THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEE.

 THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEE.

By: Benson Omole Min.

A. THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.

JESUS CHRIST said: “I will build MY CHURCH; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (KJV).

JESUS eventually built His Church as promised: 

a. It was purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28).

b. Jesus Christ is Himself its foundation (I Cor. 3:11). 

c. He is the Savior of the church (Eph. 5:23).

d. The church is the bride of Christ (II Cor. 11:2).

e. The church is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:23).

f. He is the Head of the church (Col. 1:18).

g. The Bible says there is only one church (or body) (Eph. 4:4). 

h. Jesus Christ alone adds “those who were being saved” to the Church. (Acts 2:47).

i. Jesus Christ did not authorize any man-made Church, “…Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it…” (Psalm 127:1).

j. The church that Jesus built was HIS church, and He sets the New Testament as the only divine guide, and reliable pattern for the Church. The rule of unity and fellowship with the Father, and the Son is based on the obedience to the divine rule of the Church! (1John 1:1-4; 2John 1:9-11).  

k. The Church Jesus built can be referred to in a universal sense, to include all the entire family of God throughout the world (Mark 16:15). Also, the Bible frequently refers to the Church also, in a local sense. These are Local Assemblies of the Church. (I Cor. 1:2). 

l. Jesus authorizes no organization for the universal church, He alone is the absolute ruler (Eph. 1:20-23), having absolute authority delegated to Him by the Heavenly Father, (Matt. 28:18). This means that in matters of religion, the Church does not have to submit to any man-made authority, but only to the divine authority of Christ as revealed in the New Testament, which is her constitution, the WILL of God. 

m. The New Testament does present Christ's plan for the organization of the local church:

GOD.

1. Though Christ has equality with God (Phil. 2:6), their roles are different. "The head of Christ is God" (I Cor. 11:3).

2. Jesus said, "Call no man your Father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven" (Matt. 23:9).

3. Cast all your anxieties on God, for He cares about you (I Pet. 5:7).

4. (For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Lawgiver, The LORD is our King; He will save us. (Isaiah 33:22)

5. God said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" (Matthew 17:1-5; John 5:23).  

JESUS CHRIST.

1. Jesus had been given complete authority in Heaven and on earth. (Matt. 28:18). If Jesus has all authority in Heaven and on earth, how much does that leave Moses, Elijah, and other religious Leaders of our age (living or dead)? None!!!

2. Holy Spirit said through Paul that God gave Christ to be the head over "all things." (Psalm 8:6; Matt. 28:18; 1Co 15:27; Eph. 1: 22-23; 4:15-16; Col. 1:18; Heb. 2:7-8).

3. Jesus Christ appointed His Apostles: “…"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven…” (Matt. 18:18; Luke 22:29-30; John 20:23; Galatians 1:6-9).

4. Jesus Christ empowered His Apostles, and led them into all the truth, of the Church.  (John 16:8-13). He gave the Word to the Apostles. (John 17:8); by the Holy Spirit. (John 14:25-26). Hence the “Doctrine of The Apostles” was birth. (Acts 2).

THE APOSTLES OF CHRIST.

1. The Apostles of Christ wrote the WORD down, as they were led and inspired by God. (Eph. 3:3-5; 1Cor. 2:1-16; Gal.1:6-9).

THE SCRIPTURE, THE BIBLE.

1. The BIBLE is given by inspiration of God, the BREATH of GOD. (2Timothy 3:16-17; Rom. 15:4; 2Pet. 1:20-21; 1Tim. 6:11; 2Tim. 2:21).

2. The Bible is complete, authoritative, and adequately delivered the Word of Faith. (Rev. 22:18-19; Jude 1:3; 1Cor. 4:6).

3. The Word of God, in the Bible (The New Testament) shall be the standard of Judgment on the last Day: (John 12:48-50; Deut. 18:18-19; Mark 16:16; Luke 10:16; John 14:10).

4. Total dependence on the scriptural pattern and standard guarantee spiritual growth, and life of the Church. (Acts 20:32).

THE ELDERS.

1. For the church of Jesus Christ to be strong, for it to grow, for it to prosper, for it to put aside the savage wolves and the errors of this day and age, He established the Eldership in the Lord's church; who will stand firmly behind the Word of God; who will rule, and recognize the Bible, as the final authority in all matters of the Church.

2. The appointment, qualification, work, and the authority of the Elders and Deacons; Evangelists; and Teachers, in a Local Church were scripturally outlined in the Bible. (Acts 6:3; 1Tim. 3:1-16; Titus 1:5-16; 1Tim.1-6; 2Tim. 1-4).

3. God's design "Elders" or “Presbyters” to rule in the local church, according to the guideline of the scriptures (I Tim. 5:17). The office they hold is also referred to as "Bishops" (I Tim. 3:1), "Overseers" (Acts 20:28), and "Shepherds" or "Pastors" (I Pet. 5:2, 4; Eph. 4:11), and they all refer to a single office in the church.

4. Christ is the head of every local church. There is no human head of the church. No Headquarters on the Earth!

5. The Bible is the only written creed for each local church, rather than a man-made written creed, or constitution!

6. Each local church is autonomous and self-governing. No outside interference.

7. No organizational tie between local churches.

8. No organization is larger than local churches. 

9. Local churches appoint their own plurality of Elders, using 1Timothy 3, and Titus 1 as guidelines for the qualifications.

10. Elders have authority only over the members of the local church, which appoints them, and not members from outside congregations:

a. Acts 20:28 "Be on guard for yourselves and for ALL THE FLOCK, AMONG WHICH the Holy Spirit has made you OVERSEERS, to SHEPHERD the church of God which he purchased with His own blood."

b. 1 Pet 5:1-3 "Therefore, I exhort the elders AMONG YOU ... shepherd the FLOCK OF GOD AMONG YOU ... proving to be examples to the flock"

c. 1 Pet 5:1 "I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow-elder"

d. Peter was an elder but he was not higher in rank that any other elder.

e. All elders in the eldership are of equal authority.

B. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEE, (BOT).

A document signed on July 23rd, 1955 by His Excellency, J. W. Robertson, the then Governor-General of Nigeria, stating that three men were “duly appointed Trustees of Church of Christ, Nigeria.” The three men were “Huffard, Peden, and Horton.” Some other features of the document worth quoting are:

“Aim and Objects”                                             “The aim and objects of the Church of Christ-Nigeria are:

1. To teach Christianity.                                  2. To train and develop leaders in religious and moral thought and work.              

 3. To encourage and assist the advancement of education in Nigeria.

“Trustees”                                                        1. The Trustees of the Church of Christ-Nigeria . . . shall be appointed at a general meeting of the missionaries of Churches of Christ in good standing and residing in Nigeria.                                                               2. Such Trustees (hereinafter referred to as “The Trustees”) shall be three in number and shall be known as “Church of Christ-Nigeria, Registered Trustees.”  

3. The Trustees may hold office for life.    4. Upon vacancy occurring in the number of trustees, a general meeting will be held to appoint another eligible member of the Church of Christ in Nigeria.        

5. The Trustees shall apply to the Governor General for a certificate of Incorporation under the Land (Perpetual Succession) Ordinance chapter 107.        

6. If such certificate is granted, the Trustees shall have the power to accept and hold in trust all land belonging to Churches of Christ subject to such conditions as the Governor-General may impose.

“Common Seal”                                                1. The Trustees shall have a Common Seal.                                                                   2. Such Common Seal will he kept in the custody of the Secretary who shall produce it when required for use by the Trustees.                                                      

3. All documents to be executed by the Trustees shall be signed by at least two of them and sealed with the Common Seal.”

There is no divine authority for any functioning organism through which all churches can act together. It is left to each congregation to meet the requirement of the local authority or State Government in its area if such registration is at all demanded.  

Do the churches of Christ have any need for “Registered Trustees” in order for the churches to exist? There is no need for it at all since each local congregation is independent of the others. (Culled from TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 41, pp. 7-9 (August 24, 1972). 

PLEASE NOTE:

The document further stated that the Church of Christ in Nigeria is a Corporation. The existence of this “Church of Christ Incorporated” under the rule of a Three-man “Registered Trustees” was known only to a handful of men until recently when the Trustees started to exercise their power of central control over the churches of Christ in Nigeria.                Here are instances of such exercise:

1. “Two evangelists from the U.S. Brethren Leslie Diestelkamp and James W. Sasser applied for visas to come to Nigeria, but they were denied entry. The then “Registered Trustees,” Chairman Mr. Eno Otoyo, has signed a letter addressed to the Federal Immigration Office, Lagos, to The Nigerian Embassy, Washington, D.C. and to the Nigerian Consulate, New York, instructing them to refuse these men entry into Nigeria.” (Culled from TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 41, pp. 7-9 (August 24, 1972).

2. The Church of Christ in Owerri, East Central State, has consistently refused the false teaching of Jim Massey and rejected the overtures made to it by Stephen Okoronkwe, principal of the Onicha Ngwa Bible College, by Moses Okpara, Administrator of the Nigerian Christian Hospital, Onicha Ngwa and by  J. W. Nicks, another evangelist from U.S. Brother John Obijuru is a strong, faithful preacher who works with the Owerri church. (Culled from TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 41, pp. 7-9 (August 24, 1972).

A court action was taken by the “Church of Christ (Inc.) Nigeria,” on February 21, 1972, in the High Court of Owerri, against Brother John Obijuru. A Court Summons was Issued on him to appear in court on the 21, Feb. 1972. You know that a brother is not supposed to take his brother to court (I Cor. 6:1-8). Then imagine the “Church of Christ (Inc.) Nigeria” suing a faithful member of the Lord’s church in a Court of Law without any just cause! (Culled from TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 41, pp. 7-9 (August 24, 1972).

3. Another Court action was recently taken by the BOT’s “CHURCH OF CHRIST-NIGERIA” against a Congregation of the Lord at Ibadan (COC OWODE APATA, IBADAN), for attempting to register the Local Church at the Corporate Affairs Commission, as directed by the Local Church Members. A call to the BOT by the Owode Church, for Bible discussion on the Rights of a Local Church was rebuffed. (Extract from the Church Files)

4. In 2013 the BOT’s CHURCH OF CHRIST-NIGERIA issued a CENSUS IMPUT DATA FORM to the Congregations of the CHURCHES OF CHRIST, so as to capture the Christian populations, and numbers and location addresses of the Churches of Christ in the Nigeria! Surely a Universal Church organization was born!!! (Extract from BOT Circulars)

5. Likewise, the BOT called all “Delegates” of the CHURCHES OF CHRIST in NIGERIA to a NATIONAL GENERAL MEETING:  9am of the 23rd November, 2013 at Uyo Akwa-Ibom State. (Extract from BOT Circulars).

QUESTIONS FOR ANSWER:

a. In the Aims and Objectives section, why is the name of Jesus Christ, the Owner of the Church conspicuously absent?

b. Why is the “New Testament” of our Lord Jesus Christ conspicuously absent?

c. The BOT, was it established by Christ (from HEAVEN), or by Men (from EARTLY)? Matt 21:23.

d. Should the BOT have supervisory AUTHORITY over the Body of Christ? 

e. Must we activate, and organize the Church Universal, which Jesus Christ did not?

f. The “Aims and Object” of the Church of Christ is better defined in the New Testament, and not by any written Constitution by Men.  

          

We must all appeal to the “BOARD OF TRUSTEE” of the “CHURCH OF CHRIST-NIGERIA” to obey the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ, and refrain from further destruction to the public image of the CHURCH of CHRIST as if the Church is like all other Churches of Men!                            May God save us from all attempts to denominationalize the Churches of Christ in Nigeria, Amen!!!      

    

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article is entirely that of the Writer, Benson Omole and all other faithful Brethren, in the Churches of Christ in the whole World.