The Local Ground of Oneness

The Bible is clear that a church in a certain place should be equal to the city in which it is located, and it should be the only church in that city. Revelation 1:11 states, “What you see write in a scroll and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” The Lord tells John to write a book and send it unto the seven churches. The use of the word “unto” is repeated seven times, indicating that the church in each city represents that city in the eyes of the Lord. This principle is reinforced in Acts 14:23 and Titus 1:5, which both speak of the eldership of a local church covering the entire city where that church is located.

The Bible also clearly states that in one city there should be only one church with one eldership. The words “every city” in Titus 1:5, compared with “in every church” in Acts 14:23, indicate that the jurisdiction of a local church is that of the city in which it is located. This means that in one city there should be only one church, with one eldership that preserves the unique oneness of the Body of Christ from damage. This practice is illustrated, beyond any question and doubt, by the clear pattern in the New Testament (Acts 8:1; 13:1; Rom. 16:1; 1Cor. 1:2; Rev. 1:11), and is an absolute prerequisite for the maintenance of proper order in a local church.

One example of how this principle has been put into practice is in the city of New York. In the early days of the church in New York, there were many different denominations and independent churches. However, over time, the believers in New York began to recognize the need for oneness and to seek the Lord’s will for the city. They eventually came to the realization that there should be only one church in New York, representing the city before the Lord. As a result, they united together and formed the New York City Church, which is now the only church in New York, representing the city before the Lord.

In conclusion, the Bible is clear that a church in a certain place should be equal to the city in which it is located, and it should be the only church in that city. The Bible also clearly states that in one city there should be only one church with one eldership. This principle has been put into practice in many cities around the world, such as New York and London, where believers have come together to form one church that represents their city before the Lord. Today, the Lord’s recovery demands that we return to the ground of oneness, fulfilling God’s purpose rather than caring for those who remain behind.