How Far To Rome?
If I were asking the question, "How far to Rome?" in terms of miles, we all know the distance would be determined from the point of inquiry. The same can be said in regard to the church and spiritual matters. With its beginning in the local eldership, the first major apostasy required about six hundred years to develop into a full fledged ecclesiastical hierarchy. However, at the rate some congregations are going, no doubt we can make it in much less time. In fact we might travel the distance in one generation.
In establishing the church and in setting up the organization for carrying on her work, the ONLY organization known to the Bible is the local unit of organization.
In carrying out the will of God the apostles "ordained elders in every congregation." (Acts 14:23.) We read concerning the elders of the Ephesian church {Acts 20:17) and of the "bishops and deacons" in the church at Philippi. (Phil. 1:1.) Thus we rightfully conclude that the God given organization for the local unit is a plurality of deacons. Thus each congregation was given the personnel for carrying on the work that God ordained she should do, namely: (1) Preaching the gospel to the lost, Eph. 3:10; (2) Edifying its own members, Eph. 4:11-12; and (3) Ministering to its own indigent, Acts 6:1-6. All of this work is to be done under the oversight of the elders of the local congregation. The bounds and limitations of the "oversight" of elders is set forth in Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 5:2-3, to the "flock over the which (in which, R.V.) the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops" or the "flock which is among you." The Holy Spirit has never made men bishops over any congregation or anything except "the flock among them."
All will admit that each congregation MUST to the best of her ability; (1) preach the gospel to the lost; (2) Edify her own members; (3) Care for the needs of her indigent. In edifying her members, we believe it is scriptural for a congregation to conduct special classes for the purpose of training teachers, preachers, and church workers. Many congregations have practiced such through the years, but what scriptural right does one congregation have to conduct such classes for all the churches in any given area? Where is the scripture for such practice?
For several years the "Broadway" congregation in Lubbock, Texas, has conducted classes of this nature under the heading of "Lubbock Bible School." The design of Lubbock Bible School was to train teachers, preachers and church workers in the Lubbock area. Now the name has been changed to "South Plains Bible 'School," which undoubtedly is designed to include the congregations on the South Plains. This school is under the direction of the elders of the Broadway congregation, either directly or indirectly. It is advertised as being under the "direction of the Bible Chair," but the Bible Chair is under the direction of the Broadway elders. Therefore the Broadway elders are conducting classes for the purpose of teaching preachers, elders, deacons, teachers, and church workers for the South Plains area. Thus their influence for good or bad will infiltrate all the congregations that are taught in their Bible School.
No doubt the original design of such an endeavor was to train such workers for the local congregation; later its design was to train such workers for the Lubbock area. Now the design is to train church workers, preachers, teachers, etc., for the South Plains area. What will the next step be? It can only be an enlarging of territory as they are NOW operating in the universal field in (1) Benevolence; (2) Preaching to the lost; (3) Edifying the saints.) How many steps to Rome? Only time can answer that question, but only the foolish would say that we are not on the way.