were all interested (2 Cor. 8:9; 1 Cor. 16:1-3). The ecclesiastical
example is the council of the apostles and elders held in Jerusalem
and recorded in Acts 15. A question of doctrine and practise arose in
Antioch; the church there was not able to settle it; therefore it
was "determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other with them,
should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this
question" (verse 2).

This was not a general council of the church. No other sections or
provinces were represented. Nor did it meet as a legislative body,
even though there were present specially inspired apostles, to whom
had been given the commission to unfold the gospel as an authoritative
revelation. It is clear that the ministers of this council even sought
to avoid the legislative function. "For it seemed good to the Holy
Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these
necessary things" (verse 28). While this incident does not prove
an administrative human headship of the whole church centralized at
Jerusalem, it does prove that the individual congregations were not
isolated units, but that they had respect for, and sought the advice
and counsel of, older established congregations, and particularly of
those general ministers whose gifts, qualifications, and reputation
fitted them for general care of all the churches.

When we consider the divine nature of the church's organization,
with the ever-living Christ working mightily in all his ministers and
through them in particular administering its government, we can see
that the entire church was necessarily one body joined together in a
common fellowship and actually laboring together in the performance of
common tasks.