The History of the Local Churches

The History of the Local Churches as Seen in the New Testament

Watchman Nee and Witness Lee teach that all the churches in the New Testament are local churches, local churches that are collectively the one expression of the universal church of God (Rev. 1:11; 1 Cor. 10:32). The first church to be established in the New Testament was the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1, 5:11). Shortly thereafter a great persecution arose against it (Acts 8:1) resulting in the dispersion of the early believers who, we are told, were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. The New Testament then records the establishment of the first local churches in the provinces of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, spreading to the cities of Phoenicia, Cypress, and Antioch, and continuing into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia before turning to Asia Minor and finally to Europe. Each church established in these places was a local church. Watchman Nee and Witness Lee refer on several occasions to the historical record of the local churches presented in the New Testament:

As we all know, the church began in Jerusalem, and it was wonderful. There were not twelve churches in Jerusalem, one named after each of the twelve Apostles. No, there was just one church that included everyone. Acts 8:1 proves that the church in Jerusalem was uniquely one, for this verse speaks of “the church which was at Jerusalem.” There were not many churches at Jerusalem, but one church, the church, at Jerusalem. The testimony of the church eventually spread north to Antioch through some saints who moved there from Jerusalem. Later Barnabas went there to edify them and brought Paul with him. As in Jerusalem, there was just one church in Antioch. Acts 13:1 says, “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers.” From Antioch the church spread to Asia Minor, where there were several churches in various cities. In Ephesus, for example, there was just one church. We know that in Ephesus there was not more than one church because Revelation 2:1 speaks of the church, not churches, in Ephesus. Through the ministry of Paul, the church spread from Asia Minor to Europe, and a church was established at Corinth. First Corinthians 1:2 says, “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth.” Again we see the matter of one church in one city. According to the Bible, there was one church in Jerusalem, one in Antioch, one in Ephesus, and one in Corinth.

(Witness Lee, Spirit and the Body, 205-206)

In the Book of Acts, we immediately see the first expression of the church on the earth. Acts 8:1 says “the church which was at Jerusalem.” It does not say the church in the heavens, but the church at Jerusalem. It is a local church, and this local church is the expression of the universal church. In Acts 13: 1, there is “the church in Antioch.” This is another expression of the church, another local church. Now we can see one church with at least two expressions: one is at Jerusalem, the other at Antioch. All the local churches are the expressions of the one (universal) church.

(Witness Lee, Practical Expression, 25)

In the Bible, we find the principle of one church for each city—no more, no less. In the entire New Testament this principle is never violated. Whenever a church in a certain city is mentioned, it is always in the singular number. Whenever reference is made to the churches, in the plural number, it is always in relation to an area or district which is larger than a city, such as a province. There is nothing in the Bible about street churches, school churches, churches in a home, or, on the other hand, national churches or world churches. There are only churches in cities. You may say that there are some instances of a church in a home recorded in the Bible. But if you read carefully, you will see that in every case these simply refer to the home in which the entire church in that city met. The boundary of the church is not limited to a home; neither is it expanded to a district or nation. In the Bible, it is always according to the size of the city. A church that encompasses the whole city meets the qualification of the unique unity.

(Witness Lee, Vision of the Church, 9-10)

The first verse mentioning the church in Acts is Acts 5:11. After the death of Ananias and Sapphira, fear came upon all the church. Undoubtedly, this is the local church at Jerusalem. The second and third times the word “church” is used are in 8:1 and 3 (“The church” in 7:38 refers to the people of Israel), “the church which was at Jerusalem.” The fourth mentioning is in Acts 9:31, “Then the churches had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria.” All these churches are local churches. The church mentioned in 11:22 is “the church which was in Jerusalem,” and that mentioned in 11:26 is the church at Antioch. The church mentioned in 12:1 and 5 is again the church at Jerusalem. Then in 13:1, we see “the church that was at Antioch.” In 14:23, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church. These, of course, are the local churches. In Acts 14:27, it is the church at Antioch again. In 15:3-4, it was the church at Antioch that brought Paul and Barnabas on their way and the church at Jerusalem that received them. In 15:22, it is the church at Jerusalem again. In 15:41 are the local churches of Syria and Cilicia. In 16:5 are the churches of the Gentile world (see 15:23). In 18:22, again we have the church at Jerusalem. In 20:17 and 28, it is the church at Ephesus.

Are all these churches in Acts the church in the heavens? No, they are all the local churches on the earth.

After Acts come the Epistles. In all these books, the local churches are mostly dealt with. Only somewhat more than ten verses, most of which are in Ephesians, deal with the universal church (I Cor. 10:32; 12:28; Eph. 1: 22; 3:10, 21; 5:23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 32; Col. 1: 18, 24). The Book of Romans was written to the church at Rome. I and II Corinthians were written to the church at Corinth. Nearly all the epistles were written to local churches.

(Witness Lee, Practical Expression, 35-36)

Whether it was the church at Jerusalem (Acts 8:1) or the church in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2) or the church at Antioch (Acts 13:1)—all were local churches, collectively expresssing the one universal church.

1. The Church in Corinth

2. The Churches in Asia

Main

Two Aspects of the Church

Who is the Church?

Local Churches in the N.T.

Degradation

Bibliography

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