| TRADITIONAL FORMS OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT Bob Yandian HIS GLORY REIGNS B. Childress Aug 23, 2007 If you want a supernatural church, you must have biblical authority for your church government. Signs and wonders will become commonplace when your house is in order. There are four main types of church government in the body of Christ today: episcopalian, presbyterian, congregational, and independent - the title tells us who is in authority. Episcopalian Church Government The episcopalian form of church government is found in many types of churches: The Roman Catholic, the Anglican, the Episcopalian, the Methodist, the Lutheran, and the Churches of God. The title points out who has authority: the bishops. When you see the word bishop in Scripture, it means the overseer. Another word to use might be superintendent. In the episcopalian form of church government, the bishop has the authority, and the pastor is under him. The question is does this form of church government conform to the biblical standard? No, it is unscriptural; it is wrong. The Roman Catholic Church employs the episcopalian form. It's line of authority begins with the highest-ranking bishop, the pope. Under him is the cardinal (cardinal bishop). Under the cardinal bishop is the archbishop. Under the archbishop is the bishop. Under the bishop is the local bishop. Under the local bishop is the priest or pastor. The pastor (priest, who, by biblical authority, is directly under the Lord Jesus Christ), is under the authority of five bishops above him, who are chosen by men. Remember, God's Word tells us that the office of a bishop is something to which a man aspires. Accordingly, we have five offices chosen by man above the office chosen by God. It comes from a misunderstanding of the term bishop. Bishops are in the Word of God and are ordained by God, but they do not rank with the ministry office of the pastor. We must let God's Word be the guide and judge of correct church government. Presbyterian Church Government The Greek word from which we derive the word presbyterian is presbuteros; this is also where we get the word elder. In this form of church government, the authority for the local church rests in a group of elders. This type of government is found in the Presbyterian Church, the Pentecostal Holiness, the Friends, and many non-denominational churches. The church is governed by a group of elders. Traditionally they number seven, ten, or twelve. In this form of government, the elders are over the pastor, or the elders and the pastor have equal authority. But in God's Word, who chooses pastors? The Lord Jesus. Who should choose elders? The pastor. Does it sound right that the ones the pastor chooses should exert authority over him? Should the ones chosen by men rule the one chosen by God? The Word shows that God chooses a pastor as head of the local church. Whenever there is a multiplicity of people in authority in a church, they usually have to vote to find God's will. Elders are necessary for counsel to the pastor, but not to make his decisions for (or with) him. "In the multitude of counselors there is safety" Proverbs 11:14. Congregational Church Government By this title, we can see that the congregation has the authority. Voting is the means by which most all decisions are made. The major denominations that have congregational church government include the Baptists, the Assemblies of God, the Churches of Christ, and the Congregationalists. The congregational forms of church government is that they arose about the time the United States became a nation, two hundred years ago. Apparently it was presumed that if we have a nation run by the will of the people, then we should run churches by the will of the people. The authority rests with the congregation. This is not a proper form of church government according to the Word of God. Democracy does not make the church possible; the church makes democracy possible. The church is not a natural institution, but supernatural. It must be run supernaturally from the standards of God's Word, not history books. If we want to cite precedent, we ought to look at God's Word and see how He established the nation of Israel. He established one head over all. Then He divided the nation into smaller groups (tribes) with overseers under the authority of the head (Moses, or a king). For example, Moses, as the head, led the nation of Israel directly under God's authority. Then there were men responsible for tens, hundreds, and thousands under him. But they still came under Moses and submitted to his authority (Exodus 18). The reason some of these forms of church government came into being was out of an abuse of authority by the pastor. The presbyterian form of church government arose because a pastor was not fulfilling his office properly. A group of men (elders) arose and exercised authority over him to protect the congregation. When the elders began to abuse authority, the congregation as a whole decided to take the authority away from them. But even the congregational type of government is also subject to being swayed by one man's opinions or influence. No matter how we look at these attempts by men to prevent abuses, they still occur. God's Word is still our guide. His choice is to have one man who hears Him rule over the church. He is not a dictator, but a shepherd who leads his flock with sound counsel. Independent Church Government The independent form of church government is the closest to the precedent set in God's Word. In this form of church government, the church is governed much like a corporate business. The pastor is like a president and the elders are like vice-presidents. Nevertheless, there is only one head to the organization, the pastor (president) of the church. James 5:14 says:"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church." Notice that "elders" is plural, and "church" is singular. In the local church, there can be a number of elders (Acts 14:23) and the pastor does the choosing. Who has authority over them? The pastor does. We are not talking about authority in a natural sense of understanding. We are talking about divine authority, which comes from the throne of God to the people through a ministry gift chosen and equipped by the Lord Jesus Christ. This must always be kept in mind whenever there is a discussion of scriptural church authority. Remember that God says in Romans 8:7 that the carnal mind is an enemy to God. If we want God present in our lives, then we have to live in line with His Word. And if we want God present in our churches, then we have to get our churches in line with His Word. Church Boards The authority of the pastor is not unlimited authority. There must be a system of checks and balances in a church just like a business, marriage, or other institutions. Because pastors can become hardhearted and leave the lifestyle and doctrinal principles of the Word, protection must be built in for the people. Church boards have been known to dominate churches, choke the creativity out of pastors, and stop the move of the Spirit - but we still need them in the church. A pastor with unlimited authority and a church dominated by a board are both playgrounds for satan. There must be balance.
Neither the universal Church nor the home is run by a board. The local church is compared to both. The home is the training ground for handling the local church, the family of God, "For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?" 1 Timothy 3:5 Source: Decently and In Order, Bob Yandian,Copyright 1983,1983 by Whitaker House. |
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