The Autonomy of the Local Church

The average churchgoer likely gives little thought to the church’s organizational structure. This topic has been a critical aspect of church history, and even today, it influences how a church operates. The organizational structure of a church will affect how church business is managed, how discipline is carried out, and how the church can grow and change over time.

For these reasons, the topic of church autonomy is an important one, and one that companies like Pan American Broadcasting should consider when working with congregations. The New Testament teaches that the local church should be autonomous, but when we look at what this means, we quickly realize that many churches do not fall into this definition.

Let’s take a look at church autonomy to get a better understanding of this important Biblical concept.

What Does Autonomy Mean?

In general, the term autonomy or autonomous means self-governed. It means that an organization is not under the rule or authority of a higher entity.

When we discuss church autonomy, however, it is important to remember that the church can never be truly autonomous because it is always under the authority of God and the Word of God. So, when discussing church autonomy, we are really discussing how the church is organized and run here on earth.

Let’s be clear on another point as well: the local church vs. the universal church. When the Bible refers to “the church,” it references the universal church, the body of believers throughout the history of the world. When discussing church governance and autonomy, we refer to the local church. This would include a physical church where local believers gather to worship and serve.

With these terms more clearly defined, our question becomes, “What does the Bible teach concerning the local church’s autonomy?”

New Testament Examples

If we claim to be a New Testament church, we must use New Testament churches as our example. Thankfully, there is recorded history concerning many New Testament churches established during Paul’s ministry.

The reoccurring theme throughout studying these churches is that each church’s organization, authority, and governance began and ended with that individual local church. Indeed, the Apostle Paul and other leaders often assisted several churches. Paul was a minister to many churches as he traveled. This was out of necessity, though; it was not a directive of God that one man should travel to many churches and minister through epistle letters.

The most crucial point we can take away from the New Testament example is that no overloading, established organization ruled these churches. Each church ruled its own affairs, with the assistance of Paul as a traveling minister who provided guidance and messages from God through his epistles.

Scriptural Basis

As in all areas of life in which we believe in the Gospel, we must have a scriptural basis for this. One crucial point here is to note that not only is it important when searching through the scriptures to find overt examples of certain activities, but it is also important when you find no examples of a specific activity. This is also significant if you find no example of something being done or said. There are no examples in the New Testament churches of one church attempting to rule over another church. There is no example of a group forming or being established by God to rule over the collective New Testament churches. This is significant in our study of church autonomy.

We find 1 Peter 5:1-3 in which Paul references “the elders who are among you” should “shepherd the flock of God, which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly…being examples to the flock.” Here we see the recurring theme that the congregation’s leaders were “among” the community. They were not displaced to some other location, ruling from afar. These were local leaders leading a local church.

Also, in Acts 14:23, “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”

Individual elders were established for each church.

Responsibilities That Fall Under Church Autonomy

The scriptures clearly set an example that local leaders should lead each local church in that congregation and that the church is not obligated to outside rule or organization.

Under this church autonomy, the following responsibilities are held:

  • Church organization
  • Appointment of leaders
  • Appropriation of funds
  • Church discipline
  • Church growth
  • Other categories as deemed necessary by that local church.

Contact us to learn more if you have any questions about this concept or are interested in establishing a Christian radio broadcast!