From time to time, it is good to revisit questions that brethren have debated in the past. If we fail to do this, there is a danger that the next generation can fall into the same errors that faithful brethren once opposed. A lack of understanding leads to apostasy. This was what happened to the Israelites after Joshua and his generation were gone: “There arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel. Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals” (Judges 2:10-11). We should try to prevent such apostasy through teaching.
The question we will consider here is this: Can local congregations work together? If so, how? This issue has been called congregational cooperation or church cooperation. In this article, we are going to consider what the Bible has to say that will help us answer this question.
What We Must Understand Before Answering That Question
First, we must understand the need for authority. Paul wrote, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). However, it is not enough to simply claim to be doing things for the Lord. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23). In other words, there will be people who are doing things for the Lord that will be turned away because their works constitute lawlessness (that for which they have no law/authority). Paul told Timothy, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me” (2 Timothy 1:13, NKJV). We must follow the pattern that has been given to us in the word of God.
Second, we must understand the definition of the local church. A local church is a body of Christians in a local place that has joined together to serve God. It is not enough for these Christians simply to live near each other – they must be joined together based upon mutual agreement (Acts 9:26). The New Testament describes local churches as independent, which means they do not rely upon other churches to do their work. The local church as God designed it is sufficient on its own, without the aid of other local churches, to uphold the truth and build itself up (1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 4:16). The New Testament also teaches that local churches are autonomous or self-governing. They are overseen by the elders “among” them (1 Peter 5:2) – not elders or anyone else in other locations. Above the elders in the local church is only Christ (1 Peter 5:4).
Third, we must understand the work of the church. In the New Testament, we see that God has given the church the works of evangelism (1 Thessalonians 1:8), edification (Ephesians 4:11-12), and limited benevolence (Acts 4:32-35; 11:29-30). Evangelism might be carried out by supporting preachers, printing literature, hosting radio programs, and so on. Edification might be carried out by acquiring a meeting place for the church to assemble, purchasing class materials, and more. Benevolence is accomplished by providing help – either in the form of money, goods, or services – to needy saints. All of these can be done by local churches working independently and autonomously.
Possible Ways Churches Might “Cooperate”
For now, I am deliberately using the word “cooperate” loosely. I want to first notice how the term may be used by people, regardless of the accuracy of it. Not all of these examples necessarily require coordination or even knowledge of activity between churches. I am also not differentiating for now between what is authorized and unauthorized (though it may be apparent as we go through the list). I am simply listing ideas. With that said, consider some possible ways that churches might “cooperate”:
- Working independently toward the same goal – While the church in Thessalonica was sounding forth the gospel in Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thessalonians 1:8), Paul was working with the church in Corinth (located in the region of Achaia) preaching the gospel (Acts 18:8-11). However, there was no coordinated effort between these two churches; they were simply working independently to accomplish the same goal – spreading the gospel. Other congregations in different places were also doing the same thing at this time.
- Supporting a preacher – When Paul was in Corinth, he received support from other congregations: “I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you” (2 Corinthians 11:8). These churches that were supporting Paul’s preaching work in Corinth were not cooperating in the sense of coordinating together or even in making arrangements with the church in Corinth. They communicated directly with the preacher receiving the support. There was no coordinated effort by the various congregations in this.
- Relieving needy saints – Paul told the Romans, “For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem” (Romans 15:26). Paul indicated that he was traveling to Jerusalem and would deliver the funds that had been collected by the various churches for the needy Christians in Jerusalem (Romans 15:25). However, this did not mean that the churches were coordinating their efforts. As Paul made clear in his letter to Corinth, each congregation was to collect its own funds and choose its own messenger for carrying those funds to the recipients (1 Corinthians 16:1-4). Rather than coordinating together, the brethren in these congregations were aware of a problem and independently chose to help the ones who were affected.
- Jointly funding/operating an evangelistic effort – In this case an evangelistic effort (Bible study, gospel meeting, television program, etc.) might be planned by either individuals or churches. The joint effort would then be funded and/or executed by two or more local churches. There is no New Testament passage that talks about this type of arrangement.
- Sending funds to one church to do a particular work – In this arrangement, one congregation decides to do a particular work – such as a nationwide radio program – and other congregations help by sending funds to the church engaged in the work. This has been called the “sponsoring church arrangement.” There is also no New Testament passage that hints at this sort of work being done in the first century.
- Supporting an organization to preach – This is similar to the previous point, but in this case, rather than churches sending funds to another church, they send it to an organization to do the work of preaching the gospel. This organization might be a “missionary society” or an association made up of representatives from the various contributing churches. In either case, we find nothing like this anywhere in the pages of the New Testament.
Is Any Form of Congregational Cooperation Authorized?
How can we determine whether a particular way of “cooperation” is authorized? First, we must go to the Scriptures. The word of God constitutes a pattern for us (2 Timothy 1:13) and we will be judged based upon how we have followed it (John 12:48). In addition to that, we also need to understand the nature of the work. There is a difference between churches working concurrently and churches working jointly.
- Concurrent action – We need to be careful with this definition. If you look up the word in the dictionary, it could be defined as anything from mere simultaneous action to joint participation. For our purposes, I am defining concurrent action as action by multiple parties (churches) that is not coordinated and not inherently connected. In other words, one party could stop without affecting the other.
- Joint action – This involves two parties (churches) working together directly, under a common oversight, and sharing the work and/or expenses.
Let us notice some examples of concurrent action versus joint action by local churches:
- Two churches plan to promote the gospel through a week-long gospel meeting – Working concurrently, each local church will plan, prepare, fund, and carry out its own meeting. Working jointly, the churches will come together and plan, prepare, fund, and carry out one joint meeting.
- Two churches plan to preach the gospel through a radio program – Working concurrently, each local church will purchase its own air time at the radio station and use it to preach the gospel. Working jointly, one church will conduct a radio program while other churches contribute funds to the first church so that their program can be carried on more stations and reach a larger audience.
- Multiple churches want to send men out to preach in different places (foreign or domestic evangelism) – Working concurrently, each local church will select what preacher(s) they will support. These could be men they send out or ones who are already planning to travel to or are already living in the area where they will be preaching. Working jointly, the churches will meet together, select the preacher(s) and the field and fund their “mission.”
- Two individuals (members of different congregations) plan to organize a Bible study – In this case, there would be no concurrent action on the part of the churches, only individual action. The individuals would do everything to plan, prepare, and carry out the study. However, this would turn into joint action by the churches if the individuals went to their respective churches and convinced them to provide funds for the facility, materials, advertising, and whatever else was deemed necessary for this effort.
Again, we need to emphasize the need for authority (Colossians 3:17). There is no Bible authority for local churches to work jointly. It does not matter if the work is planned and executed by churches, organizations, or even individuals. When local churches work together jointly, they are no longer operating independently and autonomously as the Lord revealed to us in the pattern found in His word.
Why Is This Important?
Some may think these matters are inconsequential. But we must remember the warning in Scripture that we are not at liberty to do just anything that seems like a good idea to us. The wise man said, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Remember what Jesus said about those who did all sorts of works in His name. Because these works were unauthorized – regardless of the motive of the individuals involved – they were condemned (Matthew 7:22-23).
Others may simply look at the end results and conclude that if more people are taught or converted, then the working arrangement that led to that result must be acceptable. This is the mentality that “the ends justify the means.” However, notice what Paul told the brethren in Corinth: “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17). His point was that his responsibility was to do what the Lord instructed him to do (preaching). It was not his responsibility to produce results (conversions/baptisms). Paul said later, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Rather than deviating from the pattern that God has given us in order to increase our numbers, we should do things God’s way and allow Him to give the increase.
There are consequences for disregarding the pattern that God has given us when it comes to this issue:
- We are disobeying God – This is not just about a “slippery slope” where one action might lead to something that would be sinful. In this case, the action itself – local churches working jointly rather than independently and autonomously – is sinful because it is not in harmony with the pattern found in the New Testament (2 Timothy 1:13). We are to do everything by the authority of Christ (Colossians 3:17). Simply claiming to do something “in His name” does not mean that we are actually obeying Him (Matthew 7:21-23).
- The next generation does not learn respect for Bible authority – As we noted at the beginning of this article with the example of the Israelites following the death of Joshua and his generation (Judges 2:10-11), if a generation arises that does not respect God as they should, they will disobey God. By disregarding the pattern that God has given us, we are teaching the next generation that God does not need to be respected and His word does not need to be followed.
- The floodgates are open to any number of errors – Paul stated the principle in his first letter to Corinth: “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?” (1 Corinthians 5:6). His point was that when sin is allowed to remain unopposed in a local church, it will spread throughout the church – not necessarily the same particular sin; but because of the casual attitude that has developed toward sin, other sins will arise. Paul warned Timothy of the progressive nature of sin: “But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13).
- Interdependent churches allow error to spread more rapidly and effectively – After instructing the Ephesian elders to guard the flock (Acts 20:28), he warned them of the threats that would come from outside of the church and from within: “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30). It will always be true that error can be introduced from ones outside the church and that error can develop from within the church – even among the leaders of the church. But when you have churches working together jointly, these two potential avenues for error are merged, making it much easier for sin and false teaching to spread into and through the church. One of the benefits to churches being autonomous as God intended is that there is a natural buffer in place when one church goes off into apostasy. That safeguard is removed when brethren bind their congregations together through collective works and organizations.
Conclusion
The Lord wants the gospel to be spread, but He also wants us to follow His plan in doing so. We need to trust Him enough to do things His way and let Him give the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). To do something other than what He has authorized reflects either a lack of faith in Him or a lack of understanding of His word.
