In the case of the Apostle Paul, we see an apostle not only endeavoring to visit and strengthen the churches established by him, but also frequently writing to teach, comfort, encourage, exhort, rebuke, charge, guide, and warn the churches he has established (1 Thes. 4:1, 9, 18; 5:27; 2 Thes. 2:1-2; 1 Cor. 1:10; 4:14; 5:9; 7:10; 11:17; 16:1; 2 Cor. 1:6; 9:1; 13:1-2). Paul continued to labor by writing to the churches he had established. In fact, to the churches of Thessalonica and Corinth, he wrote not only a first letter, but also a second. This proves that after an apostle raises up a church and appoints some elders, he should still continue his labor by writing to them and by teaching, comforting, encouraging, and warning this church that he has established.
Ephesians 4:11-12 tells us that the ascended Head gave gifts, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ. If the apostles are to take their hands off and stop being involved with the affairs of the church, how can they perfect the saints? We know that Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and six months (Acts 18:11); he also stayed in Ephesus for three years (Acts 20:31). Is it possible that while he stayed in each of these two places for such long periods of time he was not involved at all with the affairs of the church in Corinth or Ephesus? This is impossible.
In 2 Corinthians 11:28 Paul himself said that he bore the pressure upon himself “daily, the anxiety for all the churches.” In addition to all the tribulations, persecutions, and sufferings, Paul had the anxiety for all the churches daily pressing upon him. This word shows in a strong way that after the apostles appoint the elders and entrust the churches they have established to the care of the local elders, it is never the case that they then take their hands completely off and have nothing more to do with the churches. On the contrary, we see the anxiety for the churches daily pressing upon the apostle. There was not a single day that the apostle gave up the churches.
After the apostles appoint the elders, the elders still have to receive the instructions and leading from the apostles (1 Tim. 3:14-15; Titus 1:5-9; Acts 20:17-18a, 28-32, 35), although the responsibility for the care and leading of the church is entrusted to the elders. There is an inseparable relationship between the apostles and the churches they have established and between the apostles and the elders they have appointed. Paul left Titus in Crete to train and perfect the elders (Titus 1:5-9). In Acts chapter twenty we see that while on his way to Jerusalem, Paul sent for the elders of the church in Ephesus in order to give them his final words of exhortation, instruction, and warning.
Let us look at a few portions from Watchman Nee’s books The Normal Christian Church Life and Church Affairs concerning the matter. I believe we will be more clear after we read them:
On page 66 of The Normal Christian Church Life we read (italics added):
The duty of apostles was to found churches. Once a church was established, all responsibility was handed over to the local elders, and from that day the apostles exercised no control whatever in its affairs. [Please note: in its affairs.]
In another part of the same book (Chinese edition) Watchman Nee said:
This does not mean that the apostles will then no longer be involved with the matters of a local church. The apostles are there to help the elders of a local church so that the elders would know how to manage the affairs of the church. An example of such occurred when Paul sent from Miletus for the elders in the church in Ephesus in order to help them and let them know how to manage the church in Ephesus so that the church there would grow spiritually. The direct management of a church lies in the hands of its elders; the apostles manage the brothers only through the hands of the elders.
If an apostle sees something wrong with a local church, he can still write to it and exhort it.
Then, on pages 14 and 15 of the book Church Affairs we find the following passage under the heading “Giving Help to the Elders”:
...Paul lived in Ephesus for a period of time and that there were elders there (Acts 20). However, while Paul was living in Ephesus, he granted the elders much help. Therefore, when he left, he could say these words to the elders: “Take heed...Among whom the Holy Spirit has placed you as overseers....” Paul personally imparted spiritual help to the elders. He did not merely appoint them and hand things over to them and then stop there. Paul continued to help them and to teach them how to be elders.
Later Paul left Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Crete and charged them to appoint elders. If you read the Epistles to Timothy and Titus, you will see that it was not merely a matter of appointing elders and then stopping there, but also of helping the elders to serve together along with them. Paul in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus charged these two young apostles to appoint elders in the churches and to guide them in their serving. In these two Epistles there are many charges like this. If you have time to read these Epistles, you will see that Paul charged Timothy and Titus to work together with the elders in the church. “These things I write to you...but if I delay, that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the house of God” (1 Tim. 3:14-15).
What is the significance here? If you appoint elders in a locality, you cannot assume that once you have appointed them your job is done; and that since all responsibilities are in their hands, you can let them go on by themselves, that is, let them make mistakes by themselves. Rather, after you have appointed elders in a locality, you need to observe how they go on and you need to help them. In many things you need to teach them and watch them. Only then can you again appoint, arrange, and teach elders in another place. Otherwise, a local church is at a standstill once it is set up. Here is a group of people who have never taken care of the affairs of the church. Although they have some spiritual experience, they do not know how to handle the affairs of the church. It is strange to expect such inexperienced ones not to make mistakes.
Then on pages 18-19 of the same book we read:
Therefore, you should cause the elders of the local churches to be capable of bearing responsibility. Paul did not leave Titus in Crete and Timothy in Ephesus and tell them to return after they established elders. Rather, he told them to set up elders, to teach and train the elders how to be proper elders, helping them to an extent that they could bear responsibility before God. Then the way was opened.
On page 19, under the heading “Showing Them How to Do the Work” we read:
The regular meeting of the responsible brothers is a very important item of their training. In this meeting show them how to do the work.
Then on page 22 we find:
Read again 1 and 2 Timothy and the Epistle to Titus. See how God charged them to lead. You should learn from these Epistles how to help the elders, and cause them to realize that they should not replace the whole Body, but that they should put themselves in the Body and let the whole Body do the work.