So, What About Para-Church Organizations?

AS AN INDEPENDENT BAPTIST FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS, I REALIZE THAT OUR MOVEMENT HAS SOME EXTREMELY UNBIBLICAL, EVEN ANTI-BIBLICAL, PRACTICES AND BELIEFS THAT ARE TIGHTLY WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF "OUR GROUP". ONE SUCH SET OF PRACTICES AND BELIEFS LIES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE NEW TESTEMENT LOCAL CHURCH. MOST INDEPENDENT BAPTIST'S WOULD SAY, "WE ARE STONG LOCAL CHURCH PEOPLE!" BUT ARE WE? I WANT TO LOOK AT THE DOCTRINE OF THE "LOCAL CHURCH" AND AT THE "PARA-CHURCH" and DEAL WITH AN EXTREEMLY UNSCRIPTUAL and ESPECIALY TOUCHY SUBJECT THAT IS LODGED TIGHTLY INTO OUR INDEPENDENT BAPTIST MOVEMENT.

What is a para-church organization? Any organization attempting to minister in the name of Jesus Christ that is not under the authority of a local church and the God given authority in that church, the pastor, is a para-church organization. This would include any Christian radio station, any mission agency, any Christian college or university, any organization whose goal is to minister to or evangelize a particular group, or any newspaper or other publication that is not based in a local church. If I have left any out I am sure that this is a good enough definition that you can fill in any omissions.

Clearly, God's promise of His presence, His power and His perpetuity are all to the Church. The Word of God has no promises of any kind for the para-church organization. In fact the para-church organization has no basis in Scripture at all. The only body directed to carry out the work of the ministry is the local churches. Any other organization taking upon itself the authority or responsibility given to the churches is not only non-Biblical, BUT AS I BELIEVE I CAN DEMONSTRATE, is anti-Church as well.

What difference does it make? It makes ALL of the difference in the world. God has a plan for how He wants His work to be done. If we are to be His servants we must do His work His way. If we are to be successful we must do His work His way. IN FACT SUCCESS IS FAITH TO BE OBEDIENT and any variance from His plan takes it away from being God's service, and it becomes AN UNBIBLICAL SERVICE. WE CAN'T FAULT THE HUMANIST, WHO DOES THAT WHICH IS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES THEN DO THE SAME THING. There are many widely received and highly esteemed para-church organization within our Independent Baptist Movement. I believe that they are unscriptural. Yet, many would say, "We can't do the job without these organizations!" I say we can. Some would say, "It's to late to do anything about it!" Yet, I believe with the help of God, many unscriptural ministries could get right. None of these organizations are self-manned or self-supporting.

I am only aware of one radio "network" that isn't a para-church organization, that is Fundamental Broadcasting Network. FBN is a ministry of Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Newport, North Carolina. There are many local churches that run radio stations. These are totally Biblical and a very good use of the resources God has placed within the church.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES like Bob Jones University, Pensacola Christian College and Bible Baptist College of Springfield, Missouri are examples of para-church schools. None of these schools are under the authority of a local church and the pastor of that church, according to the authority structure God has ordained for this age. In the last several years, I've learned of several smaller colleges that have sprung up as the ministries of local churches and their pastors. The church is to train Christian leaders and the churches are to send forth and support the men God calls into church planting work. It is sad to see so many churches relinquish their responsibilities. Is it any wonder that para church organizations are popping up all over, the men and women over these ministries probably attended schools without a church and a pastor.

How many churches take a truly personal and active role in preserving, producing and distributing the Scriptures? This responsibility has so often been given to Bible Societies and other kinds of para-church organizations, yet it is the church and only the church which is called the pillar and ground of the truth.

WHEN I'M DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT OF THE ANTI-BIBLICAL NATURE OF THE PARA-CHURCH MINISTRY, SOME WILL SAY THINGS LIKE, "IT JUST SEEMS THAT THE MINISTRY HAS BEEN BLESSED", OR THEY'LL SAY, "THE MINISTRY HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO SO MANY". Ministries like The Sword of the Lord, while they have been helpful to many over a great number of years, are para-church organizations. How hypocrital to condemn the modern life-style of "SHACKING-UP", from the stand point that God has ordained that a man and a woman live together only within the bounds of marriage, then we go and "SHACK-UP", with colleges and mission boards that have gone away from the Local Church. It's kind of funny, every argument I've heard from the lost and in sin for living together outside of marriage are very similular to the arguments for Ministries operating outside of the Local Church.

What about mission agencies? All mission agencies that are not operated by a local church are para-church and outside of God's authority structure. This includes BIMI, BBFI, Baptist Mid-Missions, and scores of others. The responsibility for sending and supporting missions rests solely upon the local church. The missionary that trusts his mission agency to take care of him on the field has put his faith in a "house built upon the sand". This local church is to be our mission board! This is a proper Bible pattern. It is the only way to have the authority one needs for fulfilling the Great Commission. Consider the following. To what organization did God give the authority to discipline? The local church (1 Corinthians 5; Matthew 18:15-17). To what organization did God give the authority to administer the ordinances - Baptism and the Lord's Supper? The local church (1 Corinthians 11:1,2,20-34). To what organization did God give the authority of oversight? The local church (Titus 1:5-16; 1 Timothy 3). What organization is called the pillar and ground of the truth? The local church (1 Timothy 3:15. Further, to what organization did God give the authority of carrying out the Great Commission? The local church (Matthew 28:18-20). When the resurrected Lord gave the commission of world evangelization, He gave it to the church of Jerusalem which already existed with baptized members (Acts 1:17), leaders (the apostles), organization (Acts 1:13-26), and discipline (Matthew 18:15-17). Those who were saved on the day of Pentecost were "added" to that already existing church (Acts 2:41). Some object to independent missionaries and church planting, saying it lacks proper authority. Independents are looked upon as rogues, lone wolves, and authorities unto themselves. Can a board or para-church organization discipline a Christian missionary? By what authority can they do so? Where do they find such authority in Scripture? Who, then, are the rogues, the rebels against authority? Of course, some boards are little more than CLEARINGHOUSES. This is somewhat different as long as the missionary is working directly under his church for authority and discipline.

How do we avoid the shift toward para-church organizations? simple, Keep your TREASURE and your TALENTS in your church or in a local church ministry. Don't send your talented young men off the anti-Biblical Bible schools to be trained for the ministry. TRAIN THEM YOURSELF OR DIRECT THEM TO SOUND LOCAL CHURCH COLLEGES. Don't send your missionaries to anti-Biblical agencies to be sent to the field. Send them yourselves or send them through a solid local church based mission board. THEY DO EXIST. There are many churches that do this already. The methods and procedures are already available to be learned. It is the responsibility of THE LOCAL CHURCH to see that our missionaries are cared for. SUPPORT LOCAL CHURCH MISSIONARIES. AT LEAST PLACE A STRONG EMPHASIS ON THAT AND LET IT BE KNOWN WHY.

SUPPORT LOCAL CHURCH RADIO STATIONS. THE REASON SO FEW CHURCH'S HAVE A RADIO MINISTRY IS BECAUSE there ARE ENORMOUS COSTS INVOLVED. IF YOU ARE BLESSED WITH A GOOD LOCAL CHURCH RADIO STATION, PATRONIZE THAT STATION. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL LOCAL CHURCH STATION and it is preaching you want, ask the pastor if you can start a tape lending library for your church. Most Christians have a variety of tapes in storage at home. Ask them to donate them to the church's lending library and the supply should be substantial. Any time an evangelist comes to your church, the church could purchase a collection of his tapes to add to the library and his three-day meeting can go on for weeks and months to come.

The issue is doing God's work God's way. God chose the local church. We as His people should honor His choice. IN A DAY WHEN SO MANY FOLKS ARE "SHACKING UP" BECAUSE THEY THINK IT WORKS BETTER THAN GOD'S ORDAINED INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE, LET'S DON'T FOLLOW SUIT AND LEAVE THE LOCAL CHURCH. LET'S DO IT GOD'S WAY. Authority is an important matter. The Lord Jesus Christ has all power and authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18-20). It is on this basis that we go into the ends of the world, into every nation, regardless of what kings and governments might dictate. The one who has ALL authority has sent us. Yet God has also determined that authority be entrusted to men under Him. The man has the authority to be the head of his home. The husband is the head of the wife. Pastors have the authority to oversee the church (Acts 20:28). Governments have the authority to punish evil and reward good (Romans 13). Likewise, local churches hold the earthly authority connected with the Great Commission, which means that this most essential work is to be done in, through and by the churches. As we have seen, it is only the church which can discipline Christians, only church leaders which are given the oversight of God's work, only the local church which can administer the ordinances. This is the pattern and teaching of the New Testament. Churches of the first century were independent, each with its own leaders, having no organizational inter-church relationships whatsoever, discipling their own people, training their own leaders, proclaiming the Gospel near and far, sending forth their own missionaries. Even prayers for healing are to be done in the context of the local assembly (James 5). For those who might think I am carrying the responsibility of the local church too far, consider the way God has exalted it in Scripture. The Local Church--the Pillar and Ground of the Truth: It is the local church which is called the pillar and ground of the Truth, the House of God (1 Timothy 3:15).

The Local Church -- More than 100 direct New Testament references.