Church Government or Organization Local Church Government Forms

Church Government or Organization

Local Church Government Forms • Presbyterian (Federal, Elder Rule) • • Episcopal (Hierarchical) • Congregational • National • Minimal Government • Nongovernmental

Presbyterian • Presbuteros - means “older”, “more mature” or “wiser” and is translated “elder”. • Place the Greek words presbuteros (elder) and episcopos (bishop, overseer) on the same level. • Consider the bishop to be the Greek term for leadership and elder to be the Hebrew term for the same office.

Presbyterian • Similar to our federal government in that the members of the church give their authority to certain men. • Presbyterian, Reformed groups extend this to include entire denomination. • Some independent churches use this only at the local level with no higher authority over them.

Episcopal • From the Greek work episcopos translated “bishop” or “overseer”. • This group separates the episcopos (bishop or overseer) from the elders. They place the episcopos (bishops) over the presbuteros (elders).

Episcopal • Methodist, Episcopal and Roman Catholic Chruches follow this form. • Local pastor or priest would be under the elders • Elders under a bishop. • Roman Catholic Church hierarchy (Cardinals) extends all the way to the pope.

Congregational • Usually accompanied with elders but the authority rests with the congregation. • In most cases the congregation votes for elders to represent them in the day to day matters of church business. • In certain decisions, including selection of the elders, the congregation will vote.

Congregational • Usually no bishops or church councils over these churches. • Many independent churches along with Baptist, Free and Congregational churches use this form of government.

National • Under the national or state government. • Sometimes he only legal church in the country. • Church of England, or the Anglican Church, and the Lutheran Church in Germany are examples.

Minimal Government • Led by elders but the exercise of spiritual gifts of all members is encouraged. • Membership is often not officially documented or recognized. Plymouth Brethren are an example.

Non-Governmental • Attempt to eliminate all forms of government including an appointed pastor or established speaker. • They stress the spiritual side of the church’s leadership through the Holy Spirit. • Quakers follow this style of government.

Offices in the Church • Elders - also designated as bishop (Acts 20: 17, 28; Ti 1: 5, 7) • Deacons - The term deacon comes from a word meaning “servant. ” This derivation aptly describes the function of the office.

Elders Function • Bishop comes from a Greek word meaning “watching over. ” • The synonymous term, elder, underscores the dignity and wisdom associated with the office. • The elder is to shepherd the flock (Acts 20: 28), nourishing it, and guiding it. • Includes instructing the church “in word and doctrine” (1 Tm 5: 17) and protecting the congregation from false teachings (Acts 20: 31).

Responsibility of Elders • Must recognize that their responsibilities extend even to practical matters (this area is not reserved to the deacons only). • In Acts 11, an offering was sent from Antioch to help in the relief of the saints. Notably, these funds were sent to the elders of the Jerusalem church, not the deacons (Acts 11: 36

Plurality of Elders • The Bible consistently refers to elders in the plural form when mentioning leadership of the local church. • New Testament establishes a pattern for a body of elders governing the church, rather than a single minister. • Plurality permits the complementary mixture of the spiritual gifts of the individual elders to mutually serve and govern the body.

Elders from Within • The manner in which the body of elders is established is just as important. • Biblical pattern is evidenced by Paul’s injunction to Titus to establish elders within the churches of Crete (Ti 1: 5). • Local churches did not invite men from outside the local fellowship to serve as their pastor, as is common practice among most denominations today.

Deacons • The term deacon comes from a word meaning “servant. ” Aptly describing the function of the office. • Apparently the seven men chosen to assist the apostles in the account described in Acts 6, constituted the first deacons.

Duties of Deacons • Acts 6 would indicate that the principal duties of the deacons are to relieve the elders of menial tasks of the practical care of the local church so that the elders may devote themselves to “prayer and the ministry of the word. ” • While deacons are primarily involved in material ministries of the church, the standards required to serve in this office are nevertheless very high.

Priesthood of the Believer • specific offices are mandated in the Bible for the proper organization and leadership of the local church. • The ministry is not restricted to them. • Every Christian has the opportunity and responsibility to minister. • Men who are gifted, this may mean public ministry in preaching. • For others simply sharing a thought at the breaking of bread meeting, or perhaps ministering through visitation or evangelism.

Ministry by All • Biblical emphasis on the participation of every believer in ministering for the good of the body as a whole may sometimes result in a less than professional appearance. • A meeting directed strictly by the Holy Spirit and with the sincerity and spontaneity, with which many devout Christians express their love to God, simply cannot be duplicated by programs.

Autonomy of the Local Church • The Bible considers each local church to be a self-governing, autonomous unit. • In Revelation 2 and 3. • Messages were sent to the seven churches of Asia, not “the Church of Asia. ” • Angel (or, perhaps, messenger) for each church, but none for all of the churches.

Responsibilities • Each church was given specific commands and had specific responsibilities. • The churches were represented by seven golden candlesticks, not a seven branched candelabrum as in the tabernacle (Ex 25: 31 -40).

Common Causes & Goals • Nevertheless, the local churches of New Testament times shared in common causes and goals. • They had a spiritual unity although each was a distinct and separate body. Their unity of purpose was shown in several ways: (Mackay p 29)

Ministry Among Churches • Receiving of all whom Christ had received (Rom 15: 7). • Support of gifted servants of Christ (1 Cor 16: 9 -12; 2 Cor 11: 8 -9; 3 Jn 5 -8). • Letters of commendation for those traveling to churches where they would not be known (Rom 16: 1, 2). • Helping the needy in other churches (Rom 15: 25 -27; 2 Cor 8: 1 -4).

Lord’s Supper • The meetings of the early church centered around the Lord’s Supper weekly. (Acts 2: 46; 1 Cor 16: 2). • Observing the Lord’s Supper every Sunday is the biblical pattern. • Becoming too mundane and lack reverence if held weekly are simply illogical. • Infrequent expressions of love more sincere? ?

Steadfast • Early church was steadfast in fellowship (Acts 2: 42). • The practice of meeting in homes was the normal pattern (Col 4: 15; Rom 16: 5; 1 Cor 16: 19). • Large congregations which are common in modern times are in marked contrast to the small, familylike, assemblies of New Testament days.

Prayer & Instruction • Acts 2 indicates that the early church was consistent in meeting for prayer and for instruction in doctrine. • Quite likely in a single meeting. • Men led the congregation in prayer (1 Tim 2: 1 -8) while the women prayed along silently. • Any male believer could share from the Word provided his message was concordant with sound doctrine (1 Cor 14: 26 -33).

Women’s Role • The Bible is very explicit as to God’s purposes for man and woman. • “It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make an help meet for him. ” (Gen 2: 18) • The Bible teaches that Eve shared Adam’s physical nature (Gn 2: 21 -23) and that they both shared God’s image. • In addition, the responsibility of stewardship of the earth was given to them both (Gn 1: 27).

Equal but Different • God given equality between man and woman. Neither is superior to the other in the eyes of God. • Complementarity between the two as well. Implicit in the concept of complementarity is a difference in role and function. • Although neither is superior to the other, this is not to say the man and the woman are identical or have exactly identical strengths and weaknesses.

Edification of the Body • The role of women is very important in the church. • To each believer, both man and woman, is given a spiritual gift which is to be used for the edification of the church and the progress of the gospel.

Examples of Women’s Ministry • Evangelism: Euodia and Syntche labored alongside Paul in evangelizing (Phil 4: 3). • Teaching: Priscilla assisted in privately instructing Apollos concerning aspects of the faith (Acts 18: 26) • Good deeds: Dorcas well known for her Christian love and ministry expressed through her good deeds (Acts 9: 36).

Women’s Ministry • Pastoral Care: Priscilla, together with Aquila, ministered to Paul in his need (Rom 16: 3 -5). • Family Life: The Bible places much emphasis on the critical role of the woman in establishing and maintaining a home (1 Tm 2: 13 -15; Ti 2: 4, 5).

Head Covering • 1 Cor 11: 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. • 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. • For as the man honors his head by showing his liberty, so the woman, by showing her subjection. Hence, on the other hand, if the woman uncovers her head, she shakes off subjection—involving contempt of her husband. - Calvin

Shaved or Shorn • Moreover, as the head-covering was the emblem of maiden modesty before man (#Ge 24: 65), and conjugal chastity (#Ge 20: 16); so, to uncover the head indicated withdrawal from the power of the husband, whence a suspected wife had her head uncovered by the priest (#Nu 5: 18). – Matthew Henry • A woman convicted of adultery had her hair shorn (Isa 7: 20). - Robertson

Symbol of Authority • 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. • The headcovering is a symbol of the woman taking her place in the divine order. • It is a sign to the Angels observing the Church that she willingly takes that place of submission to the Glory of God.

Natures Argument • 13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? • 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? • 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.

No Other Custom • 16 b…we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God. • “We” refers to the apostles and indicates that this is the position of all the apostles. • New American Standard and New International Version say, “No other custom. ” • The idea is that headcovering is the universal practice of the church and there is no custom otherwise.

God‘s Order • Headcovering is a practice of symbolic meaning in the church meeting just as the bread and the cup of the Lord’s Supper. • It shows God’s divine order of women being under the authority of men just as men are to Christ. • It is supported by the creation order as well as nature noting the distinction of men from women.

Historical Practice of the Church • Christian women continued to maintain this practice through the all centuries up to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. • Today, Christian women in eastern churches still cover their heads in church…In the west, some Plymouth Brethren women still wear the prayer veil in church, as do many black women. – David Bercot “Head Coverings through the Centuries”