1. Matt. 15:13

2. INTRO: History Of Apostasy – progressive & gradual change. UNDERSTANDING THE I.WARNINGS OF APOSTASY (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thess. 2:1-5). A. One Bishop over the Elders (departed from Acts 20:17, 28). B. One Bishop without ANY Elders. C. One Bishop over many churches (departed from 1 Pet. 5:2).

3. UNDERSTANDING THE D. These Bishops viewing themselves as successors to the Apostles (1 Cor. 15:8). E. Bishops in major areas gained title “Patriarch”, which means “Chief Father” (Mt. 23:9). (Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem & Constantinople) I.WARNINGS OF APOSTASY (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thess. 2:1-5).

4. UNDERSTANDING THE F. Rome claimed to be UNIVERSAL BISHOP in 606 AD. “What’s The Big Deal?” “Why fight ‘the little things’ ”? I.WARNINGS OF APOSTASY (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thess. 2:1-5). WHAT BEGAN AS LOCAL CHANGES, RESULTED IN UNIVERSAL CHANGES.

5. UNDERSTANDING THE II.MODERN APOSTASIES A. District & State Cooperation Meetings (early 1800’s). 1. Delegates / messengers from each local church. 2. Presidents & Secretaries elected. 3. Evangelists appointed & sent by these Cooperation Organizations. 4. Resembled Baptist Associations, out of which many early members had come.

6. UNDERSTANDING THE 5. Lead to NATIONAL Organizations like: AMERICAN CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. (Cincinatti, Ohio; Oct. 1849. A. Campbell 1 st President) Coop. Org. Local Churches Select & Send Preachers Pay Preachers Oversee Preachers Etc. Christian Evangelizing Assoc. of Tenn. (1849). David Lipscomb, Sec. for Mt. District Coop. II.MODERN APOSTASIES A. District & State Cooperation Meetings (early 1800’s).

7. UNDERSTANDING THE III.BIBLICAL ORGANIZATION A. Independent & Concurrent Action; 1. Each congregation doing it’s own work (1 Pet. 5:2). 2. Each church directly supporting preachers (Phil. 4:15f; 2 Cor. 11:8). NOT Dependent, Centralized, or Joint Action.

8. UNDERSTANDING THE III.BIBLICAL ORGANIZATION Each Local Church Select & Send OWN Preachers Pay OWN Preachers Directly Oversee OWN Fellowship EACH DOING THEIR OWN WORK! A. Independent & Concurrent Action; 3. ONLY in an emergency may one church give TO another church (Acts 11:27-30; 14:23); but not THROUGH another church.

9. UNDERSTANDING THE INVITATION: Does The Church You Are A Member Of Follow The Biblical Pattern? “But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” (Mt. 15:13)