LectureshipIssue.com

Institutionalism

by JT Smith

In the late 1940s thru the 1980s especially, there was much discussion about this subject. There were also many public debates of the subject among brethren. Many of our young people today are uninformed regarding the meaning of this word as we use it. In order to thoroughly understand the subject of institutionalism, let's begin at the beginning.

The Church

The word church as used in the New Testament is a collective noun. According to Rigdon's English Grammar, pages 52-53, "A collective noun is one whose singular form may represent a group of objects; as, flock, herd, swarm. 

(a) A collective noun always represents a group of animate objects. 

(b) A collective noun may refer to its objects in either of two ways: (1) Singly, separately, individually; as, 'Your party have carnations on their coats.' (2) Collectively, as one unit in which the individuals are lost sight of; as, 'Your party has a place if it can find it'."

Since the word church is a collective noun, the above rule # 1 of grammar applies to it. It is spoken of in Acts 2:47 "Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." The word church in this context fits the # 1 illustration given by Mr. Rigdon. We sometimes refer to this usage as the aggregate or universal church because God includes all people everywhere who are being saved. This number is known only to Him.

Again, the word church, a collective noun, is spoken of collectively or # 2 according to Mr. Rigdon's illustrations. I Timothy 5:16 "If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows." (underlining mine for emphasis jts).

The work of the Lord is set forth in the New Testament. We find people working individually, in concert with others and collectively. To illustrate, let's look at Matthew 18:15-17 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' 17"And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector." Here, we have all three (individual going, two or three going and then the infraction being brought before the church (collectivity).

The Scriptures teach that a local church of Christ is an organized, functional, institutional entity. As such, it has been given certain specific, clear-cut, authorized works to perform that only this unit can perform with God's approval; and every disciple of Christ is required to join (become a part of) such a formal organization and therein serve under the control of the organization in certain works that the disciples cannot do otherwise and please God. Now let me define the above underlined words.

Local church of Christ. A congregation in a local area is spoken of in contrast to the universal. I Corinthians 1:2 "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." Matthew 16:18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

Organized. "Arranged or disposed systematically as the parts of an aggregate or body for work or action." Titus 1:5 "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you." Philippians 4:15-16 "Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. 16For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities."

Functional. "performing or fulfilling its function." I Timothy 3:15 "But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

Institutional. "Highly organized so as to include various charitable, educational, and other activities." I Corinthians 12:28 "And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues."

Entity. "existing independently, not relative to other things." I Corinthians 12:27 "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."

Body Corporate. "and is a society having the capacity of transacting business as an individual." I Timothy 5:16 "If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows."

The Church (IT) Has Responsibilities

Preach the Gospel, Edify the Saints, Care for Widow Indeed and Poor Saints. As we have already observed, the church has responsibilities given to her by God. Any work God gave a local church to do may be done by the local church without its setting up or working through any other organization!

Then notice how human institutions get in on the act. Read the following: "On Tuesday, October 23, 1849, at Christian Chapel, corner of Walnut and Eight Streets in Cincinnati, Ohio, 156 delegates met to establish the American Christian Missionary Society. Alexander Campbell, had through his writings, pushed for such a meeting from 1841 to 1848. Of the meeting W. K. Pendleton, who, because of Alexander Campbell's illness, took his place as chairman of the meeting said:

'We met, not for the purpose of enacting ecclesiastic laws, not to interfere with the true and scriptural independence of the churches, but to consult about the best ways for giving efficiency to our power, and to devise such methods of cooperation, in the great work of converting and sanctifying the world, as our combined counsels, under the guidance of Providence, might suggest and approve. There are some duties of the church which a single congregation cannot, by her unaided strength, discharge. . . . A primary object being to devise some scheme for a more effectual proclamation of the gospel in destitute places, both at home and abroad, the Convention took under consideration the organization of a Missionary Society." (by Earl West in Search for the Ancient Order, page 173).

Almost from the beginning of the New Testament church man has not been satisfied with God's arrangement of things. Paul told the elders at Ephesus, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears" (Acts 20:28-31).

Those who formed the American Christian Missionary Society did just that. Not being satisfied with the organization that God gave to preach the gospel, these brethren organized a human institution shifting the responsibility of preaching the gospel from the church to the Missionary Society. They encouraged both churches and individuals to send money to their human organization.

Much opposition came from many places. The elders of one congregation in Connelsville, PA wrote:

"We agree that the church of Jesus Christ is; in constitution and design, essentially missionary, we conceive to be an axiomatic truth. Not a missionary society, but emphatically and preeminently the missionary society - the only one authorized by Jesus Christ and sanctioned by the apostles." They further said: "We know it is thought by some, that these Societies are not separate and apart from the church, but part and parcel of her. But by a little reflection, it will be seen, that although they may be entirely composed of members of the church, (which is not often the case,) yet they are separate and distinct from her; as much so as any Free Mason or Temperance Society composed of church members. . . . Hence it follows that they are distinct organizations, separate and apart from the church." (ibid)

 Benevolent Institutions

Later brethren sought to do the same with the benevolent work of the church. In the first place brethren mistakenly (I will not accuse them of purposely doing this) used passages that contextually applied to individual action and made congregational action out of them. For example: As we read this passage in context, we see that James is speaking to the individual Christian telling him/her how to practice pure religion. Observe some of the context. James 1:25-27 "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 26If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. 27Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (Underlining and bold type is mine for emphasis-jts) Thus they used James 1:27 (and other passages directed to individual) to promote the church sending funds ($$ money) to institutional orphans and widows' homes to do the work they said God had charged to the church. Why? Because there are no passages authorizing the church to be involved in such work. The church (local congregation) is only responsible for widows indeed and needy saints (I Timothy 5:16; I Corinthians 16:1-2, et al).

But here is the "kicker." They maintained that this work (providing for widows and orphans) is the work of every local church. HOWEVER, after they supposedly prove?? this, they then say, "No! The church can't do this work. It can only send money to institutional orphan's homes and/or widow's homes so THEY can do the work.

Even though the many of the letters are written to churches (Romans, I & II Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians, et al) the majority of the instructions (probably 95 to 98%) is directed to individual members of the congregations.