Church autonomy

For centuries, one of the distinctive beliefs of historical Baptists has been the autonomy of the local church. It has always been my understanding that the word church, when used in Scripture, has two meanings. One, the church is the local body of baptized believers; two, the church is the redeemed of all the ages without regard to denomination or local church affiliation.

In a letter published Jan. 18, a reader took issue with a Birmingham congregation having called a woman to serve as interim pastor.

I would suggest that each church in Alabama, as well as across our nation and around the world, has the ability and the right to call whomever the membership of that church feels led by the Holy Spirit to call. We must not presume to judge another church’s decision about calling a pastor. Each local congregation should and does, from my experience, prayerfully consider any person called to fill positions of ministry.

What does the Lord require of churches? Each church should seek to minister to a hurting world, reaching out to those who have not heard of God’s redeeming love. Let us not waste our energies casting stones at each other when we could be using those same stones to build bridges between our churches and the lost around us.

Margaret M. Mangham
Mobile, Ala.