In the United States "individualism" has historically been one of the foundations of society. " John Locke (1632–1704) is among the most influential political philosophes of the modern period. In the Two Treatises of Government, he defended the claim that men are by nature free and equal against claims that God had made all people naturally subject to a monarch. He argued that people have rights, such as the right to life, liberty, and property, that have a foundation independent of…

The answer depends upon what one means by the Restoration movement. “The Restoration Movement (also known as the American Restoration Movement or the Stone-Campbell Movement) is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century. The movement sought to restore the church and "the unification of all Christians in a single body patterned after the church of the New Testament.” It is an attempt to return to apostolic…

In many congregations members elderships and staff are viewed as the "decision-makers".  If something is done in a congregation--in worship, use of the building, ministry tasks, etc--it must first be "approved" by the elders before anything can be done.  In other cases, members look to the senior minister to initiate all programs and activities. In essence, this is "top-down" management.  

But, is this what God intended for congregations?  Certainly, from one standpoint it is God who…