What is the non-negotiable top priority for churches?

• A. Obeying New Testament commands.
• B. Emulating apostolic practices universally.
• C. Following human customs as authoritative.
• D. Relying on outside funding for growth.

Answer: (A)

Obeying New Testament commands is the non-negotiable top priority for churches. This rests on Scripture as the ultimate authority for faith and practice, guiding what the church believes, how it worships, and how it lives out its mission. When a church prioritizes obedience to those commands, it stays anchored to what Jesus and the apostles taught, applying it in every culture and generation. Emulating apostolic practices in every detail isn’t the same as following biblical commands, since some patterns were specific to a first-century context while the commands themselves are timeless in their purpose. Placing human customs or external funding ahead of Scripture shifts the focus away from God’s instruction, which is why those options don’t fit as the top priority.