Church Organization
319
reject the means that He has ordained for the help, encouragement,
and strength of His people. For any worker in the Lord’s cause to
pass these by, and to think that his light must come through no other
[247]
channel than directly from God, is to place himself in a position where
he is liable to be deceived by the enemy and overthrown.
The Lord in His wisdom has arranged that by means of the close
relationship that should be maintained by all believers, Christian shall
be united to Christian and church to church. Thus the human instru-
mentality will be enabled to co-operate with the divine. Every agency
will be subordinate to the Holy Spirit, and all the believers will be
united in an organized and well-directed effort to give to the world the
glad tidings of the grace of God
As all the different members of the human system unite to form
the entire body, and each performs its office in obedience to the intelli-
gence that governs the whole, so the members of the church of Christ
should be united in one symmetrical body, subject to the sanctified
intelligence of the whole
Election and Ordination of Local Church Officers
The Apostle Paul writes to Titus: “Set in order the things that are
wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: if
any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children
not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as
the steward of God.”
Titus 1:5-7
. Lay hands suddenly on no man.”
1
Timothy 5:22
.
In some of our churches the work of organizing and of ordaining
elders has been premature; the Bible rule has been disregarded, and
consequently grievous trouble has been brought upon the church.
There should not be so great haste in electing leaders as to ordain men
who are in no way fitted for the responsible work—men who need to
be converted, elevated, ennobled, and refined before they can serve the
cause of God in any capacity
444
The Acts of the Apostles, 164
445
Testimonies for the Church 4:16
446
Testimonies for the Church 5:617, 618