Acts 15

What does the Acts 15 council teach about the interconnection of local congregations?

Acts 15 is an interesting story on church connection in Scripture. First, this story includes the Apostles, which we as a church do not have today. Second, this is a story of one local church (Antioch) consulting another local church (Jerusalem), which happened to be the first church and the Apostles (this is not a story of a “church council”). And lastly, this story is centered around the inclusion of Gentiles into the church, where as most of the founding members of the church where Jews (the church today is almost exclusively Gentile). Acts 15 is a tough passage to make a case for a certain type of church polity or government.

But these three points do not mean this text can’t teach us things about the interconnection of local congregations. This story is very clear on a doctrinal unity among local congregations, that ties them together. Wherever any Christian went, they would know the doctrinal stance of the church, because of this ruling on Gospel issues. The same should apply among a set of local churches today. Doctrine must connect them, especially on Gospel issues. Next, local churches can reach out to other local churches (of like mindedness) and seek council, wisdom, and advice on issues of church life, truth, and ecclesiology. There must be a support, commradery, and partnership between churches as they deal with larger issues in the church universal. Lastly Acts 15 shows a universal church that is not full of autonomous churches that live out the faith individually and isolated. Rather Acts 15 shows a universal church that has local churches tied together, supporting one another, all living under the guide and rule of God’s Word, seeking to expand the Kingdom together, while living in unity as one church.