Line: Apostles and Elders
(see also Church Administration, Authority, and Leadership)
While elders are responsible for the administration of a local church (Acts 14:23), those who function as apostles (i.e., the leading co-workers) labor among the churches (Acts 15:36; 2 Cor. 11:28) and bear the responsibility to speak to and adjust the shortcomings and deviations of the churches. Some have argued that once a local church is established the apostles have no right to “interfere” with any matters in the church. These article debunk that claim and examine the New Testament pattern of apostles and elders, including their proper relationship to one another.
Who has the authority to appoint and remove elders? According to the New Testament, apostles, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, have the authority to appoint elders in the churches (Acts 14:23; Titus … Continue reading Questions and Answers about Apostles and Co-workers
The Collected Works of Watchman Nee [CWWN], vol. 22: The Assembly Life & The Prayer Ministry of the Church p. 30: The books of Timothy tell us, “Against an elder receive not an … Continue reading Selected Ministry on the Apostles’ Ongoing Role in Established Churches
To say that once a church is established the apostles, that is, the leading co-workers, should never “interfere” in that church’s affairs is inconsistent with the Bible and with the whole body of … Continue reading The Ongoing Relationship between the Apostles and the Local Churches
Whenever we seek to understand a truth from the Bible, we must take care of the principle of “here a little, there a little” (Isa. 28:10) and of caring for, but not being … Continue reading A Historical Sketch of the Ministry’s Teaching on the Practice of the Church and Its Administration
A different teaching has recently been circulated that says that those who function as apostles have no standing to touch the administration of a local church. To buttress that claim the following quote … Continue reading Being Faithful to Our Brothers’ Complete Ministry Concerning the Practice of the Church (2)
Isaiah 28:13a contains an important principle in knowing the revelation of the Bible. It shows that any truth in the Bible cannot be understood from a single passage. As Witness Lee explained: It … Continue reading Being Faithful to Our Brothers’ Complete Ministry Concerning the Practice of the Church (1)
The teaching of the autonomy of the local churches claims that apostles who touch the affairs of a local church improperly interfere in that church’s local administration. This error, which was covered in … Continue reading Genuine Local Churches, Part 2 – Following the Teaching and Leading of the Apostles