Congregational Autonomy
Reprinted from The Carolina Messenger
David R. Pharr

The term "church" comes from the Greek ekklesia. The word is a compound of two words which literally meant those who are called out. Thus preachers sometimes speak of the church as consisting of the "called out ones." It is correct that by the gospel Christians have been called out of the world and called into Christ (II Thess. 2:14). Actually, however, in New Testament usage the emphasis is not so much on the calling as it is on the group that (by whatever process) has assembled together.

A secular use of ekklesia is found in Acts 19:32 and 41 where it is the "assembly" of a riotous mob. Likewise in verse 39 it is still a secular, though lawful, meeting. It would only create confusion to translate it as "church" in this context, but it is nonetheless the same word. Again, the point is not how they came to be congregated, but in the fact that such a group existed. (It is interesting that in the same paragraph, v. 37, the word "churches," KJV, comes from an entirely different word and refers to physical structures, I. E., temples.) Another use of ekklesia which is not connected with the spiritual body of Christ is found in Acts 7:38, where the Israelite nation is described as "the church in the wilderness."

When ekklesia is used in its New Testament spiritual connotation translators (i.e., KJV) have generally chosen the word "church." This is from an Anglo‑Saxon word (kirk) which etymologically meant the physical structure where religious services were held. In English usage the word can be applied to a building (meeting place) where people meet for worship. In biblical usage, however, it never applies to a physical structure. Instead, it always indicates the people themselves, an assembly of the saved.

A study of various texts which refer to the church will show that there are three different, but related uses of the term.

The Members Assembled

In keeping with the meaning of ekklesia, the most obvious application of the term is the Lord's people assembled together. That is, their actual gathering, their meeting, their assembly. Paul wrote of their coming "together in the church" (I Cor. 11:18), which he reiterates as "when ye come together . . . into one place" (v. 20). It is in the setting of such assemblies that he explains that "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints" (I Cor. 14:33). We agree that God is not the author of confusion in any setting, but the apostle's point has to do with keeping decorum and order when the Lord's people are assembled together (I Cor. 14:40). So also is the command: "Let your women keep silence in the churches" (v. 34). The point is not that women are never to speak, but that they are not to speak in the church (in the assembly).

It is in this sense that we have commonly used expressions such as "going to church," "at church" or "after church." These are legitimate expressions which reflect the primary meaning of ekklesia as the people meeting together. In years past we heard criticism when someone said he was "going to church." It was objected that one "would not go to something he was already in." But this objection is not scriptural, because the scriptural use of the term includes the implication of going to the assembly (cf. Heb. 10:25).

The Members Organized

Other scriptures extend the meaning to the group of people who customarily assemble together in a certain locale, a local church. It is said of Paul and Barnabas that for "a whole year they assembled themselves with the church" (Acts 11:26). This was at Antioch (Acts 11:26). This was at Antioch and the Bible gives a partial list of those who were members of "the church that was at Antioch" (Acts 13:1). Membership in the Lord's church involves membership in a locally organized congregation. In the New Testament Christians were identified with the local groups where they regularly participated (Acts 13:1; Rom. 16:1).>

Local churches were organized, the apostolic practice being to ordain elders in every church (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5). In government, each group which was accustomed to meeting together was an autonomous church. Paul wrote to "all the saints which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons" (Phil. 1:1). Such was "the church of God" at any given locality (I Cor. 1:2; I Thess. 1:1; Rom. 16:1, 5; et al).

It is only in reference to local congregations that the plural "churches" is used in the New Testament. When we read of "the churches of Judea which are in Christ," "the churches of God," or "the churches of Christ," we have not found groups with differing theology, but groups meeting in different locations.

The Members Everywhere

In the third place, ekklesia is used in a universal sense to identify all of the saved. Jesus was not limiting his promise to a local assembly when he said, "I will build my church" (Matt. 16:18). So also in passages such as Ephesians 1:22; 5:23ff. The point in I Corinthians 12:13 about being baptized into the one body shows that baptism admits one into the universal church of Christ. The reference in Hebrews 12:23 to "the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven," apparently includes all the redeemed whether still on earth or already with the Lord.This is in obvious contrast with the denominational concept. A denomination by its nature considers itself to be less than the church universal. On the other hand, a denomination with its regional or national government is clearly more than a local church. By definition a denomination is too small to be the church of Christ in the universal sense and too big to be a church of Christ in the local sense.The government of the church universal is under Christ as the head and his apostolic ambassadors (Col. 1:18; II Cor. 5:20; I Cor. 4:17; 11:1‑2; 16:1‑2). No other arrangement is provided. This being the case, each autonomous congregation exists in the same relationship to the Lord as does the church universal. A faithful congregation is the church of Christ in that place. There is no ecclesiasticism appointed to oversee the churches. Each local congregation bears direct responsibility to the Head. Christ encouraged and warned churches, he addressed them directly as autonomous units, not through some inter‑congregational hierarchy (Rev. 2 & 3). In all matters of faith there is no allowance for local choice (I Cor. 16:1‑2), but in questions of expediency each church is at liberty to make its own decisions (Acts 11:29; Rom. 15:2; I Cor. 8:1ff).

In every case where there has been organization above the local level the result has been departures from the faith. This was the case in the great apostasy that resulted in the papacy. It has been the case with every denomination. The wisdom of biblical local autonomy provides that no congregation is bound to follow errors accepted by others. If one local church is determined to remain faithful and if many (or all) other congregations digress, that one local church remains free to do right. As an autonomous assembly it is not bound by the decisions of others.

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