Called-Out and Set-In Authority
by Dr. Patti Amsden
by Dr. Patti Amsden
The best form of government is localism. Those closest to any situation have a better understanding of the problems, resources, support structures, and the opposition. Localism does not waste resources that must be paid out to support multiple layers of bureaucracy. Localism means local leaders that can be held accountable to the people that are being served. The closer to home the governing body, the better will be the governance. Therefore, self-government is better than restraint imposed from external authorities. City governance is better than State governance. State governance is better than Federal, and Federal is better than International control. Although bad government is better than no government at all, which would lead to anarchy and chaos, God’s best is decentralized power and local governance.
The principle of localized control and authority is found in all layers of society. For example, the home is comprised of people who are in covenant with one another and functions under the direct guidance of an adult who has charge of that household. Parents raise children, feed children, protect children, and guide children through the means of one-to-one contact and direct responsibility. A business echoes the same pattern. A boss or an executive team that holds the fiscal responsibility for the company keeps an eye on the quality of the product, aptitude of the personnel, compliance to civil laws, and the satisfaction of customers. Whether through hands-on management or through a chain of command, businesses function best through localism. The bigger the chain of bureaucracy, the more susceptible a business is for waste, corruption, mismanagement, and loss of quality. The same principle applies to for civil government, which is a concept that the framers of the Constitution of the United States understood as they adjudicated for localism over centralized, Federal control.
Localism applies to Christ’s ekklesia. The church began with gatherings from house to house. As the gospel spread, local elders were appointed to oversee local meetings. Apostles arose with territorial assignments, and congregants fellowshipped and received training in local assemblies. Even the implementation of church sacraments requires localism. A believer must be baptized somewhere by someone. Communion is celebrated by partaking of the elements administered by someone. Maturation of the people of God through the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Eph. 4:11-12) insinuates that there is some form of direct contact between the trainers and the ones being trained. Also, the concept of church disciple depicts localism. Matthew 18:15-19 describes the process of dealing with a transgression as being first brother to transgressor, next witnesses to transgressor, then church to transgressor. At every step of the disciplinary process, localism is required.
Theologians define Jesus’ church as one universal church, meaning that it consists of all persons who, from any nation or in any generation, profess the Lordship of Jesus Christ and are in the household of faith. This universal church is both visible and invisible at the same time. The invisible church is the whole number of God’s elect, both living and dead. Those believers living on earth plus the great cloud of witnesses comprise the invisible church. The visible church is that part of the universal church that is on the earth. Although the kingdom does not originate from this visible earthly realm, it is administered by and seen in the earth through the visible church. The invisible church, the cloud of witness, cannot finish their job of conforming the earth to the mandates of heaven without the company of saints who are living (Heb. 11:40). The visible church acts as feet for the whole body of Christ. Where the feet go, the body goes. In every generation, the living church moves the whole church forward in the advancement of the kingdom. As the living church walks into new areas of dominion, the whole body progresses. It could be said that there has been a church in every age bringing heaven to earth and managing heaven’s business on the earth.
The visible church, although part of the whole body of Christ, gathers in local assemblies. The church or the ekklesia is not only a called out people, it is an assembled people. The ekklesia assembles to be a legislative body, as has been discussed in previous articles. Without assembling, the church could not arrive at a consensus, develop policy, share ideas, benefit from one another’s skills, conduct local church business. Ekklesia, by definition, must mean called out to come together.
In local houses, the church gathers as a body, some for the hearing, some for the smelling (I Cor. 12:17). If members of a body are not assembled, they cannot be defined as a body nor can individual parts fulfill their functions: e.g. eyes see; ears hear, feet walk, hands reach (I Cor. 12:12-17). I Corinthians 12:18 reads, “But now God has set the members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him.” God has set the members. Scripture is clear on this subject. God makes one man a teacher and one woman an exhorter. God sets one person in as an apostle and another as a giver of mercy. God not only sets the gifting in the person, He sets the gifted person into the body and, specifically, the local assemblies.
Church life, as defined in Scripture, is not about an individual choosing a local church because of the Sunday School program that their children like or because of the type of worship that best appeals to their musical palette. Members should recognize that they are set in a local house by God, planted in an assembly by God, appointed to a local ekklesia by the will of the Lord. With an acknowledgement of being called out and being set in, the believer can recognize his or her appointment and the authority that comes with that appointment. Every believer is an ambassador who represents heaven’s kingdom in their assigned earthly territory. Authority accompanies appointment.
A church that is comprised of called out and set in believers can function as an ekklesia, a governing body in a territory. Whatever they bind or declare unlawful on earth will be declared unlawful in heaven and whatever they loose or declare lawful on earth will be declared lawful in heaven (Mt. 16:19). Those believers who recognize the power and responsibility of localism can operate as Christ’s ekklesia. A church that understands local authority and local governance will manage the spiritual activity of their communities, serve the citizens through acts of charity, and influence the policy-makers through offering biblical solutions to cultural problems. Power flows to those willing to take responsibility. An ekklesia is a gathering of locally-set believers who are willing to take responsibility. Ekklesia is kingdom governance through localism.
The principle of localized control and authority is found in all layers of society. For example, the home is comprised of people who are in covenant with one another and functions under the direct guidance of an adult who has charge of that household. Parents raise children, feed children, protect children, and guide children through the means of one-to-one contact and direct responsibility. A business echoes the same pattern. A boss or an executive team that holds the fiscal responsibility for the company keeps an eye on the quality of the product, aptitude of the personnel, compliance to civil laws, and the satisfaction of customers. Whether through hands-on management or through a chain of command, businesses function best through localism. The bigger the chain of bureaucracy, the more susceptible a business is for waste, corruption, mismanagement, and loss of quality. The same principle applies to for civil government, which is a concept that the framers of the Constitution of the United States understood as they adjudicated for localism over centralized, Federal control.
Localism applies to Christ’s ekklesia. The church began with gatherings from house to house. As the gospel spread, local elders were appointed to oversee local meetings. Apostles arose with territorial assignments, and congregants fellowshipped and received training in local assemblies. Even the implementation of church sacraments requires localism. A believer must be baptized somewhere by someone. Communion is celebrated by partaking of the elements administered by someone. Maturation of the people of God through the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Eph. 4:11-12) insinuates that there is some form of direct contact between the trainers and the ones being trained. Also, the concept of church disciple depicts localism. Matthew 18:15-19 describes the process of dealing with a transgression as being first brother to transgressor, next witnesses to transgressor, then church to transgressor. At every step of the disciplinary process, localism is required.
Theologians define Jesus’ church as one universal church, meaning that it consists of all persons who, from any nation or in any generation, profess the Lordship of Jesus Christ and are in the household of faith. This universal church is both visible and invisible at the same time. The invisible church is the whole number of God’s elect, both living and dead. Those believers living on earth plus the great cloud of witnesses comprise the invisible church. The visible church is that part of the universal church that is on the earth. Although the kingdom does not originate from this visible earthly realm, it is administered by and seen in the earth through the visible church. The invisible church, the cloud of witness, cannot finish their job of conforming the earth to the mandates of heaven without the company of saints who are living (Heb. 11:40). The visible church acts as feet for the whole body of Christ. Where the feet go, the body goes. In every generation, the living church moves the whole church forward in the advancement of the kingdom. As the living church walks into new areas of dominion, the whole body progresses. It could be said that there has been a church in every age bringing heaven to earth and managing heaven’s business on the earth.
The visible church, although part of the whole body of Christ, gathers in local assemblies. The church or the ekklesia is not only a called out people, it is an assembled people. The ekklesia assembles to be a legislative body, as has been discussed in previous articles. Without assembling, the church could not arrive at a consensus, develop policy, share ideas, benefit from one another’s skills, conduct local church business. Ekklesia, by definition, must mean called out to come together.
In local houses, the church gathers as a body, some for the hearing, some for the smelling (I Cor. 12:17). If members of a body are not assembled, they cannot be defined as a body nor can individual parts fulfill their functions: e.g. eyes see; ears hear, feet walk, hands reach (I Cor. 12:12-17). I Corinthians 12:18 reads, “But now God has set the members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him.” God has set the members. Scripture is clear on this subject. God makes one man a teacher and one woman an exhorter. God sets one person in as an apostle and another as a giver of mercy. God not only sets the gifting in the person, He sets the gifted person into the body and, specifically, the local assemblies.
Church life, as defined in Scripture, is not about an individual choosing a local church because of the Sunday School program that their children like or because of the type of worship that best appeals to their musical palette. Members should recognize that they are set in a local house by God, planted in an assembly by God, appointed to a local ekklesia by the will of the Lord. With an acknowledgement of being called out and being set in, the believer can recognize his or her appointment and the authority that comes with that appointment. Every believer is an ambassador who represents heaven’s kingdom in their assigned earthly territory. Authority accompanies appointment.
A church that is comprised of called out and set in believers can function as an ekklesia, a governing body in a territory. Whatever they bind or declare unlawful on earth will be declared unlawful in heaven and whatever they loose or declare lawful on earth will be declared lawful in heaven (Mt. 16:19). Those believers who recognize the power and responsibility of localism can operate as Christ’s ekklesia. A church that understands local authority and local governance will manage the spiritual activity of their communities, serve the citizens through acts of charity, and influence the policy-makers through offering biblical solutions to cultural problems. Power flows to those willing to take responsibility. An ekklesia is a gathering of locally-set believers who are willing to take responsibility. Ekklesia is kingdom governance through localism.
