348 – Auxiliary Organizations and Ministries

SEMESTER 3

348 – Auxiliary Organizations and Ministries

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: ECCLESIOLOGY III LESSON # 48
AUXILIARY ORGANIZATIONS AND MINISTRIES

Read I Tim. 1:1-7, I Tim. 2:1 through 3:16.

INTRODUCTION:

1. The goals, purposes and methods of the church today are considered more intellectually than biblically and more tasteful­ly than intellec­tually.
2. Once we give way to such order, error is sure to follow.
3. This problem manifests itself greatly in internal and external auxiliary “ministries” of the church.
4. Here is a categorization of these ministries:

i. Ministries which are not of any particular local church.
ii. Ministries which are external in structure, but supposedly delegated by churches.
iii. Ministries “within” but not controlled by a local church.
iv. Ministries within, authored by and controlled by the local church.

I. “MINISTRIES” WHICH ARE NOT OF ANY PARTICULAR LOCAL CHURCH

1. Evangelistic associations – Graham, Robinson, Swagart, etc.
2. Personal radio and television broadcasts, mail-order institutions, etc.
3. Independent preachers, missionaries, rescue missions, coffee houses, tract distributors, Bible clubs, etc.
4. All of these are legitimate endeavors if they are rightly es­tablished and conducted.
5. When conducted outside the control of the local church they are:

i. Illegitimate – no right to exist in God’s world.
ii. Illegitimate in their conduct of operation.
iii. Certain to failure – either by default or deflection.

II. SO-CALLED DELEGATED, BUT EXTERNAL MINISTRIES

1. Denominal or doctrinal associations: SBC, WBF, BBF, ABA, many others.
2. Multi-church educational institutions: SBC schools, ABC, BBC, Pillsbury, Cedarville, etc.
3. Mission Board type Cooperating Programs, WBF, BBFI, Maranatha, BFM, ABWE, BIMI.

i. All of these are, in professed concept, servants of the church with authority delegated by the church.
ii. They all soon, in practice, become lords over the churches, siphoning off their life's blood, and controlling them.

III. INTERNAL, BUT UNCONTROLLED “MINISTRIES”

1. Deacon Boards, Women’s Missionary Unions, Sewing Circles, Committees, Ladies’ and Men’s Fellowships and Auxiliaries, Home Bible Studies, Youth Groups, etc.
2. All of these in some capacity and structure may have a reason and right to exist.
3. The problem is when they effect, enact, or usurp activities or policies of the church in general.
4. The solution is this, none of these should ever be allowed to be structured so they either may, or think they may:

i. Make decisions for the church.
ii. Conduct business relevant to the church.
iii. Become a voice to the church.
iv. Become a voice for the church.
v. As a body, influence policy of the church.

IV. PROPER MINISTRIES AND PROPER OPERATION

1. Some of the proper auxiliary ministries are:

i. Radio and television ministries.
ii. Foreign and local missionaries sent out.
iii. Rescue, military or benevolence.
iv. Printing and literature distribution.
v. Special educational programs.

2. The key to propriety for these is:

i. Always under authority and surveillance of the church.
ii. Financed by, and financially subject to the church.
iii. All policy decisions subject to the vote and administrative principles of the church.

3. This will afford biblical stability and usually assure self-destruction when that stability is lost, which is, in reality, desirable.