Extra-Congregational Leadership
by Steve Dewhirst
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 21 No. 2, June 1995
“The elders who are among you I exhort...shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers” (I Peter 5:1-2). This is God’s formula for leadership in local churches. Godly men, meeting the Lord’s criteria in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1, are to shepherd local congregations in the way of righteousness. This leadership is provided through teaching and personal example, and is to be motivated by a genuine love for the Lord and the sheep.
Deacons also exercise a degree of leadership as they “take the lead” in fulfilling various responsibilities. Then, too, ministers (preachers, evangelists, etc.) provide a measure of leadership through the proclamation of God’s word. However, the terms deacon and minister can both be translated as "servant," and their roles should be recognized as servanthood. Elders have oversight; deacons and ministers do not. Additionally, each disciple is to be a “leader” in letting his light so shine that God is glorified. But notice that all scriptural leadership occurs in the local church.
The church of Jesus Christ is only organized in local congregations. There is no “central committee” that issues directives to churches everywhere. We have no “presiding bishops” or “district elders” to tell us what to do. Each local church is responsible for its own decisions. There is no such concept as extra-congregational leadership in the New Testament, except for the headship of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:22) and the authority of His apostles (Matthew 18:18). This leadership of Christ and the apostles is given through the written word, and completely equips us for every good work (II Timothy 3:16-17). This arrangement is by divine ordination and is completely sufficient to accomplish the Lord’s will. Attempts at organizing the church universal demonstrate a profound lack of faith in the Lord to build His own church for His own purposes.
So what does all of this mean in practical terms? It means that each local church is to do its own work, following only the Bible as a guide. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But men have complicated the process by assuming “the brotherhood” needs their wisdom and counsel (leadership) to survive. It’s not so much a lack of confidence in the Lord’s plan as it is a lack of confidence in the brethren — coupled with an apparent over-confidence in self.
When Paul spoke of his sufferings, he listed, “anxiety for all the churches” (II Corinthians 11:28). The problem is that some men apparently don’t know the difference between themselves and the apostle Paul! Paul had the apostolic authority to command local churches; who today may claim such authority? Now here’s the point: no one in his right mind would be so brazen as to claim such power, but men still try to exert extra-congregational leadership through intimidation in religious papers.
Even a cursory examination of Restoration History will reveal that every major controversy and every major division of brethren has begun with preachers battling it out in subscription journals. So, is every editor a black-hearted, egocentric sinner? No. Is it sinful for a man to publish a paper that teaches his views? No. Is it wrong to subscribe to the papers? No. Is it wrong for men to address errors as they see them? No. So, what’s the problem? The problem is the attitude of some brethren who feel the need to provide leadership in the universal church. The role of headship is the exclusive province of the Lord Jesus Christ! Men who feel compelled to “guide” churches everywhere manifest the spirit of Diotrophes, loving preeminence.
History furnishes damning evidence of the meddling, divisive abuse of papers as some editors and writers have sought to intimidate the brethren by “writing up” all who refuse to “toe the line.” Brethren have even been driven away from the Lord by the relentless assault of holier-than-thou watchdogs of orthodoxy. This is the very essence of sectarianism. “Follow the party line, or get out.”
So what are brethren in local churches to do? Keep busy in the Lord’s work, and ignore the meddlers. Self-important brethren can only maintain their pseudoauthority if we give it to them. Jesus was confident of His design for the church: local congregations, qualified elders, and the Bible as our only creed. Just as individuals will stand or fall on their own, so will local congregations (see Revelation 2 & 3). Yielding to outside interference is yielding to sectarian control. We don’t need it, and the Lord won’t accept it.
