Universal Principles For A Local Church

UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES FOR A LOCAL CHURCH
The five principles we have just examined are very basic and are generally met with agreement by all within the realm of Christian orthodoxy. However, there is considerably less agreement as to how we are to take these principles and put them into practice within the local church. The point should be made that the Bible never makes a clear distinction between the universal church versus the local church. It is because of this lack of a distinction that I want to suggest the local church is to be seen as a microcosm of the universal church. The qualities that are true of the universal church are to be mirrored in the practices of the local church.

1. There is Only One Church.
This principle is to be demonstrated in the face of the differences that exist within the church. It requires us to hold to our unity in the face of our disagreements. The obvious question arises as to the place of denominations within Christianity. I believe the answer is just as obvious — they have come about as a result of sin in the church. Does this mean we should take a stance of non-denominationalism? Not necessarily, since the very stance of non-denominationalism has become in itself a denomination of its own. What it does mean is that the Christian church should always be ready to unite and to work with other Christians at whichever level it is able. There will be times when, due to differing doctrinal persuasions, this will not be possible. But the effort should be made to break down the barriers whenever possible.

2. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church.
Most local churches are ruled by a head known as the pastor, the preacher, the reverend, or some other exalted title. This is a very old tradition, going all the way back to the apostolic fathers and witnessed as early as the epistles of Ignatius. However, such a tradition is remarkably absent from the pages of the New Testament. Instead of a one-man-rule, we see the pattern of a plurality of elders within the book of Acts and in the epistles. Not once in the New Testament is any one man besides Jesus Christ held up as the leader of any local church. Even when Paul speaks of those particular elders who rule well and who are considered worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17), he refers to them in the plural. In a day when too many churches have departed from this Biblical pattern, it is not surprising that people tend to focus their attention on the man in the pulpit rather than on the true Head of the church. The adoption of this principle will have a tremendous effect upon the direction of the church. Most churches derive their vision and their identity from one man — the senior pastor. If he is primarily an evangelist, then the church will have evangelism as its primary emphasis to the exclusion of other aspects of ministry.

However, a plurality of leaders allows for emphasis and vision in different areas of ministry within the church because different leaders will focus their efforts along the separate lines in which they have been gifted. This does not preclude having a single man who serves as the senior pastor, but it allows other leaders to utilize their own gifts within the church.

3. The Church is Holy.
The holiness of the local church is to be manifested in both doctrinal and practical purity. This brings up the question as to the level of doctrinal purity. At what point is doctrine to cause division within the church? Many artificial lines have been drawn by well-meaning people, but I think they have been generally drawn without regard for an appreciation of the relationship of the universal church to the local church. The doctrinal purity is to be such that the requirements for entrance into the local church ought to be no more and no less than the requirements for entrance into God's universal church. The requirement is one of true and sincere repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures give us very specific guidelines as to the maintaining of practical purity within the church, both through the positive means of exhorting and encouraging us, as well as through the negative means of discipline and excommunication.

4. Every Believer is a Priest of God.
The priesthood of the believer ought to be manifested within the local church in a way that is similar to the way in which the Aaronic priesthood was manifested under the Old Testament economy. How was the Aaronic priesthood manifested? The priest was one who performed the service of worship on behalf of the people.

Today's church services are often constituted as a spectator sport in which the participation o the audience/congregation is limited to singing and putting money into the offering plate. The pattern displayed in the New Testament is quite different.

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. (1 Corinthians 14:26). This picture of the meeting of the early church is one of group participation in which every believer served as a priest to every other member of the group. This was not to be done in as disorganized manner, but neither was it so restricted in its regulation that it was only the ministry of a single individual.

29 And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. (1 Corinthians 14:29-33). The preaching and teaching and exhortation and prayers of the church were never designed to by only the activity of a single man. Paul's language makes it clear that there is to be a plurality among those who preach and prophecy in the meeting of the church. There are several reasons for this.

First of all, it is so that there can be a system of checks and balances within the meeting of the church. This is to guard against a single pastor going off the deep end. The other leaders of the church are to keep him answerable to the word of God.

Secondly, this pluralization of ministry is so that the Spirit can minister to the body through a multiplicity of spiritual gifts. I have yet to meet a single person who possesses in himself all of the spiritual gifts. The tendency within a typical one-man-ministry is to focus only upon those gifts that the one man in the pulpit possesses. By divesting the leadership of the church into a number of different men, the focus of that ministry ceases to be limited.

5. The Mandate of the Church is to Make Disciples.
The primary duty of the church is not to stop abortion or to elect Republicans into political office or to close down all ungodly establishments by passing Christian legislation. That is not to say that Christians should not be involved in these issues, but it does mean that this should never become the primary focus of the church. The church is to make disciples. The way in which this is to be accomplished has already been laid out for us.

Going: The work of evangelism is not to take place exclusively or even primarily within the walls of the church or its regular meeting. This is not to say that the gospel cannot be presented within the worship service, but it does mean that our emphasis should be in taking the gospel to those who are outside of the church.

Baptizing: The church is to have an emphasis on evangelism and in converting people to the cause of Christ.

Teaching: Once converts have been made, then it is the business of the church to train them up in the faith so they can be involved in this same ministry. Paul gave these instructions about passing on the faith: And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2).