Quote:
Originally Posted by testallthings
It is a clear historical fact that there was only one church in one city.
Ignatius of Antioch, a student of the Apostle John, and the third bishop of Antioch, while on his way to be martyred in Rome, wrote to
“the Church which is at Ephesus, in Asia,”
“the Church which is at Magnesia, near the Moeander,”
“the holy Church which is at Tralles, in Asia,”
“the Church...which also presides in the place of the report of the Romans”
“the Church …. which is at Philadelphia, in Asia,”
“the Church which is at Smyrna, in Asia,”
https://www.ewtn.com/library/PATRISTC/IGNATIUS.HTM
Regarding authority in the church he writes to the Ephesians (and to other churches, too)
CHAP. V.--THE PRAISE OF UNITY.
For if I in this brief space of time, have enjoyed such fellowship with your bishop--I mean not of a mere human, but of a spiritual nature--how much more do I reckon you happy who are so joined to him as the Church is to Jesus Christ, and as Jesus Christ is to the Father, that so all things may agree in unity! Let no man deceive himself: if any one be not within the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God. For if the prayer of one or two possesses[4] such power, how much more that of the bishop and the whole Church !He, therefore, that does not assemble with the Church, has even[5] by this manifested his pride, and condemned himself. For it is written, "God resisteth the proud."[9] Let us be careful, then, not to set ourselves in opposition to the bishop, in order that we may be subject to God.
CHAP. VI.--HAVE RESPECT TO THE BISHOP AS TO CHRIST HIMSELF.
Now the more any one sees the bishop keeping silence,[10] the more ought he to revere him. For we ought to receive every one whom the Master of the house sends to be over His household,[11] as we would do Him that sent him. It is manifest, therefore, that we should look upon the bishop even as we would upon the Lord Himself. And indeed Onesimus himself greatly commends your good order in God, that ye all live according to the truth, and that no sect has any dwelling-place among you. Nor, indeed, do ye hearken to any one rather than to Jesus Christ speaking in truth.
“The model of church organization that was formed during the first three centuries of Christianity was based on the principle of "one city-one bishop-one Church", which foresaw the assignment of a certain ecclesiastical territory to one concrete bishop. In accordance with this principle, the "Canons of the Apostles" and other canonical decrees of the ancient Church point to the inadmissibility of violating the boundaries of ecclesiastical territories by bishops or clergy.”
http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articl...nOneBishop.php
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Dale Mody, The Word of Truth: A Summary of Christian Doctrine Based on Biblical Revelation, page 435
https://books.google.com.tw/books?id...page&q&f=false
or see the attached PDF file |
It is good to quote the thoughts and practices of the early church by referencing a student of the teachings of John. It is not Scripture but it proves the thoughts and practices of the early church match somewhat match Nee's. Nee in his much reading probably drew these insights from similar sources.
The difficulty I have personally with these writings, is that they seemingly reflect the Orthodox or Catholic church model, or the clergy-laity system, by the use of the word "bishop". Afterall, the early church fathers are used to support their clergy-laity model, when we know from past history that this sort of arrangement was introduced later, along with the notion of paid priestly positions and "Christian tithing".
King James for example, made sure the King James Version was subservient to the views of the Church of England, namely, that the clergy-laity system was distinct, by using the term 'bishop' when 'elder' is a more appropriate term. A bishop, in the KJV, implies a ruler over elders. In many people's minds, these are the clergy with the funny hats and the shepherds crooks, and are also powerful pieces on a chess board.
So we should clarify this further, by finding what the real meaning of the word means:
http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/bishop/
Dictionaries - Easton's Bible Dictionary - Bishop
Bishop [N] [B] [S]
an overseer. In apostolic times, it is quite manifest that there was no difference as to order between bishops and elders or presbyters ( Acts 20:17-28 ; 1 Peter 5:1 1 Peter 5:2 ; Phil 1:1 ; 1 Timothy 3 ). The term bishop is never once used to denote a different office from that of elder or presbyter. These different names are simply titles of the same office, "bishop" designating the function, namely, that of oversight, and "presbyter" the dignity appertaining to the office. Christ is figuratively called "the bishop [episcopos] of souls" ( 1 Peter 2:25 ).
So not only do we have historical fact regarding one church per city, the view that Nee held of one eldership or presbytery per city church is also fact.
There is a remaining question and one which is disputed - who has the (human) authority to appoint the elders? It was the apostles:
Acts 14:23 "Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church ".
That it was the apostles Paul and Barnabas and not Peter, somewhat disproves the Papal claims about church structure and (human) authority in the early church.
But how did the apostle Paul choose?
We can see from
Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
that it was by prayer and fasting, the Holy Spirit made clear who should be appointed. Then Paul and Barnabas laid hands on them and appointed them.
But who chose Paul and Barnabas for this task ? Acts 13:1-3 says that Paul and Barnabas themselves were chosen by the Holy Spirit through the prayers of the church at Antioch. Paul was one of the leading members of the church at Antioch. Yet as a leading one, Paul did not presume to go without the prayers, worship and fasting together with church prophets and teachers. The church at Antioch was the first Gentile church. Paul's ministry was chiefly to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15).
We can note that the appointments of elders in each church was God's, through the apostles, and the apostles sending were God's, through the church. The appointments were not by theological qualification or democratic election. The appointments were not Paul's own desires but God's.
Could it be any clearer that God has not authorized "just anyone" to start a church based upon their own thinking and feeling?,
Today in Christianity, when a young pastor achieves their theological qualification, no doubt they will undergo a period of training before being tasked to go out and start their own "church plant". But they are not planting a genuine church as per the model given in the book of Acts. They are planting a sect, a division, based upon human decision.
Such an appointment according to theological qualification, natural leadership ability or charisma is not how churches are planted according to the Bible.
Many Christians, claiming to know their Bible and follow it, are clear about God's will concerning loving God, loving neighbors, baptism, faith, repentance, and spreading the gospel based upon the plain words of the Bible.
Very few, regard the biblical church model and the biblical way churches are planted.
Is it any wonder that Christianity is in such a mess?
From my personal experience, my first church experience was a young pastor who was trying to make his new church plant work. He was fresh out of training and confident that he could do it and show his senior pastors his abilities. He fully believed he was called by God. The church was flourishing initially, there were claims of salvation's and healing's. There were words of prophecy, dreams and visions that the church would grow and flourish. Within a year that church died. I soon realized that what I experienced was not a real church. God's way is the only way we should take.
Some here have wondered why we focus so much on God's economy, dispensing etc. Why not just go out there and "do it"? Well stories of presumption like this young pastor is the reason why. Christ said to make disciples and build His church. But He never told us to do it without Him. We need to seek God's face to get the answer from Him.