What is a church ordinance? To us Protestants, I believe, it is something specifically ordained, prescribed, or set forth to be obeyed on a recurring basis by Christ.

How does Phillip baptizing the Eunuch prevent baptizing from being an ordinance for believers (i.e. the church)?

Edit. I misunderstood the point of the OP. Must baptism be into a local church or may it be into the body of Christ at large -- and done apart from a local church?

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Jim
1689 LBCF
Independent Bible Church
North Texas, USA