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Matt. 15:13. UNDERSTANDING THE. UNIVERSAL & LOCAL CHURCH (2). INTRO: History Of Apostasy – progressive & gradual change. I. WARNINGS OF APOSTASY (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thess. 2:1-5). A. One Bishop over the Elders (departed from Acts 20:17, 28).
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UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSAL & LOCAL CHURCH (2) INTRO: History Of Apostasy – progressive & gradual change. I. WARNINGS OF APOSTASY (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thess. 2:1-5). A. OneBishop over the Elders (departed from Acts 20:17, 28). B. OneBishop without ANY Elders. C. OneBishop over many churches (departed from 1 Pet. 5:2).
UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSAL & LOCAL CHURCH (2) I. WARNINGS OF APOSTASY (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thess. 2:1-5). D. These Bishops viewing themselves as successors to the Apostles (1 Cor. 15:8). E. Bishops in major areas gained title “Patriarch”, which means “Chief Father” (Mt. 23:9). (Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem & Constantinople)
UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSAL & LOCAL CHURCH (2) I. WARNINGS OF APOSTASY (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thess. 2:1-5). F. Rome claimed to be UNIVERSALBISHOP in 606 AD. “What’s The Big Deal?” “Why fight ‘the little things’ ”? WHAT BEGAN AS LOCAL CHANGES, RESULTED IN UNIVERSAL CHANGES.
UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSAL & LOCAL CHURCH (2) II. MODERN APOSTASIES A. District & State Cooperation Meetings (early 1800’s). 1. Delegates / messengers from each local church. 2. Presidents & Secretaries elected. 3. Evangelists appointed & sent by these Cooperation Organizations. 4. Resembled Baptist Associations, out of which many early members had come.
UNDERSTANDING THE Local Churches UNIVERSAL & LOCAL CHURCH (2) II. MODERN APOSTASIES A. District & State Cooperation Meetings (early 1800’s). 5. Lead to NATIONAL Organizations like: AMERICAN CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. (Cincinatti, Ohio; Oct. 1849. A. Campbell 1st President) Christian Evangelizing Assoc. of Tenn. (1849). David Lipscomb, Sec. for Mt. District Coop. Select & Send Preachers Pay Preachers Oversee Preachers Etc. Coop. Org.
UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSAL & LOCAL CHURCH (2) III. BIBLICAL ORGANIZATION A. Independent & Concurrent Action; NOT Dependent, Centralized, or Joint Action. 1. Each congregation doing it’s own work (1 Pet. 5:2). 2. Each church directly supporting preachers (Phil. 4:15f; 2 Cor. 11:8).
UNDERSTANDING THE Each Local Church UNIVERSAL & LOCAL CHURCH (2) III. BIBLICAL ORGANIZATION A. Independent & Concurrent Action; 3. ONLY in an emergency may one church give TO another church (Acts 11:27-30; 14:23); but not THROUGH another church. Select & Send OWN Preachers Pay OWN Preachers Directly Oversee OWN Fellowship EACH DOING THEIR OWN WORK!
UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSAL & LOCAL CHURCH (2) INVITATION: Does The Church You Are A Member Of Follow The Biblical Pattern? “But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” (Mt. 15:13)