Jumpstarter 9 of 10

Direct Answer Based on the transcript, accountability without hierarchy looks like deliberate sister-church relationships, shared consultation in hard cases, and recognized outside counsel in major decisions (like ordinations), while still keeping authority in the local congregation. It’s “autonomous” in governance but “accountable” through real, ongoing connectedness.

Support from Transcript:

• Daniel uses the framework: “autonomous, but yet accountable… Catholic… but congregational.”
• He says congregational “doesn’t mean independent, not listening to anybody.”
• David cites Irenaeus: if unsure, churches would consult apostolic-founded churches “to see what their practice is,” “not because they have authority to command us… but we want to do things right.”
• Daniel gives a modern example: going to Greece to “ordain a brother,” bringing “another bishop” to participate—showing connection without claiming “pass on Apostolic Succession.”
• David describes their practice: when ordaining elders, they “brought in the elders from our sister church,” to show “accountability…connectedness…laterally, horizontally.”
• They emphasize being connected vertically to God and historically to “the church through all the centuries,” using early writings as “the best commentary” though “not…inspired.”