COGR – Polity The COGR Way.
February 1, 2024
Good day! I am writing a series of short reviews of abbreviated COGR video clips. I am looking for input and comments. If it makes it easier, I will gladly supply a Word document so comments can be put in the document, and we can communicate directly. My email address is lattema@icloud.com. I hope you find these reviews helpful.
Transcript:
“Now there’s something important to note here, to know that John, being one of the apostles, had governing powers and authorities to write letters to the pastors of the various congregations that were scattered throughout Asia.
Now, there are some people who think that the highest level of authority is the pastor of a locality, thus making so-called Church of God congregations and their pastors as little popes that reign in their lone little dominion, much like they did in Europe in the little dominions that reigned in the kingdoms throughout Europe.
And as long as you’re within a certain boundary or in a certain locality, you are underneath only one pope. And here we see John writing letters to the seven churches of Asia.”
Commentary:
If we are not careful, we will allow others to establish the agenda. Here, Ray Tinsman has represented John as operating out of an Episcopalian/totalitarian governmental framework. However, that may not be the case. We recognize that three primary modes of government exist within the Christian church.
The first is the Episcopalian top-down approach in which power is located at the top. I would also want to point out that there are different levels of authority in different denominational settings. The COGR is an Episcopalian sort of government, but it is harshly totalitarian, extending its authority into the private lives of individual churchgoers. Other forms of Episcopalian government are not nearly so controlling.
The second form of church government is a representative form of government. Church members elect fellow members to serve in a counsel, and that counsel makes decisions. The pastor is not the head of the church, and he does not make unilateral decisions. The board or council makes the decisions. Then, there is the Congregational model in which individual members vote on decisions of consequence. One person, one vote.
That brings me back to Ray’s initial statement. It is possible that an individual in an Episcopalian type of church would have the authority to send a letter to other congregations. That letter could potentially tell those churches what they must do. That is one model. However, a Presbyterian council might grant somebody the authority to write a letter to all the churches, and that letter may advise them to take certain actions, but the churches will not be coerced into taking the action; the local council will decide what their response will be. And then there is the Congregational form of government. Even among those who have a Congregational form of government, there are often larger voluntary associations of churches. An individual who is part of that association could be authorized to send a letter to all the churches. That letter could suggest that they take a particular course of action, but it would be up to the individual churches to decide whether they were going to follow those instructions. I say this because there is nothing within the text that tells us which form of government was in place. Therefore, we cannot know whether John was commanding, asking, or suggesting.
Much to the consternation of many, the Scriptures do not command or support any church government. We do see scriptures that can be used to support any of the three models of government, but there is not a lot of support to be found regarding the enforcement of one type of government. Since that is the case we should look at the attitude that the early apostles brought to their efforts to expand the church.
Here we have three places where Jesus was guiding his apostles in regard to how they should treat others:
Mark 10:42-45 (NIV): “Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
Matthew 20:25-28 (NIV): “Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
John 13:12-15 (NIV): “When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ‘You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.’”
Paul adds to this in Philippians:
Philippians 2:3-8 (NIV): “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
It is particularly interesting to me that in Revelation 1:9, almost immediately after he has begun to write to the churches, John describes his relationship to those fellow believers. He says, “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” Which sounds much more like a coworker than it does a pope. Paul himself appears to be a co-worker with the churches. While he may have insisted that those in error heed his dictates in regard to the government of the church, he seems to have favored a collaborative effort.
As we consider church government in the early church, these things are worth considering. Nothing said here should suggest that we should diminish the importance of the early apostles. The apostles were instrumental in teaching and establishing the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. They were seen as authoritative messengers of Jesus Christ. In this sense, their authority was based on transmitting the teachings of Jesus.
Acts 2:42 (NIV): “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
In spite of their importance and the veneration that some may have shown them, it seems that the leadership style of the apostles, as seen in the New Testament, was marked by humility and service. They saw themselves as servants of Christ and the church, emphasizing a model of leadership rooted in love and sacrificial service.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (NIV): “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
The apostles were involved in significant decisions and discussions within the early church, as seen in events like the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). However, these decisions often involved consultation with other leaders and the wider community.
Acts 15:22 (NIV): “Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their “Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers.”
In summary, the early apostles exercised authority in the sense of transmitting the teachings of Jesus and guiding the early Christian communities. However, their leadership style was characterized by humility, service, and collaborative decision-making rather than top-down rule. Local congregations were also guided by elders and leaders appointed within the communities.
In conclusion, I find it quite surprising to witness the lack of self-awareness displayed by the COGR. Criticizing Protestantism and condemning the supposed creation of mini-popes as one of its faults, the COGR seems unaware that it has, in its own efforts to eliminate division, inadvertently established numerous mini-popes. This oversight alone should prompt some reflection.
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