Your ignorance does not mean independent churches did not exist. The monarchical bishops that morphed into the Institutional Churches didn't come with New Testament teaching. In the NT pastor, elder, bishop are synonyms.
For the second time, independent churches APART FROM APOSTOLIC TEACHING, did not exist. Out of the first 3-4 centuries of Christianity, you would think there would be some evidence, but you can't even come up with a singe name of a member of an anti-institutional church over several centuries. The Church was founded as an institution so why is "institution" such a bad word for radical Protestants?
The historic institutional Church is monarchical because it is modeled after the Davidic Kingdom, not AT&T, Microsoft, or the Mickey Mouse Club. The angel Gabriel speaks in ROYAL terms in Luke 1, using words like "throne of his father David", "reign over the house of Jacob", "his kingdom there will be no end.” Last I checked, a kingdom implies a monarchy. And a King implies a queen, the same as the Davidic Kingdom, where you distance yourself even further.
Matt. 16:18; 18:18 – Jesus uses the word “ecclesia” only twice in the New Testament Scriptures, which demonstrates that Jesus intended a visible, unified, hierarchical, and authoritative Church.
1 Cor. 12:28 – God Himself appoints the
various positions of authority within the Church. As a loving Father, God gives His children the freedom and authority to act with charity and justice to bring about His work of salvation.
Eph. 4:11 –
the Church is hierarchical and includes apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers, all charged to build up the Church. The Church is not an invisible entity with an invisible foundation.
1 Tim. 3:1; Titus 1:7 – Christ’s Church has bishops (“episkopoi”) who are
direct successors of the apostles. The bishops can trace the authority conferred upon them back to the apostles.
1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14 – Christ’s Church also has elders or priests (“presbyteroi”) who serve the bishops.
1 Tim. 3:8 – Christ’s Church also has deacons (“diakonoi”). Thus, Jesus Christ’s Church has a
hierarchy of authority – bishops, priests and deacons, who can all trace their lineage back to Peter and the apostles.
The anti-institution, anti-authority, and anti-hierarchy mentality are the end products of division that St. Paul condemns.