God's Church is not a Hierarchy

Point One: The Scriptures

1 Corinthians 12:18, 28. The Greek word for set is horizontal not vertical.
Therefore not a hierarchy. This is from Strong's Greek Concordance #5087. The
vertical application is found in the following scriptures: Matthew 18:1-4, Mark
9:33-37, Luke 4:1-2, 9, John 8:1-3. This is from Strong's Greek Concordance
#2476. More scriptures with #5087: Acts 13:47, Revelation 10:2.
Ephesians 2:19-22. Verse 20, Greek word for foundation is Strong's Greek
Concordance #2310: Something put down, i.e. a substruction. Derivative of
#5087. Jesus Christ is the Chief Corner Stone, at the bottom, or foundation, along
with the apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ is not the capstone at the top. Verse
20, Greek word for corner is Strong's Greek Concordance # 204: Belonging to
the extreme corner. From #206 and #1137. Read 1 Peter 2:4-8. Verse 6,
corner #204, and verse 7, corner #1137. Verse 8, how can one stumble over
something high? One stumbles over something low, or at the bottom. Notice
Ephesians 2:21. Look at the contrast of Luke 4:9 for the temple, vertical posture,
with Ephesians 2:21 for the temple, horizontal posture. God's Church is in the
horizontal posture, therefore is not a hierarchy.
Matthew 7:24-25. Verse 25, the Greek word for founded is #2311: To lay the
basis for, i.e., erect, or consolidate:--(lay the) found (-ation), from #2310. Jesus
Christ is that Rock. Read also Luke 6:46-48. Verse 48, the Greek word for
foundation is #2310. Notice also in verse 48 it says ...and digged deep.... See
also 2 Timothy 2:19. The Greek word for foundation is #2310.
Point Two: Was Anyone Supreme, Therefore the Head of the Hierarchy?
Acts 15:1-29. 1) If Peter was the supreme apostle, then why didn't he have the
final word? Why was it James in verses 13-21? Notice especially verse 19. 2)
Neither Peter, verse 7, or Paul, verse 12, nor James, verses 13, 19, were the
supreme apostle, or head apostle, of God's Church. 3) God gave Peter, Paul,
and James specific duties to do in his Church. God in no way designates anyone of
them, or anyone else, as head of his Church. The scriptures of the New
Testament give no evidence of God designating this anywhere.
Mark 9:38-40. This is a no name casting out devils in the name of Jesus Christ.

The proper Hebrew is Y'Shua HaMashiach, because that is what the disciples
called him. That was his name. In verse 38 John says he and the other disciples,
or apostles, told this person not to do this because he wasn't among them, among
the disciples. Jesus didn't agree (verses 39-40). The question is: Where is the socalled hierarchy? If God's Church, the beginning being Jesus Christ and the
disciples, was a hierarchy, then why did this no name go on doing what he was
doing?
Acts Chapters 6-7. Acts 6:1-5, 8. Notice that Stephen wasn't an apostle
preaching and teaching God's Word as in verses 2 and 4. But yet he not some
head or supreme apostle was, as far as is known, the first martyr of the Church
Brethren. Why wasn't the so-called hierarchy head martyred? God's Church isn't
some game of chess, with the king in the back, while the pawns are sent out to
slaughter. God's Church isn't a hierarchy either.
Point Three: Overlooked or Ignored Scriptures
Romans 15:25-27. Paul was given contributions for the poor saints in Jerusalem.
So Jerusalem wasn't the headquarters church, therefore didn't receive tithes and
offerings. So where was the so-called headquarters church? And if there was one
receiving tithes and offerings, why didn't that city help the poor saints?
Acts 6:1-6. The Congregation of Believers were given autonomy to make
decisions.
Acts 13:1-3. No one who laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul, or Paul, was the
head or supreme apostle of the Church of God. Again, where is the hierarchy?
Acts 17:10-12. God expects personal initiative, not for one to be told by others
what to do or what to believe. This initiative contradicts and counters the hierarchy
structure in God's Church.
Point Four: The Congregations of God's Church should be autonomous for checks
and balances
This would prevent anyone, or any group, from taking over and exercising
authority over the whole church. This would prevent anyone, or any group, from
taking over and exercising authority over a local congregation. Each autonomous
congregation should manage ways to do God's Work without the need for a

headquarters church. Where is there indication of any headquarters church in

the New Testament? The ministers would oversee this management. The ministers
would feed the flock.
Personal experiences. 1) I was denied Feast of Tabernacles assistance. But this
wouldn't have happened if the Church of God had autonomous congregations. The
local congregation would have dealt with this issue. 2) I was told by an associate
pastor that if I didn't find a job I would be suspended from church services. This
contradicted Romans 16:17 and Proverbs 6:19. The Greek word for avoid in
Romans 16:17 is #1578: To deviate, i.e. to shun, to decline, go out of the way.
How does not finding a job equal this kind of treatment? This pastor didn't even
bother to ask those of the local congregations what I was like in order to make the
proper judgment. Autonomous congregations would have had better judgment.
Point Five: Final Thoughts
The Church of God is not a hierarchy. Scripture after scripture in the New
Testament disproves this common teaching. Of all the problems the Church of God
has had this one has caused the most problems. God never directed a one man,
one rule view of things. There needs to be changes made. Remember the
instruction in 1 Peter 4:17.