On the surface, it appears that most churches operate in a similar manner – having a minister presiding over the religious services. However, if one looks deeper, he or she may realize that there are sometimes major differences in the role of the minister, especially when it comes to the administration aspect of the position. A lot of these differences vary according to the governing style of each church, which usually falls underneath one of three main systems or a combination thereof – papal, presbyterian, or congregational. The three systems are distinctly different and can potentially have a profound impact on the direction of a church as well as its leader(s) and members. The question often arises, what does the Word of God say about church governance?
The first form of church governance is referred to as the papal system, which pertains to an individual such as a pope, bishop, or similar person who assumes authority over the church. Jesus’s reference to Peter is often used as a justification for this role, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19 NIV) The Apostle Paul also describes the qualifications of a church “overseer,” which the King James Version of the Bible refers to as the “office of a bishop.” (I Timothy 3:1 NIV) The most common example of this form of church government is the Roman Catholic Church and its leader – the pope. On the positive note, churches with this form of government tend to last longer, since their leaders often have a vested interest in ensuring that the long-term spiritual interests and/or traditions of the church persevere. However, problems may arise when it comes to addressing spiritual issues in a timely manner, regardless if it involves a large denomination or affiliation with a hierarchical body or an independent church with a single religious leader who may lack empathy.
The second form of church governance is the presbyterian system, referring to a group of elders who perform the teaching, religious and administrative functions of a church. Hence, you have the well-known denomination – the Presbyterians. During the times of the early church, the elders were appointed in different manners. For example, the Apostle Paul explained how he left Titus with the responsibility of appointing elders in Crete. (Titus 1:5) On the other hand, the disciples chose seven people from among themselves and “presented” the individuals for service in the ministry, whom the Apostles subsequently “prayed and laid their hands on them.” (Acts 6:2-6 NIV) The presbyterian form of governance helps alleviate a lot of potential problems involving a church with a high ratio of new believers and/or members, since the leaders are responsible for the sensitive spiritual issues. Nevertheless, people desiring to have their spiritual concerns heard may possibly “slip between the cracks.”
As for the third form of church governance, the congregational system refers to each local group of believers acting as an independent, self-governing body…while maintaining fellowship with like congregations. Many of these churches believe in the “priesthood” of the individual believer, rather than a hierarchical priesthood. (I Peter 2:5 NIV) Therefore, they believe every member of a congregation should have a say in the direction of the church. In this form of governance, the church members tend to be a lot more involved with the various affairs of the church, be it the budget or spiritual issues. The congregation system works great if you have a greater ratio of more mature believers vice new believers. However, you may have opposite results if you have a greater proportion of new believers. For example, consider the analogy of two parents and three kids driving down the road with an overall goal of having a meal to eat at a restaurant? The parents decide for the nutritious option and the kids want fast food. What potentially happens when you make a majority vote?
In summary, the Bible does not necessarily specify any one specific form of church governance. As a result, you will find churches with a multitude of leadership structures. Therefore, the role of the minister varies greatly among churches, whether the pastor directly leads the church or the church is led by a board of elders or the congregation itself. Overall, there are common factors for any of the church governance systems to work effectively – accountability, communication and adherence to Biblical standards throughout the entire process.
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