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1 Peter 5:1-5 – Why Local Church Autonomy?
Why local church autonomy? Implied within the command to elders to shepherd the flock among them is church autonomy (1 Pt 5.1-3). Add that to the silence of the scriptures and we learn God’s design that each church is autonomous, separated from other local congregations in government. This is a Biblical concept that is lost among denominational structure and is a mark of what makes and defines a denomination. Centralized organization is not autonomous organization. This is why the Sponsoring Church is unscriptural.
Autonomy is the divine design, but why? I asked a group of Christians why God organized the local congregations to be autonomous. The only answer received was that it protected churches from the false teachings of other congregations. I asked if there were any positive reasons. None could be given. While a certain layer of protection is provided, I doubt such was God’s only intention. In fact, the exact opposite could also be said as a negative – that autonomy keeps local congregations from being strengthened by the truth taught in bigger churches. Either way, maybe such protection from error is not even totally true. Many churches imitate through their own free will the evil and good of other congregations. Many churches invite preachers from other churches which opens them up to both the positive and negative teaching.
A second possible answer is that autonomy allows us to worship more according to the dictates of our own consciences, as our consciences are guided by our ever growing (hopefully) understanding of the scriptures. Often times, though, Paul speaks of our freedom being willfully abridged by the conscience of others. When this is done in the right spirit by both sides, then we see grace extended, fellowship and acceptance. I doubt that the scriptural reason for autonomy is so we can do things how we prefer.
A third reason, and I believe the very scriptural, is that local autonomy is a challenge to grow spiritually. The work of a preacher is three-fold (Acts 14.21-23): Evangelize the lost; Strengthen the saved; Appoint elders. Each of those are interrelated, the second and third builds upon the previous step. When someone is saved, then they grow spiritually. When they grow spiritually, they become mature which leads some to being appointed as elders. This is growing up to Christ our head (Eph 4.7-16).
A fourth reason, again very scriptural, is that the role of elders working with a congregation is one of love, fellowship, companionship, and not like a board managing a checkbook (1 Pt 5.1-4). Elders are examples.
As part of autonomous congregations, we need to accept God’s challenges to grow and to love, to grow up and into the love of Christ.
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