Scriptural and Unscriptural Congregational Cooperation.

Lecture delivered by Sunday Ayandare at Challenge, Ibadan on March 8, 2017.

Introduction:
Crucial to a good understanding of our subject is the principle of the independence
of the local church.
Hence our proposition is:
To establish the principle of the autonomy of the local church.
How this principle applies to the local church.
Scriptural ways of congregational cooperation.

The NT plainly reveals the organizational structure of the church to be that of the independence of each local church – Acts 14:23; 20:28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Pet. 5:1-4.

How does this principle apply to the local church?
It doesn’t mean each church can make its own laws.
Christ is the only Head of the church – Ephesians 1:22-23.
He is the only Law-giver – James 4:12.
Nobody or group of men may make laws and bind them on Christians – Matthew 15:8-9; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 2 John 9-11.

Congregational autonomy simply means each local church has the right to execute the will of Christ under its own eldership without any external control.
Elders are to be appointed within each local church – Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5.
The oversight of these elders is restricted to the congregation of which they are members – Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-2.
The wisdom of God could be clearly seen in that congregational autonomy protects the church from general apostasy – Ephesians 3:10-11; cf. Revelation 2 &3.

Scriptural Congregational Cooperation
Local churches may keep each other informed about their own affairs – Acts 11:19-30.
A local church may invite members of other congregations to its lectureship – Acts 15:1-22.
In the area of benevolence, one church may send its funds to assist the needy members in other congregations – Acts 11:27-30.
Also in the area of benevolence, many churches may send relief to one church – Romans  15:25-28; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 2 Corinthians 8 & 9.
In evangelism, one church may send teaching to another – Acts 11:22-23; cf 13:1-3; Colossians 4:16.
One church may send support to another preacher who works in another place – Philippians 4:14-18.
Several churches may independently and directly support a preacher working in another place – 2 Corinthians 11:8-9.

Unscriptural Congregational Cooperation.
Sponsoring church organization or a collectivity of churches under the oversight of the elders of one church is unscriptural because it violates the principle of autonomy of each local church.
WBS, to the extent that it receives funds from local churches to do its work is unscriptural.
BOT for “Church of Christ-Nigeria” is another unscriptural congregational cooperation.
Provincial or State-wide evangelism is another form of unscriptural congregational cooperation.
Conclusion:
The independence of each local church is the binding and exclusive pattern for church government in all the activities of the church.
When we follow this divine pattern, the result would be congregational concurrent cooperation.