Topic(s):  Christian Life, Church

Todd Clippard

The only Divinely approved organization of the church is at the local level. There is a church universal, but it is not an organized body other than at the local level.

Elders are to oversee the affairs and teaching of the local body. Hebrews 13:7, 17 teach local members to be in submission to the eldership as they watch for our souls. Other passages concerning the eldership's role in the local body can be seen in Acts 20:28ff and 1 Peter 5:1ff.

Therefore, placing membership in a local body is necessary to fulfill the Divinely-given obligation to do the Lord's work within the only Divinely given organization for the church.

There is no such thing as "membership at large." Consider the example of Saul of Tarsus. Upon obedience to the gospel in Acts 9, he went to Jerusalem and tried to join himself to the disciples there (v 26). He was already a Christian (v 18), so even he realized the need to be joined to a local body.