THE ORGANIZATION OF THE EARLY CHURCH

CONTENTS, PREFACE, AND INTRODUCTION.


CHAPTER 1. THE CHURCH WAS PLANNED AND ORDAINED BY GOD, NOT MEN.

A. Christ gave us the full and permanent teaching on Church organisation.

B. Unscriptural Church organisations violate Christ's Lordship.

C. Church organisation is not a progressive revelation.


CHAPTER 2. THE CHURCHES MUST OBEY JESUS AS LORD.

A. The Early Church owned Christ's Lordship in evangelism and worship.

B. The variety and flexibility of a fellowship led by the Holy Spirit.

C. The New Testament ministry gifts are appointed by God, not by men.

D. The ministries God gives can only be sustained by communion with God.

E. God still sets these ministries in the Church today.

F. The distinguishing characteristics of God's Spirit-filled children.

G. The financially undemanding structure of the early Church ministries.


CHAPTER 3. THE NEW TESTAMENT MINISTRIES, THEIR GIFTS AND WORK.

A. "FIRSTLY APOSTLES."

1. Apostles had great spiritual power and spiritual revelation from Christ.

2. Apostles had a God-given ability to pastor churches.

3. Apostles were responsible for the foundation of Christian doctrine.

4. Apostles had a God-given ability to develop spiritual ministry in their converts.

5. Apostles were responsible for appointing elders in the churches they founded.


B. "SECONDARILY PROPHETS."

1. A New Testament prophet can warn of dangers and needs ahead.

2. Prophetic ministry can keep God's Church clean and in victory.

3. Prophetic ministry can greatly help and comfort people, and inspire them to seek and trust God.

4. Prophetic ministry can reveal God's strategic plans and confirm God's call.

5. Prophetic ministry is not limited by time or space in its ministrations.

6. Prophetic ministry is intended to develop spiritual ministry in Christians.

N. B. The Relation Between the Growth of a Christian's Spirit to Spiritual and Prophetic Ministry.


C. "THIRDLY TEACHERS," "SOME PASTOR-TEACHERS," "ELDERS," "BISHOPS."

1. Several Pastor-Elders, guided each local church.

2. The Pastor-Teacher's ministry is pastoral, not dictatorial.

3. Pastor-Elders were usually local men who were well-known and well-loved.

4. Our attitude to denominational churches and their ministers.

5. How old does a person have to be to become a Pastor-Elder?

6. Pastor-Elders, paid ministry and deacons.


D. "EVANGELISTS."


CHAPTER 4. THE EARLY CHURCH WAS GUIDED BY CHRIST INTO BODY MINISTRY.

1. Body ministry took place in fellowship, worship, evangelism and ministry.

2. Body ministry encourages and develops ministries in God's flock.

3. Informal body ministry meets deep personal and spiritual needs in the Church.

4. Informal body ministry produces a remarkable fellowship of "agape" love.

5. Body ministry even took place in newly formed churches.

6. Body ministry took place in the Lord's Supper.

7. Christ inspired women to take part in body ministry.

8. Body ministry took place in church decisions and church discipline.


CHAPTER 5. CHRIST ORDAINED LOCAL, SELF-GOVERNING, CHURCHES.

1. The local church is not a building, it is a group of born-again Christians.

2. There is no church federation seen in the New Testament. N.B. People joined the Church by baptism in water.

3. How the departure from Early Church organisation took place.

4. The great evils that church federation can lead to.

a. Church federation almost invariably leads to a sectarian bigotry that shocks the world.

b. Church federation usurps Christ's authority and frustrates His plans, purposes, and appointed ministries.

c. Church federation usually replaces body ministry with one-man ministry.

d. Church federation usually leads to self-dependence and pride.

e. Church federation usually leads to unscriptural and worldly power structures.

f. Church federation makes it easy for Satan to corrupt and persecute the Church.


CONCLUSION.


APPENDIX. N.B. In Gen.3v16., God did not curse women.


PREFACE.

Some church members in the Hebrides refused to accept that the Hebrides had experienced a remarkable revival, because it had missed their churches. The majority of the religious leaders of Christ's time also refused to accept that Jesus had brought a spiritual revival to the nation, because they were not part of it, they went so far as to say that Christ was moved by the Devil. The same blind, tradition-bound obstinacy can affect us today. I ask the readers of this book to study prayerfully, and with open minds, what I have written. I appeal, "Let not tradition, but the Scriptures, be our court of appeal." It is so easy to boast that we are fulfilling the Word of God, and yet at the same time, we can resist the Spirit of God, the religious leaders of Israel who crucified Christ did this very thing. They boasted that they carried out the Word of God to the minutest detail, even to tithing the herbs of the garden, but they omitted the things in God's Word that really mattered, such as justice, mercy and truth, and a heart love for God and people. Mt.9v12,13. 23v23. Jesus was the God and author of the Scriptures, but they committed the unforgivable sin of ascribing His works to Satan, and they hated and murdered Him. Mt.3v22-29. Jn.15v22-26. They had the shell without the kernel, or as Paul said, they had the "morphosin" instead of the "morphe," they had a limited intellectual perception and doctrinal outline of the Divine truth in God's Word, without the inner reality and full experience of that truth, and indeed, they had replaced much of Divine truth with their false traditions. Rom.2v20. 2Tim.3v5. We should be careful lest we imitate them and bring upon ourselves the judgement and condemnation spoken of in Mt.23v1-39. and Lk.11v39-54..

It is very difficult to convince people that their cherished tradition is not of God, it took a vision of the risen Christ to deliver Paul from man-made tradition, and our Lord was crucified for challenging the false traditions of the Jews. I am quite sure that this book is certain to bring criticism and opposition, and that some will misquote my written words upon Church government, even as they have distorted and misquoted my spoken words upon this subject. For this reason I will state here, that I believe that there is a very definite place in God's work for denominational buildings and ministers, and I also recognise that God is using many ministers in denominational churches. Traditional churches have an immense and priceless treasury of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, which express praise, prayer and worship on the very highest level. This hymnology will feed the soul of a mature Christian even in churches which have no real spiritual life, and will bring the very breath of Heaven into churches that are spiritually alive.

I pray that God will burn away the partitions that separate Christians, and that Christians will experience the oneness, love and beautiful fellowship of the early Church, as seen in the first few chapters of Acts. I pray that this study will help in this respect. Since I finished the first edition of this book on July 21st. !972, there has been a widespread move of the Holy Spirit in the historic churches, and many churches are allowing the Holy Spirit freedom to operate, and are encouraging the development of spiritual gifts and body ministry. This has brought a freshness, warmth and love into churches, which had not known a move of God for several generations. Fellowship with these Christians has been among the best that I have ever known. The beautiful worship and adoration of the Trinity, the overwhelming sense of the presence of God, and the "agape" love between the Christians in these groups, has been the crowning seal and certification that the work has been of God. Long may this continue. W. H. Turner. October 3rd. 2000.


INTRODUCTION.

How binding tradition can be!

We all tend to be imprisoned by the traditions of the Christians that we fellowship with without even realising it, and these traditions become part of our personality, thinking and way of life. Young Christians usually accept what they are taught by older Christians without really thinking through the doctrines that they have been taught, and do not seriously examine their beliefs, practices, and traditions in the light of the Scriptures. They say, just as I did, "My Christian leaders are godly men of long experience, they must be right, I'll accept what they say." Then as we grow in knowledge of God and His Word, we begin to realise that some, or even many, of the traditions that we have accepted, have little or no Scriptural basis. Most people, unfortunately, still doggedly, and even wilfully, cling to many traditions and doctrines of men that make void the Word of God. Mt.15v1-9. Mk.7v1-13. N.B. v13. "Many things like this you are constantly doing."

People have found it almost impossible to escape from the mighty prisons and practices of tradition into the fullness and liberty of God's Word. It is all the more difficult if one has become part of an organisation that has preached these traditions for many years; there are few who are willing to humble themselves and admit that they were wrong. It took a vision of Christ to deliver Paul from his sincerely held man-made traditions. A prolonged prayerful study of the organisation of the early Church made me realise that my own practice of Church organisation was not fully in accord with New Testament principles, and so I have changed my practice to conform with them. This has already cost me a great deal, and could be even more costly in the long run. This study will be as real a challenge to the reader as it has been to me, and it will really test their spirituality, sincerity, honesty and desire to obey and follow God's Word on all things. I am quite aware that many will not be willing to pay the price for conformity to God's plans for His Church, and the accompanying revival.

A study of Church government is vitally necessary and inevitably controversial.

There is a real need for unbiased study and straight talking about church government. My aim in these studies is not to be critical, negative or controversial. I speak strongly because I have seen people who have been bowed down with appalling burdens and sicknesses, fail to find any help, even in so called Pentecostal churches. Pentecostal formalism is just as powerless as any other kind of formalism, and it arises out of the failure to earnestly seek God out for His power to meet people's needs. The ministration of God's power and love to needy mankind is the more excellent way that Paul directed us to follow, and I am making a heart-felt plea for a return to this divine highway.

Some will object to what I have written and say, "God can work through any form, it is not necessary to follow New Testament practices on Church government to have revival. Who ever heard of Church government bringing revival?" Others say, "It does not matter what form of Church government we have, God is God, no forms can hinder Him." There is certainly some truth in this, however, we should ask ourselves what is the best means and structure to produce revival, not how far we can get away from the Divine order, practices and principles before God gives us up. Let us remember that wrong tradition can even limit God. Psalm.78v41.

Following the scriptural pattern of local churches under the guidance of elders and deacons will not in itself produce revival; we must also experience the pouring of the life of God into the churches through the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Revival can only come as Christians abide in Christ and earnestly seek God for his blessing. This is why a full study of New Testament Church organisation, not only covers the structure and offices of the New Testament Church, but also the practices of the early Church at Jerusalem, in prayer, worship, evangelism, the "agape" love between the members, and the Divine manifestations of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit to spiritually hungry disciples. When the early Church believed God's word and followed his directions, they had revival. If we follow the divinely ordained spiritual practices of the early Church, we shall also have revival. If we replace God's order with the traditions of men, we shall experience spiritual barrenness. Is God's Word of none-effect? Are his promises fruitless? Of course not! If we fulfil his conditions, He will fulfil His Word and promises; for it is impossible for God to lie, He cannot deny Himself. 2Tim.2v13. Heb.6v12-20. N. B. v12,18.

We should seek God's maximum means of blessing not his minimum permissive will.

The Scriptures reveal that God used heathen kings to fulfil His will at times, and a Christ-rejecting high priest to prophesy, but they were certainly not the highest expressions of God's will, or ideal channels of His power and purposes; God used them in spite of their wickedness, not because of their righteousness. Isa.10v5-27. John.11v47-53. It is not a question of how far we can get away from the God's pattern before God gives us up, we must ask ourselves, "Which pattern of Church organisation that God can work through best? What is the ideal channel of his power and will? The answer must be, "God's original pattern of Church organisation." Powerful ministry gifts, and a truly Spirit-led, "agape" love-dominated, body ministry in local churches, is the perfect channel of God's life and power. Churches that follow this New Testament pattern are mighty in evangelism, and blessed in fellowship and spiritual growth.

Men have replaced the wonderful liberty, power, and love of a Christ-directed Church, by the cast iron prisons of their own traditions, constitutions and organisations. The Church organisation that Christ initiated is quite easy to understand and imitate, those who say otherwise, only do so because they prefer their own traditions to God's order. If you shut God out of His Church with man-made structures and traditions you can't expect revival. Stephen said these man-made structures and traditions always resist the Holy Spirit and hinder revival. Acts.7v51-53. Satan and carnality have inspired God-resisting traditions. The further churches have got away from the source of the river of divine truth, the more polluted those waters have become with man-made and Satan-inspired false traditions.

The conflict between God-inspired leadership and God-resisting tradition.

The elders in Christ's day had embraced a God-resisting oral law, which had been handed down to them from their fathers. This oral Torah was supposed to show people how to apply the general commands of the Law. It was supposed to have been given to Moses, but much of it was in reality a man-made legal fiction, and it had become ridiculous and spiritually meaningless. This oral tradition was one of the greatest obstacles that Jesus had to overcome. Jesus rejected this oral law and warned Israel's religious leaders that their worship was in vain when they made, followed and taught doctrines and traditions that made void the Word of God. Mt.15v1-9. Mk.7v1-13. N.B. v13. "Many things like this you are constantly doing." Jesus said the substitution of divine truth for man-made tradition is a sin and produces vain worship. Jesus could criticise these false man-made doctrines and traditions, because he had never been corrupted by them. His victory over the heavy constraining pressures of tradition, from His youth upwards, is truly remarkable; and, like all His victories over sin and evil, is breathtaking and cannot be over-exaggerated; it should cause us to worship in wonder, love and praise. Let us follow Him.

The Greek word for "tradition," is "paradosis," which means either the act of handing down, on, or over; or the material handed down, on, or over. There are Christian traditions, which were received from God and handed down to the Church. 1Cor.11v2. 2Thes.2v15. 3v6. See "Received," "paralambano," 1Cor.11v23. 15v1,3. Gal.1v9, 12. Phil.4v9. See "delivered," "paradidomai," Acts.16v4. Rom.6v17. 1Cor.11v2, 23. 15v3. 2Pet.2v21. Jude.v3. Christ and his early church carefully distinguished between tradition that arose from man's perversion of God's truth, and the tradition that is God's truth revealed in the Scriptures, and we must do the same. Col.2v8. Gal.1v14.

In 1Pet.1v18,19., Peter informs us that unscriptural traditions, whether they be Jewish or Gentile traditions, are futile and fruitless. The Greek word for "handed down from your fathers," is "patroparadotos," and it only occurs here in the New Testament, and could apply equally to the traditions handed down from Jews, Gentiles, or Christians. We really need to watch the traditions handed down to us by our natural and spiritual fathers, it is so easy to get into traditional ruts and routines which are not of God, and from which we cannot escape, and which resist the workings of the Holy Spirit. There is often a clear choice between our church traditions, routines and organisations, and revival. We will not experience revival if our churches are riddled with men's traditions, and we do not recognise the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the Lordship of Christ, and unless God ministers through the local church and the ministries of the Church as a body.

A plea and prayer for openness and Christian love and unity.

I pray that this study will help to unite Christ's Church in love and practice. The last thing I want to do is to give ambitious people, who are seeking a group of followers, an excuse for causing division. Acts 20v28-32. I realise that some godly men will object strongly to what I have written and will reject much of what I say. But it was godly, genuinely converted men who began to lead the Church away from its original pattern, within one hundred years of Calvary. Good king Asa thought that he knew better than God, when he rejected God's Word, and put His prophet in prison; this offended God and brought divine discipline upon Asa. 2Chron.16v7-12. Let us be careful how we deal with God's Word no matter who proclaims it, God once spoke very powerfully through a donkey! Numb.22v20-33. with 2Pet.2v15,16.

It is a fact that the early Church was full of love, life and power when Jesus was recognised as Lord and was allowed to direct and empower His Church. This divine structure can take place within the structures of denominational churches, and many have put it into practice already and experienced great blessing as a result. Wise Christian leaders, as I am sure God expects, have used wisdom in their denominational set-up, and have avoided offending the Christians who like traditional services, and have created anointed worship within the structure of these services. They have, at the same time, encouraged the workings of the Holy Spirit and body ministry in their informal fellowships within their churches. Time has wisely been given to allow people to taste and adjust to the new wine.


CHAPTER 1. THE CHURCH WAS PLANNED AND ORDAINED BY GOD, NOT MEN.

A. CHRIST GAVE US THE FULL AND PERMANENT TEACHING ON CHURCH ORGANISATION.

Our submission to the Lordship of Christ is proved by our submission to His will and truth, "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine." Jn.7v17. The doctrine on Church government is as inspired and permanent a part of the foundation of Scripture truth as any other truth. Eph.2v20. 3v5. Jn.15v16. 16v13. When Christ founded the Church, He instituted its doctrine on organisation as well as its other doctrine. God conceived and planned the Church before Creation, it is not a man-made institution. Eph.1v4,5,11. Col.1v26,27. Rom.8v28-30. 1 Cor.2v7. The New Testament Scriptures are our only basis for doctrine on Church organisation as well as the other Christian doctrine. Our standard of Church organisation is not even early post-apostolic Church organisation, for the traditions of even this early period can lead us astray. The Scriptures alone are the sole rule of faith and conduct. 2Tim.3v14-17. 1Cor.14v37. 2Pet.3v2,15,16. Rev.22v18,18. God was not negligent of the organisation of the Church, He did not leave it to the discretion or ingenuity of its leaders, or to the customs of the people, district, or land where the Gospel was preached. Before creation the Trinity had ordained, planned and predestinated all things in relation to the Church and its organisation. They considered what was the best method of Church organisation to encourage spiritual growth and evangelistic success, and at the same time be suited to every age, nation and circumstance, and would survive best in persecution. When Christ founded the Church, He built it to his own specifications, design, plan and order. Mt.16v18.

God did not leave Church organisation to human ingenuity.

The same ingenuity of man, that has produced many different systems of worldly government, has been applied to Church government. This has inevitably resulted in a departure from New Testament organisation, doctrine and practice; and a consequent loss of the spiritual life and power that the early Church experienced. God did not leave the pattern of Israel's worship to the ingenuity of godly Moses. Indeed, God warned Moses to follow the exact pattern of organisation and worship that He had given him. Heb.8v5. 1Chron.28v19. God did not leave the structure of Church organisation to men's desire, ingenuity, discretion, accommodation or expediency, He has given clear details of how His Church should be organised and run. Unfortunately, Christian leaders throughout Church history have followed the example of Israel's religious leaders and built religious power structures, and replaced the divinely ordained organisation of the Church with their own traditions. This has resulted in the frustration of the Divine purposes and the disappearance of the manifestations of Divine love, life and power that were so apparent in the early Church. If it were not for the godly praying hearts in many churches, all that would be left is a dead form, which brings disillusionment and discouragement to needy souls desperately seeking God's power and blessing.

B. UNSCRIPTURAL CHURCH ORGANISATIONS OFTEN VIOLATE CHRIST'S LORDSHIP.

Church history reveals that men have arrogantly and presumptuously altered the structure of Christ's Church; they felt that they could improve upon Christ's form of Church organisation. Ps.19v13,14. Col.1v18-20. 2v6-10. If we lay aside His truth for our own ideas, we can end up with a religion, which though called Christianity, has really little to do with it. Gal.1v6-10. 2Cor.11v1-6. The Church is Christ's Church; converts are born at God's will, not at the will of men; the Church is God's flock; it is bought with Christ's blood, and it is under the superintendence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. John.1v12,13. Is.53v11. Acts.20v28. Titus.3v5. 1Pet.1v3,23. God can, and does, overlook genuine ignorance, but he cannot overlook wilful ignorance and rebellion. Acts.17v30. 1Sam.15v23.

The unity of Christ's Church cannot take place around the constitutions of men, it can only take place when the Church is subordinate to the Lordship of Jesus and the Holy Spirit and follows their directions. The true Christian finds no appeal in the organic unity of church federations, he looks and longs for a true fellowship and unity of the Spirit, and a genuine body ministry of believers, who own Jesus as Lord. If we refuse to accept the Lordship and leadership of Christ, there is always barrenness in our organisations and constitutions no matter how doctrinally correct or adequate they may seem to be. When the Church lost its first love and began to get away from God, men began to usurp God's authority and build their own religious kingdoms, while claiming that they were building God's kingdom.

The Church as God's "Ecclesia," is under His direction and control.

When God used the Greek word "Ecclesia" to describe His followers, it signified an assembly or congregation to the Jews. "Ecclesia" had been used by Israel for many years to signify a united group of people under God's control. In the Old Testament the Hebrew words for the gathering together of the Israelites are "edhah," which means "congregation;" and "qahal," which means "assembly." In the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament), "edhah" is almost always translated as "synagogue", and "qahal" usually as "ecclesia." Young states that "edhah" is "an appointed meeting," and "qahal" is "an assembly called together, a called and invited gathering."

To the Greeks, "ecclesia," meant the gathering together of the citizens of a town by an heralds trumpet, and according to Numb.10v1-3., the Israelites were gathered together in this way. So when God used the word "ecclesia," it signified an assembly to His hearers. The Hebrew equivalents had been used by Israel to signify a united group of people under God's control. God intended the Church, like Israel, to be under His permanent control, supervision and guidance. In the Gospels Jesus only spoke twice of the "ecclesia;" in Mt.16v18., He speaks of the universal and complete Church; in Mt.18v17., He speaks of the local Church which can consist of as few as two or three Christians. We see from Mt.16v18., that there is a close connection between "the Kingdom of Heaven" and the "ecclesia." The "ecclesia" are not only God's assembly, they are the visible representatives of God on earth, and under His direct control and guidance. The direction and guidance of the Church should come from God, not from organisations, committees, or conferences directed and guided by men.

God's all-embracing Church compared with Judaism and the Jewish Synagogue.

The Christian Church, "ecclesia," was no longer only Jewish, it included every person of every nation who accepted Christ as their Saviour. Gal.3v26-29. God's world-wide Church fully embraced Gentiles which the Jews did not do. The use of the word "ecclesia" would distinguish Christ's people from the Jews in their synagogues; synagogue is from "syn," which means "together," and "ago," which means "to bring." Though synagogue is used of a Christian meeting in James.2v2., Christ's words in Mt.16v18., give a strong hint of separation from the Jewish synagogue, for Jesus speaks of "My Church," as distinct from the Jewish synagogues. Christians gathered together and recognised Christ as their Lord, which the Jews certainly did not do. In Acts.19v32,39,41., the citizens of Ephesus formed an "ecclesia," that is, an assembly; the citizens of the kingdom of heaven should form an assembly in the locality where they live. The Church is not the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God, it is part of that kingdom, and its visible representative upon earth, and it preaches the coming of that kingdom on earth. Let us never forget that the headquarters of the Church of Christ is in heaven, not upon earth.

C. CHURCH ORGANISATION IS NOT A PROGRESSIVE REVELATION.

Some would say that there is no systematic explanation of Church government in the Scriptures, and that Church government is a progressive revelation, which varies according the varying circumstance or need. There may be no systematic and logical explanation of Church government in the Scriptures, but neither is there systematic teaching on other Christian doctrines and theology. There are general principals and incidental references to Church government in the Scriptures, and these combined together give a clear picture of the early Church teaching on Church organisation It is very difficult for many Christians to follow the formal prolonged doctrinal treatises and systematic theologies on Christian doctrine, as good and necessary as these may be. God, in His great wisdom, gave the basic truths of Christian doctrine simply, so that all can understand, and the Scriptural teaching on Church organisation is no exception.

The New Testament Scriptures give no support to the idea of organisational development. Indeed, these Scriptures condemn any deviation from their revelation. Gal.1v6-12. Jude.v3,4. To believe in progressive revelation outside of the Scriptures, is a most dangerous doctrine, and it has led to many soul-destroying heresies, and a denial of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Pet.2vl. 3v16. There are many cults today that have been founded on the claim of extra revelation outside of the Scriptures. The Scriptures are the only foundation for Christian doctrine and practice. These Scriptures are the revelations of God to His Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles and prophets, and the accounts of His dealings with mankind. Eph.2v20.3v5. A church organisation that defies God's pattern cannot preserve the purity and power of the Church. The statement that progressive organisational development of the Church was necessary to preserve the Church from heresy and fanaticism, has no support from Scripture or Christian experience. Church federation has nearly always led to persecution of godly Christians, and has caused far greater evils than it has cured. Jn.16v1-4. 2Tim.3v12.

Do we experience the essential heart of living truth, or do we have an empty outline of truth?

Paul uses the word "morphosin," in Rom.2v20. and 2Tim.3v5., to speak of "an outline of truth without the substance," the "morphosin" without the "morphe." In Rom.2v20., Paul says that it was folly for Jews to be proud of being chosen recipients of divine truth, when they did not obey that truth, or experience God and His truth. In 2Tim.3v5., Paul tells us to turn away from Christian forms which lack the reality and power of God. Though Scriptural constitutions and fundamental beliefs may give us a necessary outline and code of faith, they will not on their own preserve the purity of the Church. We need a heart cry for mercy, earnest prayer, and a return to early Church practices, if we are to be preserved from error. We can have correct rules of faith and conduct and resist the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that we could only preserve our spiritual life only by abiding in Himself and obeying His words. The impartation of God's life comes from seeking God, and not from church constitutions, or even from a correct doctrinal outline of truth, as valuable and necessary as this can be.

It is a disturbing fact that the constitutions of men often deny, reject some vital Scripture truths, and their teaching on Church government. It is not so spiritually demanding to depend on an organisation, or follow a formal Church order and service. To recognise and follow our heavenly Father's directions and plans, and to have His love and power operating in our churches demands real humility, prayerfulness, and a close walk with God. This is directly opposite to man's carnal nature, for flesh dominated people love their own ways, and seek for power, position, prestige, influence and wealth. The unconsecrated carnal mind loves to build its own kingdom and say, "Is this not great Babylon that I have built?" and, "I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing." Dan.4v30. Rev.3v17. Many have decided against seeking God for a manifestation of His love and power, and have chosen instead, power, popularity, and influence within a religious structure. It can be difficult and frustrating for earnest Christians to operate or manifest the love and power of God through His spiritual gifts, in churches where the leadership manifests these wrong motives, and resists the Holy Spirit and His gifts.

Are we God's "Ecclesia," or are we only His "kuriakon?"

Our English word "church," like the Scottish "Kirk" and the German "quirt," is derived from the Greek "kuriakon," which means, "belonging to the Lord," or simply, "the Lord's." The adjective "kuriakon," only occurs twice in the New Testament, where it speaks of "the Lord's supper," and "the Lord's day." 1Cor.11v20. Rev1v10. In the New Testament the word "kuriakon" is not used in reference to Christian believers, instead it uses "ecclesia," which, as we have already seen, conveys not only the thought of a people belonging to God, but also a people under His direction and control. Church federation can take the control of the Church out of the hands of God and put it in the hands of men. Christians in such churches belong to God, but as they are so often under men's control instead of God's, it is more correct to call them by the word "kuriakon," than by the word "ecclesia." The belief in the progressive revelation of Church government, and the consequent development of church organisations, has proved to be an unmitigated disaster for Christ's Church. The evils that have come as a result of a departure from New Testament organisation, and the resultant affiliation and federation of churches, cannot be over-emphasised or exaggerated. The blood of the millions of Christian dead, who have been killed in the name of God, cry out against the religious kingdoms of men that have committed the sin of Cain. Gen.4v10,11. Jude.v11.


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