8 December, 2024

The ‘Independent’ Christian Church

by | 1 September, 2021 | 4 comments

As I write this in June, many have been seeing news stories coming from the Southern Baptist Convention. Just about all of the news has been less than flattering, and some of it has been scandalous. There have been stories connected to sexual abuse, a history of racism (and debate over critical race theory), leadership roles and speaking roles for women, and the list goes on. At the convention meeting, outgoing president J. D. Greear changed a gavel used to open and close ceremonies because the traditional gavel had been provided by an early SBC leader who was an outspoken Confederate and slaveholder.

Notable people such as Beth Moore, Russell Moore, and Anne Graham Lotz have stepped away from the SBC because of infighting and politics. Some leaders took very active roles and delivered strong opinions during this past political season, and this alienated many connected to the denomination. The winner of the SBC presidential election received 52 percent of the vote—not exactly a mandate, but a strong indicator that the turmoil will continue for quite some time. While SBC churches consider themselves independent, a denominational reality definitely exists.

I write this not to revel in the SBC’s turmoil, for any time there is scandal or dissension in Christian evangelical circles, the ripples extend outward, which has a cumulative effect on anyone who espouses an intimate personal relationship with Jesus.

In this issue, we discuss many situations and circumstances such as the SBC is facing. We must address several questions: What can we learn from them moving forward? What is the path of righteousness that we need to be led in for his name’s sake? What are we doing right that our present circumstances reinforce?

The issue of greatest concern that jumps out to me in light of the SBC’s woes involves the independence and local autonomy of Restoration Movement Christian churches. It’s a sword that cuts both ways. On one hand, there is much that being an independent church leaves wanting. A denomination is more tightly bound, providing strength in numbers and a strong unity binding individual churches together. A denomination enjoys more unified communication for its news and publishing, resources such as health care and retirement, partnerships in mission work and evangelism, tools for discipleship, stewardship, and worship, theological principles and institutions of higher education . . . the list goes on.

Independent (or only loosely affiliated) churches can be isolated and not enjoy the best ground for fellowship. Such a scenario can be fertile ground for rogue actors who push their own agendas for selfish ends.

On the other hand, independence is freeing for a local church. In large part, the Restoration Movement grew out of manipulation and coercion by denominations and denominational hierarchy. In many ways, it was a reaction to the dark side of unity that can happen when ecclesiastical structures are created and evolve. Much of the Restoration Movement in America was fueled by politics, specifically the birth of a nation founded in independence, freedom, and liberty. Some might argue that American independence was a catalyst for church independence and the Second Great Awakening.

But independence runs deeper than that. The book of Acts shows few if any denominational structures. Churches were independent, with their own elderships; they were modeled similarly to the organization of first-century synagogues. Some might argue that the primitive structure of the church was hauntingly similar to the synagogue. Denominational structures came later—and corruption came with it.

But there is a purity to the restoration of the primitive church. It isn’t easier or more efficient; oftentimes it is frustrating as opportunities are missed, assets are squandered, and best practices must constantly be reinvented. However, God does great and mighty things in the midst of simplicity, and I, for one, am deeply thankful for our independence. The leaders of the local church decide whether to buy, build, hire, fire, join, separate, save, spend, give, support (or drop support), and so on. We decide on curriculum, programs, ordination, order of worship, music style, eldership style and structure, mission statements, and core values. All responsibility falls on the shoulders of local leaders as they seek to honor the Lordship of Christ. When I sit around a table with our elders, we know that we answer to our Chief Shepherd alone, and the gravity of that truth tempers our resolve to do Bible things in Bible ways, letting the New Testament be our only rule of faith and practice.

Jerry Harris

Jerry Harris is publisher of Christian Standard Media and teaching pastor at The Crossing, a multisite church located in three states across the Midwest.

4 Comments

  1. Judy Basham

    Refreshing article! So glad to be reconnected to The Christian Standard after so many years. The purity of the RM Christian churches is the closest I’ve found to the church of the New Testament. Thank you and blessings for your endeavors as the new publisher of this great magazine.

  2. Robert Smith

    Thanks for your reflection

  3. John Namavarapu

    Dear brothers and sisters Christian Standard in Christ love,

    Greetings you and your family in the loving name of Jesus Christ,

    By the grace of God, I saw your website today, I thank God for that, I checked your website today, and I understand your wonderful work of Lord Jesus Christ, and I pray for you, your family, and your congregations and your valuable work, and India at this time. I hope for your kindness and your cooperation and your valuable fellowship for the work of the gospel of Lord Jesus Christ that we are doing in the country and I believe that you will definitely be with us. And I am a pastor. N. John from India, God willing through Sea Coast Gospel Ministry, I and some Co-Pastors whom God has given me to accompany me, we are all going to many places and preaching the Gospel of Christ salvation from village to village and from door to door, even though we have no cooperation from anyone, and our children are losing in the matter of Education Because we are all very very poor. and not dismayed that they cannot get a satisfactory meal, but carry on the gospel of Christ wonderfully, and So, what I ask of you is that we ask for your spiritual support for the evangelistic work, and for food for our families, for our children’s beds, and bicycles for my co-posters for evangelistic work, etc., which are needed, and many pastors do not have church buildings. I ask you in the precious name of Jesus Christ to be remembered in prayer,

    Especially in our churches there are some orphans and poor children, I ask in the name of the Lord that their cases also be addressed in your merciful prayer, at this time I prayed to God to speak to you for us so that the loving God will surely speak to you and give us his love and mercy through you, I fully believe in the name of Jesus Christ, and your kind goodness. I will be praying for an loving answer
    Thanking you my dear brother,
    Yours brother in His service.
    Pastor, N John,
    AP, Ind

  4. Grantone Otieno.

    Interested to be fully part of this movement.

    Looking forward to hearing from you about the same.

    In Christ service.
    Grantone Otieno.

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Columns

The Holidays’ Hard Edge

When the holiday blahs settle in, it’s time to do some self-talk and use the second half of the psalmist’s blues song to tell your soul, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5, 11). 

Follow Us