We should not be disturbed by the fact that there are certain decisions which we have to make according to our own best judgment. I believe there is a very good reason why God made this arrangement. Simply because the detailed instructions that would fit one place might not be suitable at another. For instance, you had to decide how big to make this house in which you worship. Suppose God had specified that a house of worship should be 50 × 40 feet. That might be a suitable building for one community, but out of order in another. Since circumstances are so widely different in different places it was an act of wisdom on the part of God to give us only the general principles that should govern certain activities and to leave each community to use its own intelligence in applying these general principles in a sensible, expedient and practical way. But it does impose upon us a responsibility of using some intelligence, of making some wise decisions, and of giving some thought and consideration unto our plans. II Responsibilities of Leadership in the Local Church 1. _Autonomy of the local church._ As some of you know, I was requested last fall to teach a series of lessons at Grace Avenue on the subject of church leadership. When I contemplated the task I wondered what I would say, but before it was over I was wondering how I would find time to say what was to be said. Of course, church leadership means leadership in the local congregation because that is the only capacity in which the church can scripturally function. Congregational autonomy needs to be emphasized. God has ordained that each congregation shall be entirely independent to manage its own affairs under him without any interference or dictation from any other congregation or from any other group of people upon the earth. Since God has ordained that each congregation shall be independent, we cannot function in the capacity of a group of congregations organized together. No inter-congregational organization can scripturally exist. Therefore, there can be no inter-congregational ownership of property. We cannot own property as a whole, that is, as a group of congregations. You could not deed a piece of property to the church of Christ in general. It has to be deeded to a particular congregation. That’s the only way the church can scripturally function. Therefore, when we speak about leadership in the church, we are speaking of the leadership in the local congregation.