Church Order by H. W. COTTRELL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · May 23, 1907

Church Order

By H. W. COTTRELL

H. W. COTTRELL

According to the Bible, Christians should form themselves into local church organizations. “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, . . . unto the church of God which is at Corinth.” 1 Cor. 1:1, 2. “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians.” 2 Thess. 1:1. The apostle addressed an epistle to the church in the house of Philemon: “To the church in thy house.” Philemon 2.

These quotations show the local nature of these churches. There was, however, in some of them a lack of complete order and organization; so Paul set Titus and himself to the task of completing the work of local church organization, and thus introducing order, as may be observed from the following quotations of Scripture. To Titus Paul said: “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting [“left undone,” margin], and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.” Titus 1:5; 1 Cor. 11:34.

Their undertaking to bring about order in the churches was in harmony with the will of the Lord. And, seeing the great Head of the church changeth never (“I am the Lord, I change not”), such work is still in harmony with his will. “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” “Let all things be done decently and in order.” 1 Cor. 14:33, 40.

The people of God were also organized, originally, in a larger, broader, and more complete manner than simply the church local. For we read, “And he [Christ] is the head of the body, the church.” In this we find a blending of all local churches, isolated individuals, and the organization of the general body, or church, and Christ proclaimed its head.

Notwithstanding, every local church should have its special servants,—elder and deacons,—and each of the larger formations of the church, as the State, union, and General Conferences, should have its chief servant, or president; yet that church, be it ever so local, or more general, that does not “reckon” Christ as its head and itself a part of the larger church, has not for its head the head of the body, hence is only weakness and darkness, and will crumble in the end.

The admonition, “Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood,” and the assurances, “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, . . . that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish,” have evident reference to the church general.

The first general council of the church was held at Jerusalem, with delegate representation, to consider and decide a question that was unsettling the minds of disciples.

After the opening of the first meeting of that, the first general session of Seventh-day Adventist Christians, the question at issue was placed before the conference by Paul and Barnabas in their recital of their experiences in the Master’s service. Acts 15:4, 5. Then followed a free discussion, after which Peter recited how God had wrought for the Gentiles through him. Barnabas and Paul followed with a similar statement, which closed the discussion. Verses 7-12. James, who was the presiding officer, made a statement of certain facts, then concluded his remarks by rendering the decision of the conference in session. Verses 19-29. The brethren who were disaffected, and all the disciples, gladly accepted the counsel of the general conference. Verses 30, 31.

A few years later, Paul succeeded James in the chief servantship,—general president,—as appears from his own statement in 2 Cor. 11:28: “Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” With these duties came the added responsibility of counseling the workers. “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting . . . as I had appointed thee.” Titus 1:5.

It was not the will of the Lord that each local church should choose individual workers from its local membership and send them forth to labor, independent of the conference of churches. When Titus, Paul’s “partner and fellow helper,” went to Corinth to engage in labor, Paul, who was in general charge of the work, said, “We have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; and not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind.” “And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you. Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.” 2 Cor. 8:18, 19, 22, 23.

Be it further carefully observed in verse 19 that this “brother” was not chosen by the local church with which he may have held local membership, but was “chosen of the churches,” which is simply a conference of churches, or the conference church, the general conference church. It is emphatically stated in verse 23 that these brethren “are the messengers of the churches.” That is, they are the messengers of the conference of churches,—the church in its larger organization. This “brother,” having been chosen by the conference of churches, was sent out by the conference executive—“We have sent with the brother.”

Our system of organization is of Bible order, and was also adopted by us under the direct counsel of the spirit of prophecy. It has withstood all the attacks made upon it.

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” The “overseers” are to serve, to “feed” the children of God. Hence it would be well for us and all others, if, when we, who have been chosen as “overseers,” speak of ourselves, we do so as “servants,” and not as “officers.”

There may be little tracts written, declaring the local church to be independent and the highest order of organization among God’s people on earth, but the large Book—the Book of God—recognizes the conference of churches, with its servants, or presidents, and Christ the supreme head. To reason otherwise in the face of these scriptures is either to “wrest the Scriptures” or to show a sad lack of careful Biblical research.

Mountain View, Cal.