Scriptures that simply will not square with the heirarchial, presbyterial, or "one man rule" heresies:
"And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
How does this teaching of Christ apply practically? Hear Paul to the Corinthians:
"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of judgement."
And,
"Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many."
Here is what really happened at the Antioch conference:
"Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas."
We do have one example in the Bible of one man running the church. It is found in III John where John said,
"I wrote unto the church: but Diotrophes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethen, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeht evil hath not seen God."
Here we have the explicit word of God that the "one man rule" idea is evil and not of God.
Would to God that those who aren't really Baptists would just say so and go away and leave the Baptists alone.
Mark Osgatharp