The question whether local churches exist by divine institution or command, so that believers living at one place must either organize such churches where they do not exist or join them where they do exist, is of great importance.
To the objection of those who deny this point on the ground that membership in the Church Universal is sufficient for salvation and that Christ has given His followers no direct command to establish or to join local churches, so that local churches are free organizations, founded by men as the practical needs of believers in this world have made them necessary, we reply that it is indeed God's will and appointment -
a) That all believers living at one place should establish in their midst the public ministry and make diligent use of it by hearing and learning God's Word as it is proclaimed by the divinely called ministers, Eph. 4, 3-6; Acts 2, 42-47; 14, 23; 20, 28; 1 Cor. 12, 28; 1 Pet. 5, 2. 3; Titus 1, 5;
b) That they should together celebrate Holy Communion, 1 Cor. 11, 26; 10, 17, and exercise the duties of Christian fellowship and love, 1 Cor. 11, 33; 1, 10; Acts 6, 1-6; Col. 3, 15. 16;
c) That they should not only privately reprove an erring brother, Matt. 18, 15. 16, but also as a church, or congregation, rebuke and discipline impenitent sinners, Matt. 18, 17; 1 Cor. 5, 13.
From all this it follows that it is indeed God's will and ordinance that Christians should establish and maintain local churches; for without them these Christian obligations, enjoined so definitely, cannot be performed.
This principle is in full accord with the practise of the apostles and their followers, who consistently gathered the believers into local churches and commonly instructed, admonished, and comforted them as such in their epistles, 1 Cor. 1, 2; Rom. 1, 7; Gal. 1, 2; Eph. 1, 1; Phil. 1, 1; Acts 20, 28; 14, 23; 1 Cor. 5, 13; 2 Cor. 2, 6-8; Titus 1, 5; Rev. 1-3.
For this reason we rightly insist that the ban of excommunication, Matt. 18, 17; 1 Cor. 5, 13, should be declared by local churches and not by assemblies of Christians which have not been divinely instituted. Among such bodies we may classify all conferences, synods, and similar convocations which are established for the furtherance of Christ's kingdom and cause. Yet even with respect to synods, conferences, and similar organizations, Christians must always be guided by the rule of Christian love, 2 Cor. 13, 11; 1 Cor. 16, 14; Rom. 13, 10.