Excerpt from the Brief Sketch of the Concordia Lutheran Conference
THE CHURCH:
In Scripture, the word "church" is used in TWO different
religious senses. On the one hand, it is used to designate the
Communion of Saints, Christ's spiritual body, consisting
of all and only true believers in Him as their Savior.
Since true faith in the heart cannot be seen, the membership of
this Church is invisible to men and known only to God. Hence the
Communion of Saints is often called the INVISIBLE CHURCH.
(Bible References: Eph. 1:22,23; Col. 1:18; Eph. 2:19-22;
5:25-27; II Tim. 2:19; Luke 17:20,21.)
The Bible also uses the word "church" in speaking of
local Christian congregations. This, of course, does not
mean that there are two different kinds of churches; for
the local con gregation, as God sees it, consists only of the
believers in it. But the word "church" in Scripture,
also designates local congregations as MEN see them, that is,
where immediate membership is determined (and can only be determined)
by the profession of faith. In such VISIBLE CHURCHES or
congregations there may, of course, also be hypocrites or pretend-Christians
who masquerade as believers. This mixed body is the "church"
with which we mortals must deal when, for example, we preach,
teach, exhort, admonish and comfort. It is this church,
this visible local congregation, to which the Savior refers
when He says, "Tell it unto the church," Matt.
18:15-17.
(Bible References: I Cor. 1:12; II Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1;
Matt. 13:47,48; 22:2,11; Rev. 1:11; Matt. 18:17; III John 9,10.)
According to Scripture, it is God's will and ordinance that Christians
establish and maintain local churches a) for the regular hearing
and learning of His Word as it is proclaimed by their divinely-called
pastors; b) for the regular celebration of the Lord's Supper under
the loving watchfulness of the flock's own overseer (inasmuch
as the Holy Supper according to Scripture is to be celebrated
only in the context of the local congregation; c) for the continuous
exercise of the duties of Christian fellowship and love, and d)
for the careful, evangelical exercise of church discipline in
obedience to Christ's command.
(Bible References: Tit. 1:5; Acts 20:28; I Pet. 5:2,3;
I Cor. 11:23-29; Heb. 10:23-25; Col. 3:15,16; Matt. 18:15-17.)
Scripturally speaking, therefore, the "church" in the
local sense is NOT just any chance gathering of Christians, nor
a gathering of Christians at different places, nor gathering
of Christians without the specific and consistent public function
of the Keys. (Examples of such gatherings are: Fellowship
socials, ladies' societies and youth groups, summer camps, conventions,
pastoral conferences, and so on.) The Church, that is, the local
visible congregation) may gather together regularly and consistently
in various ways for the preaching, teaching, hearing and learning
of God's Word, the administration of Sacraments, and the carrying
out of the business of the church including the final stage of
church discipline. If such gatherings are, by their very nature,
intended only for a certain group within the local congregation,
such as, certain Bible classes, confirmation instruction classes,
even seminary classes, or whatever other form such gatherings
may take, these must not be confused or identified with the local
congregation itself, neither do they in themselves constitute
local congregations or churches. However, in the light of Holy
Scripture, it must be understood that the Voters' Assembly, as
the decision-making body within the congregation, composed only
of men, is rightly called "the church" because Christ
Himself has committed the leadership and decision-making power
to the men of the congregation. In the local sense the
word "church" is used only of the LOCAL CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION,
which, in its visible form, is the only divinely-ordained external
fellowship.
All other uses of the word "church" are of human origin
and usage, such as the designation of a building, a denomination,
a synod or conference, and a non-Christian cult (The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, The Church of Christ Scientist,
etc.). Synods and conferences, therefore, are not so-called "super-churches"
with the combined church-power of all their member congregations,
nor are they churches at all in the Scriptural usage, but
are rather humanly-devised organizations OF churches, established
BY local churches in their liberty for the purpose of carrying
out joint endeavors and projects which may be difficult for an
individual church to handle locally.
(Bible References: Titus 1:5; Acts 20:28; I Pet. 5:1-3;
Rev. 1-3; Matt. 18:15-17; I Tim. 2:11-14; I Cor. 14:34ff.)
THE MINISTRY:
We teach in accordance with Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions
that the PASTORAL OFFICE of the local congregation is the only
divinely-ordained office in the Church. Synonymous terms for
this office in the Scriptural usage of our orthodox fathers are:
"Public Ministry," "the Ministry," "Bishop"
(overseer), "Elder" -- laboring in the world and doctrine.
(It is a purely human, ecclesiastical use of the term "elder"
when it is applied to offices in the church other than that of
the pastor; also the distinction without Scriptural basis between
"ruling" and "teaching" elders as well as
the hierarchal distinction between "bishops" and "local
pastors." These distinctions are used to pervert the Scriptural
doctrine of the ministry.) Incumbents of this sacred office must
have very specific qualifications according to God's Word, among
which are the requirements that they be men, properly
equipped, and apt to teach, faithful in doctrine
and practice, and examples to the flock, both in their
own life and conduct and also that of their families.
When the Holy Spirit, through the unanimously-issued Divine Call
of the local congregation, makes a man its pastor, He makes him
the overseer of the work of all other offices which the congregation
in its liberty may establish and of their incumbents. Thus, all
other offices in the Church are auxiliary or offices of
help to the office of Pastor. The congregation may in fact
create or dispense with any auxiliary office through the appointment
or release of their incumbents as it sees fit according to time,
circumstance and need by a simple majority vote, since these are
not God-ordained offices but adiaphora. (See ADIAPHORA,
below.) But the office of PASTOR must be established in
accordance with God's own ordinance through a call issued by unanimous
vote of the congregation (I Cor. 1:10). Likewise, the incumbency
of a man in the pastoral office may be terminated only by unanimous
vote for proper Scriptural reasons, namely, persistence in false
doctrine and/or practice, willful neglect of official duties,
or scandalous life. Example of auxiliary officers
in a local congregation are: Assistant pastors, church officers
and members of committees, Sunday School teachers and Christian
day school teachers, organists, directors of music, and the like.
Especially in view of their high responsibility in the Church,
pastors are cautioned in Holy Scripture not to lord it over God's
heritage; for there is no difference between pastors and laymen
in rank, but in office. This office is conferred
upon its incumbents by the Holy Spirit of God, mediately,
through the call of the local congregation. It is that
call, after it has been accepted, which makes a man a Christian
Pastor, and not humanly-devised albeit commendable churchly customs
and ceremonies like ordination and installation.
(Bible References: Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:17; I Thess. 5:12,13;
Acts
6:1-6; I Pet. 5:3; Matt. 23:8-10; I Tim. 3:1-7; 2:11,12; I Cor.
14:34,35; Titus 1:5-9.)