Ekklesiatime VI: Congregationalism

This post was supposed to be the last in this series on Congregationalism in the Ekklesia: Consensus in the Ekklesia. In the mean time though I thought about one more little knot that needs tying off in looking at the experience of Congregationalism in the New Testament.

Again, I reiterate; the truth of Congregationalism in the NT isn't an option that you might be able to see in the NT scriptures if you agree with me: it is written all through the NT for all to see, and its reality is as sure as the truth of the Trinity in the NT. That may be a bit of a problem for some of you – especially 'church' leaders – from certain backgrounds like pentecostal/charismatic, but you have the truth right here and you won't get out of it by pretending it isn't true.

That point I refer to is examining to whom the NT letters are actually addressed. In other words, we have a great body of writing and revelation in the NT: to whom is it actually entrusted? Who are the New Testament letters to?


Matthew: none

Mark: none

Luke: Theophilus

John: none

Acts: Theophilus

Romans: To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called saints:

1Cor: To the ekklesia of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all those who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

2Cor: To the ekklesia of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:

Galatians: To the ekklesias of Galatia:

Ephesians:    To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus

Philippians: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the elders and deacons:

Colossians: To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ in Colosse:

1Thess: To the ekklesia of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2Thess: To the ekklesia of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

1Timothy: To Timothy, a true son in the faith:

2Timothy: To Timothy, a beloved son:

Titus: To Titus, a true son in our common faith:

Philemon: To Philemon our beloved and fellow laborer, to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the ekklesia in your house:

Hebrews: holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling... (Heb 3:1)

James: To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:

1Peter: To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2Peter: To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

1John: My little children

2John: To the elect lady and her children

3John: To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:

Jude: To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father,
        and preserved in Jesus Christ:

Rev: to the seven ekklesias which are in Asia:

Clearly, the majority of NT scripture is addressed specifically to the ekklesias or the saints generally: 16 out of the 27 books. Of the remainder, three are addressed to no one, and seven are addressed to a particular person. None are addressed to the elders of any ekklesia (the elders are mentioned secondarily in Philippians). None are clearly addressed to a particular elder (Timothy and Titus were members of Paul's apostolic team, and probably qualify as 'apostles' thereby. I have heard them referred to as 'Apostolic Delegates', but either way they were a part of Paul's apostolic team – along with Sosthenes, Silvanus, and others – sent by him wherever he had need, and recalled by him to be sent somewhere else. This pattern is clear over the Pauline letters.)

This is not at all to disparage the role of the elders in the ekklesia – they are clearly a vital part. But they are not the only part, and they do not rule the ekklesia. Vast portions of the body have labored under an imbalanced view of it, and we need to restore that Biblical balance.

It was good for Paul and Titus!