Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
There there are a variety of ministries (1 Cor 12:5) serving many different churches. These churches are led by leaders who have the right and obligation to vet ministries for the sake of those they lead (Heb 13:17; Rev 2:2). Although members are charged to obey and submit to leaders, this charge is not absolute (Acts 5:29). A leader is no longer your leader if you move from his church to another, nor if his words violate your conscience.
Paul's attitude reflects that of one who understood that churches had the right to question his ministry (2 Cor 6:11-13; cf. Rev 2:2). Paul spends half of 2 Corinthians appealing to the Corinthians to consider his ministry trustworthy and worthwhile. But he stops short of commanding them to submit to him. This shows he knew they had the right to reject him if they viewed his ministry as damaging.
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This is really it isn't it? In no way does the bible support "the work" with all elders and churches under submission to one apostle or a Politburo appointed by him as his official successor. This idea cannot be found anywhere in the NT. And neither can the idea of one apostle per region running the show be found anywhere. These are just the ways and means of the LC system with no basis in scripture but have become ingrained as their traditions.