truth...as from God.
*The Catholic Church denied access to Bibles for about 1000 years!
-The claim..to protect the purity of the Scriptures from the unlearned and uneducated

II. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT LOCAL CHURCH AUTONOMY?
A. Disciplines its own members.
Mat. 18:15-17 It teaches that the church is independent of outside authority. Looking at the outline there is no mention for an area bishop or a synod to appeal a decision. It fully implies that the local church has the final authority.

B. Appoints its Deacons
Acts 6:1-7 The church was to select the men to be deacons. The Church selected from amongst its membership. The Apostles could have selected but they did not, they left it to the local visible New Testament assembly to select.

C. Sends out Missionaries (Acts 13:1-3; 14:26,27).
The local church is responsible in doing God's work. The local church is responsible in choosing its
missionaries.
Missionaries are responsible to the local church for
accountability.

D. Judges its members (1 Cor. 5:1-5, 12-13; 2 Cor. 2:5-7).
The local church had the responsibility of judging its membership.
The local church is responsible is administrating corrective action.
The local church determines the extent of its church membership, by admitting and dismissing individuals.

E. Each is accountable to God (Rev 2 & 3).
Each local church is addressed individually through its Pastor.
Each local church is had an autonomous relationship with its head.
Each local church was free from any outside authority.

**IN THE NEW TESTAMENT MODEL OF CHRISTIANITY, WE SEE NO OUTSIDE ECCLESIASTICAL INFLUENCE ON THE LOCAL CHURCH! THE CHURCH ANSWERS TO CHRIST AND THE WORD OF GOD FOR IT’S DECISIONS AND CHOICES.

III. WHAT CAN AN AUTONOMOUS LOCAL VISIBLE CHURCH DO?
Determine its own doctrinal position.
Determine its own curriculum it will teach.
Determine its own priorities.
Determine its own membership.
Determine its own method of collection and dispense funds. Determine its own leaders.
Determine its own missionaries.
Determine its own programs to reach out in the community. Determine its own schools.
Determine its own license and ordination procedures. Determine its own method of conducting business meetings. Determine its own real estate
**However it does not give churches the liberty to do what they want.
**The local Church is not subservient to any human authority, but each local church must recognize the absolute right of Christ to rule over every detail of the Church's life.
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 might have the preeminence.