COMMENT - The "Local Church"

Yesterday, one of the members of the Plymouth Brethren Discussion Forum, stated that tradition's fundamental conviction regarding the biblical witness to the Church with such simplicity and clarity that I was compelled to respond. Although my response was in the form of a series of questions, I believe that it can serve as a goad to a fuller appreciation of the New Testament witness to the Church.

THEOLOGICAL AFFIRMATION:
There is no scriptural mandate for any organization other than the local church.

FIRST RESPONSE - A QUESTION ABOUT METHOD

1A. Can you outline what is required to establish that a given practice/claim has a "scriptural mandate"?

1B. Is the practice of the New Testament church as recounted in the New Testament sufficient to establish a scriptural mandate? Does one need explicit Apostolic instruction to establish a scriptural mandate? Or, is a combination of both required to establish a scriptural mandate?

SECOND RESPONSE - TWO QUESTIONS CONCERNING CONTENT

2A. Since the New Testament's statements regarding the the church in a specific locale seem to have a multi-congregational organization in view, I was wondering if - contrary to the typical Plymouth Brethren pattern - you were assuming this multi-congregational definition of "local church" in your affirmation?

2B. If you aren't assuming this multi-congregational organization, then I was wondering if you might outline your scriptural mandate for setting this New Testament pattern aside?

3A. Since the New Testament envisions certain men having authority to appoint leaders for the multi-congregational organizations that exist in various geographical locales - Timothy and Titus come readily to mind in this regard - I was wondering how the Plymouth Brethren currently implements this aspect of the scriptural mandate regarding the "local church"?

3B. If the Plymouth Brethren does not currently implement the multi-congregational pattern found in the New Testament, then I was wondering if you could present the scriptural mandate upon which Plymouth Brethren theologians, bible teachers or leaders have based their decision to set this New Testament pattern aside?

3C. If the portion of the Plymouth Brethren movement with which you fellowship has in fact implemented the multi-congregational pattern found in the New Testament, including the establishment of men with trans-congregational authority, I was wondering how it went about establishing/recognizing such trans-congregational leaders?

THIRD RESPONSE - A QUESTION CONCERNING PRINCIPLES

The two previous questions presuppose that the theological principle assumed by your affirmation is true. The following seeks to have you establish the scriptural mandate for the theological principle that your affirmation assumes.

4. What is the scriptural mandate for the theological principle that only scriptural mandates have binding force on the People of God, the Church, the Bride of Christ?

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P.S. Wondering what a good Catholic boy was doing hanging out on an Evangelical Protestant forum? Well...I was invited to share my conversion story on the PBDF by it's host, Shawn Cuthill. Shawn is a full-time commended worker serving Bridlegrove Bible Chapel, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

BTW - The handsome, if stern, looking gentleman in the photo is John Nelson Darby, one of the founding and principle theologians of the Plymouth Brethren.