The teaching of the New Testament serves as the creed of the Christian and “furnishes him to every good work” (2 Tim. 3: 16, 17). All that is believed and practiced is to be “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3: 17). What, therefore, is taught and observed on every subject, including congregational cooperation is of great importance.

Apart from the guidance of the word, man is only limited in his ideas about church cooperation by his fertile imagination. As a result, all manner of arrangements are observed in the religious world.

Too many look to Catholicism as the model for church cooperation, seeing the ultimate source of cooperation being the Pope of Rome. However, such is a false model (Matt. 16: 18, 19, I Tim. 4: 1-6, 2 Thes. 2: 3-10).

Using the model of denominational churches in their consociations also constitutes a flawed model. Such an arrangement basically came out of Catholicism and did not exist in New Testament times (cp. I Cor. 1: 10-13).

Many have sought to persuade denominations, which have diametrically opposed teaching regarding salvation, how to live, and life after death to “unite” in their cooperation. Hence, unity-in-diversity is very common.

"All the churches, in those primitive times, were independent bodies; or none of them subject to the jurisdiction of any other…Nor does there appear in this first century any vestige of that consociation of the churches of the same provinces, which gave rise to ecclesiastical councils, and to metropolitans." (Mosheim, Ecclesiastical History, Vol. 1, pg. 72).

Elders were appointed in each local church and these men who met special qualifications only superintended where they served (Acts 14: 23, I Pet. 5: 1-3). Hence, the circumstances of a group of men (elders) serving over an area involving churches is foreign to the teaching and examples observed in the New Testament.

Local church Acts 14: 23 Local church I Peter 5: 1-3

Both the original falling away and also subsequent apostasies have involved a distortion of local church government. Such has then afforded the devil more liberty and ease in bringing in more wide-spread digression. The more organizationally bound, the more local churches can be affected in a single effort.

In the matter of the propagation of the gospel, there were no missionary societies, sponsoring churches, or other organizational tie arrangement characteristic of the work of the early local churches. The scriptures have not left man to decide how such work is to be done (cp. I Tim. 3: 15, Phili. 4: 15, 2 Cor. 11: 8).

Church Preached Church Preached

Missionary Society Local church Local church Sponsoring Church Local church Local church

“29: Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: 30: Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 11). Antioch “Churches in Judea”

“1: Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2: Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (I Cor. 16). Jerusalem Churches sending to one

God has supplied the teaching and the pattern as to how He expects things to be done. Man needs to respect what God has taught and cease attempting to “improve” on God’s arrangement, whether it be the plan of salvation for the alien sinner, the worship of the church, or how local churches function and are governed!