Do Man-Made Organizations Have a Right to Preach the Gospel?

Right off the bat let me eliminate some things lest someone misunderstand/misquote me. I do not believe it is a sin to attend lectures , enroll in school, or even buy from the bookstore of a religious organization (such as the Guardian of Truth Foundation or Florida College). I don’t believe purchasing a service is condoning an organization.

I believe secular organizations have a right to exist, if they do a secular work. Publishing material, selling material, and teaching math, English, health, business, etc., are all secular works that are not assigned to the local congregation. However, preaching the gospel is a religious work, not a secular work. Preaching the gospel is specifically assigned to the local congregation (1 Timothy 3:15) and individual Christians (Acts 16). 

Some argue that these man-made organizations are simply individuals preaching the gospel. Cannot the church send funds to individuals? (Philippians 4:15). If those organizations were no different than individuals, could not the church fund those organizations? However, their refusal to accept funds from local congregations shows they understand they are not simply individuals preaching the gospel. (I do not believe a church may send funds to an organization, because we don’t find that pattern in the Scriptures.)

One organization, Florida College, has a motto ‘Learning, Leading, Living His Way’. Does that sound like a secular organization or a religious organization? Does that sound like a college focused on secular education or religious instruction? Far be it from me to judge the sincerity of the founders and leaders, but one’s actions speak volumes; most notably, the action of their annual lectureship aimed at preaching the gospel.

I do not believe that an organization separate and apart from the church can do the work of the church. God has specified that the local congregation preach the gospel. It may do so by preaching itself, choosing the men, sending the men, welcoming the men, or sending funds. (1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Thess. 1:5-8; Acts 15:1-4; 2 Cor. 11:8) 

When God specifies one thing, it excludes all others. For instance, when God specified that Noah use gopher wood, it excluded all other types of wood to be used to build the ark (Gen. 6:14). When the Lord specified fruit of the vine and bread for communion, it excludes all other elements, such as soda or pizza (Matt. 26:26ff). Based on the New Testament, we don’t ever find God authorizing (giving the right of action to) human established organizations to preach the gospel. It is simply not there. In addition to that, he does specify an organization to do that work, the local congregation.

We get specific authority in Noah and the ark. We understand it when it comes to the elements of the Lord’s Supper. But for some reason it is missed entirely when speaking of who has the authority (right to act) to preach the gospel.

In a packet I received from L.A. Stauffer about the Restoration Movement this past summer, there is a quote from a local congregation that expresses my sentiments well. “The church in Connelsville, Pennsylvania got the heart of the issue with a letter stating 10 resolutions and containing lengthy comments about the resolutions. In essence the letter said: ‘That the church of Jesus Christ, is, in its constitution and design essentially missionary, we conceive to be an axiomatic truth. Not a missionary society, but emphatically and preeminently the missionary society—the only one authorized by Jesus Christ; her constitution the Holy Scriptures; the end for which she was established, the conversion and sanctification of the world. For this purpose she is fully commissioned by her great Head, and fully qualified to fufil that commission. To affirm that she is not competent, is to charge her all-wise Founder with the inconsistency of assigning her a duty she is unable to perform. If, then, she is authorized and competent, all other societies for this purpose are not only unscriptural, but they are unnecessary and uncalled for. Unscriptural, because they appropriate to themselves the duty and honor which rightfully belong to the church; unnecessary, because the end for which they are instituted the church is fully able to accomplish’” (Attitude and Consequences in the Restoration Movement, Homer Hailey, p. 167, underline emphasis mine- Daniel Duvall)

My hope is that something here has provoked thought in your mind, and you will pray about these things. I personally have complete confidence in the Lord’s local bodies and individual Christians to preach the gospel adequately without the addition or aid of human organizations. I believe it with all of my heart. Peace and love in Jesus.