The Autonomy of the Local Church
Baptists have no bishop, no synod, no presbytery with binding authority over a local church. Each congregation is autonomous, governing itself under the direct lordship of Jesus Christ, with the New Testament as its sole authority. Cooperation is voluntary. These ten passages establish the New Testament pattern.
What Scripture says
All quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
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Matthew 18:15-17
If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. But if he doesn't listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
Final church authority in discipline is the assembly itself — not an external body.
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Matthew 18:18-20
Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.
The keys are given to the gathered church — and Christ is present where they gather.
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Acts 6:3-6
Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.
The congregation chooses its servants. The apostles confirmed but did not impose.
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Acts 13:1-3
Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers... While they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them." Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
The Antioch church sent out the first missionaries. Local church, not headquarters.
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Acts 14:23
When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.
Elders for EACH assembly. Local leadership, locally appointed.
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Acts 15:22
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas...
Even the Jerusalem Council acted "with the whole assembly." The congregation participated.
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1 Corinthians 5:4-5
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Discipline carried out "when you are gathered together" — by the assembly.
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1 Corinthians 1:2
to the assembly of God which is at Corinth—those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:
Paul addresses THE assembly at Corinth — local, identifiable, named.
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Revelation 2-3
The book of Revelation contains seven letters addressed to seven specific local churches in Asia. Each is held individually accountable for its own faithfulness, repentance, doctrine, and works.
Christ addresses each church directly and individually — not through a denominational structure.
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1 Peter 5:1-3
Therefore I exhort the elders among you... shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly; neither as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.
Elders shepherd "the flock among you" — local. Not lording it over distant congregations.
A prayer
Lord Jesus, You are the only head of Your church. Make us a people who answer to You alone, who govern ourselves under Your Word, and who cooperate freely with other believers without surrendering our conscience or our calling. Amen.