AUTONOMY-Freedom!

1. The condition or quality of being autonomous; independence.

a. Self-government or the right of self-government; self-determination.

b. Self-government with respect to local or internal affairs: granted autonomy to a national minority.

3. A self-governing state, community, or group.

INTRODUCTION

Looking at church history is a tricky thing. We can be tempted to look at one section of the Book of Acts, or even an Epistle and come to some premature conclusions about church structure. This approach is simplistic to dangerous, depending on the conclusions reached. We know that Acts gives us an unfolding of history in a vibrant and dynamic setting. Locations, leaders, and people all develop and change as the church faced new challenges. We need to understand the historical flow of Acts to appreciate the snapshots of church structure we are given at any given moment in that flow.

A BRIEF DYNAMIC OVERVIEW

Early on in Acts (chapters 1-10) the church was ‘Jewish’ based in Jerusalem. Christianity was seen as a sect of Judaism, and converts were Jewish. Naturally, the leadership models would reflect a Jewish mindset. The center of the Jewish (and now Christian) faith was Jerusalem.

So when we look at issues being decided in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6 for example) the only ‘church’ was truly in Jerusalem. Autonomy would be a non-issue.

By Acts 10, the Holy Spirit was moving to include the Gentiles in God’s plan of salvation. The Jerusalem church had no designs to send or plant churches, but though the work of the Holy Spirit, churches began to spring up in areas such as Caesarea and Antioch.

From Acts 13 on, we see the Holy Spirit initiating the first true missionary movement with Paul and Barnabas. Please note the following:

-Acts 10/11 Peter confirms the work of God to the gentiles in Caesarea by personal witness to the leadership base in Jerusalem.

-Acts 11 The Jerusalem church sends Barnabas to confirm the work done by Stephen.

Beyond that, the gentile churches seem to develop and grow independent of any interaction with Jerusalem. And perhaps this reflects the more Roman mindset of independence within a ‘republic’. Instillation of prophets and teachers, and the appointment of elders all took place with the direct intervention of Jerusalem.

It is a beautiful thing to watch the early Gentile churches grow and blossom with the preaching of the Gospel. It appears that they worked very independently from the church in Jerusalem, attested to by Paul’s infrequent visits to Jerusalem and the extreme lengths of time between visits (Galatians 1). This ‘distance’ between the churches in the Roman world and the Jerusalem world seems to peak by Acts 21, when there appears to be almost two ‘christianities’, a Jewish and a Gentile version. As God and history move toward the destruction of the Temple 70ad, the split between Christianity and Judaism would be complete.

Yet now another dynamic is emerging. The ministry of Paul has birthed many churches throughout the Roman Empire, and many of the men he converted or trained are rising up to lead those churches. In letters to Titus and Timothy, his personal influence on church doctrine and behaviors is being exerted while he is absent. In his letter to the Galatians, he attempts to meet the needs of not just a church, but an entire region. Paul continues to group churches together by region as seen in 1 Corinthians 16:19 ”The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings.”

Titus was called to appoint elders not just in his local congregation, but throughout the Island of Crete, in “every town”. In 1 Corinthians 16:1 Paul writes : “Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do…”

By the writing of 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks to the Corinthians as part of “…you in Achaia..” and comparing that region with the Macedonians at the northern end of the peninsula. And in Colossians, Paul addresses doctrinal concerns in a church that he had not even visited .

Clearly Paul had a hand (and a heart) in the affairs of many of the churches he planted and/or watered.

This in no way nullifies the ‘self-rule’ that each of these churches appeared to have practiced. Paul had the benefit of speaking as an Apostle to each of these churches. And by virtue of inclusion of these letters in the Bible we have today, there is no doubt that the ‘advice’ given was and is inspired.

In addition, most of the direction given by Paul and others (the Jerusalem counsel in Acts 15) were doctrinal in nature. As you would expect in the early church, proper doctrine was a huge issue among fledgling congregations. And yet self-rule or autonomy seems evident in every congregation.

HERE AND NOW

So where does that leave us now? How do we interpret that brief, dynamic history for our church today? What conclusions can we come to? What is historical in nature and what was meant to be normative?

I believe the answer lies in the word ‘freedom’. While some doctrines are clearly commanded, practiced and spoken of in the Bible (baptism for example), other issues are unclear. While this can make us uncomfortable, it just gives us latitude in determining what may be good/better/best for us individually or as a congregation. I believe the concept of autonomy is one such issue.

Who else to best determine the methods of meeting needs in a congregation than those of the congregation. God has given us offices (and qualifications for those offices) to meet the needs, but has left us with the freedom to choose how best to meet the needs.

As in the Roman world, needs would vary from region to region and city to city. No one plan could ensure the meeting of all the needs universally in every city. Hence the design of autonomy, or self- rule.

BUT WHAT OF THE ACR, THE BCS AND THE ICOC?

On the other side of the coin, we have freedom in another regard. We have the freedom to organize the body of Christ in any number of ways to meet broader geographic needs outside of our cities, and to best fulfill our great commission to all nations.

The scriptures are void of prohibitions or warnings with regard to organizing into an effective body to better bring glory to God. Groups such as Missionary societies, HOPE, the ACR or BCS are not sinful or wrong. They are our opportunity to effectively reach our to a lost and hurting world. The examples of the first century provide us with a wonderful view of how churches in different parts of the world can do great things for God. How much more in today’s high-tech world were we have the ability to effectively and accurately communicate with each other.

We live in an exciting time unlike any other. The ‘structure’ or ‘composition’ of the ACR or BCS may change and evolve (and needs to), but the ability to fund foreign mission work in India, or work with an Aids clinic in Africa has never been easier. Create a better group, or make the one we have more efficient. We have the freedom to use the gifts that God has given us to do something in our generation that others have only dreamed about! Through unity in mind, heart and purpose as the body of Christ we can become all God wants us to be. Combined with the power of autonomy or local rule we can truly bring glory to God in Cincinnati.

1. Uniformity of doctrine

Acts 15

^AC^15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. ²³ With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:

^AC16:4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

^1CO^7:17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. ¹

^1CO^11:16 If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice--nor do the churches of God.

As in all the congregations of the saints, ³⁴ women should remain silent in the churches.

2. Uniformity of heart

^{1CO 16:1} Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. ² On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. ³ Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.

^1CO^16:19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. ²⁰ All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

^RO
16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. ⁴ They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

Why? Because they had served in the Churches in Ephesus, Corinth and Rome (at least).

3. Uniformity in their view of the Church.

^RO^16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the churches of Christ send greetings.