Our Organization
As stated, the New Testament is our pattern in all things that we do in service to God. Therefore, to find our organization, we must go to the New Testament scriptures. To begin, the local church is not a building made up of mortar and stone, but instead is made up of members of the body of Christ who work and worship together in a particular town, etc. (Eph. 1:1, 22-23). In the New Testament we read of churches in Rome, Ephesus, Corinth, etc. These were not differing denominational churches, all teaching and practicing different things, but simply congregations of Christians serving the Lord in those areas (I Cor. 4:17; 7:17). These churches were independent of any denominational organization and were self-governing, having a plurality of qualified elders (also known as bishops and pastors) to oversee their work and look out for the souls of the members (Acts 20:17, 28; I Pet. 5:1-4; I Tim. 3:1-7). Assisting the elders were the deacons who ministered to the needs of the saints (Phil. 1:1; I Tim. 3:8-13). Finally, each and every member of these congregations played a vital part in carrying out the will of Christ (Eph. 4:15-16). We are seeking to be this kind of church.
Seeking To Be Christians
We who make up the church are committed to being exactly what the Bible tells us to be. This means that we seek to be Christians, and only Christians (Acts 11:26). All man-made names, doctrines, and practices are therefore rejected in favor of the inspired word of God, which alone is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete…” (II Tim. 3:16-17)