The apostles' teaching includes two main and crucial items. These items are revealed in Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 14. Ephesians 4 speaks of one Body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father (vv. 4-6). Many Christians would agree with these seven "ones." But many would not agree with the revelation in verses 11 through 16. These verses are also a part of the apostles' teaching as a continuation of the seven "ones." They tell us that all the gifted persons are for the perfecting of the saints. Who practices this today? These verses also speak concerning the oneness of the faith and the winds of teaching. They go on to speak about the Body building itself up through the joints of supply and through each one part operating according to its measure. The application and practice of these verses cannot be seen in Christianity.

First Corinthians 14 is also a part of the apostles' teaching. This chapter reveals that the church meetings are meetings of mutuality, not meetings with one person speaking and the rest listening. All the attendants in the meeting should be speakers. Where can such a thing be seen today? Without the practice of Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 14, how could the Body of Christ be built up? We must hold and practice the entire teaching of the apostles, without selection according to our preference.

The second need for the building up of the church is the eldership. The New Testament shows us that the building up of the Body of Christ, including all the local churches, involves the gifted persons—the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers (Eph. 4:11-12). These are the ones who give the apostles' teaching. The building up of the Body of Christ also involves the elders. It is the elders who put the apostles' teaching into practice. The apostles teach not only the saints in the churches but also the elders of the churches. Then the elders put the apostles' teaching into practice. The elders should never separate themselves from the apostles' teaching. For the building up of the church, we need the apostles' teaching and the eldership to practice it. We may have the apostles' teaching, but what about the proper eldership to carry it out?

The eldership is altogether a matter of shepherding. The elders should shepherd the church and take care of the church according to the apostles' teaching. The apostles' teaching in the New Testament shows us that Christ builds up His Body through all of His members. Ephesians 4 shows us that Christ as the ascended Head gave the gifted persons to perfect all the saints to do the same work as they do to build up the Body of Christ. This is the way that Christ takes to build up His Body. The gifted persons should not replace the other saints. They should teach and perfect the saints so that the saints can do the same thing that they do. Then all the members have a share in the building up of the Body. All the members should be put to use. Deformed Christianity puts most of the members aside and leaves the function to a special group of clergy.