Independence or Autonomy

How are independence and autonomy between churches different?

Webster’s dictionary defines independence as, “the state of being independent, self-governing, or self-ruling”. Webster’s defines autonomy as, “freedom from external control or influence”. When I think of autonomy, it brings the picture of “disconnectedness” and the picture of having no responsibility or ties to anything else (isolation). Where independence differs is, yes there is an individual aspect to it, but there is also a connected nature to other things and a tie to certain connected elements.

When it comes to the nature of local church, I believe autonomy is going farther than the New Testament illustrates. Autonomy (especially in the SBC) can be taken too far when there is no doctrinal unity between local churches, where there is no partnership or connection between the local church (except on missionaries and a few essentials), and when there is no responsibility or oversight to the local church. Independence on the other hand, gives the local churches space to take in members, discipline their own members, elect their own Elders, reach their own communities, all while having a doctrinal unity with other churches, having accountability to a larger network of churches, and partnering together with other local churches to expand the Kingdom of God.

On a side note, I am in favor of a denominational connection between churches. I believe a denomination should have doctrinal unity in all their churches, on issues that the Bible speaks to. I believe a denomination should connect all their local churches together under the umbrella of accountability to one another and oversight. I even believe a denomination should work together as local churches to expand the Kingdom as a denomination.