Which Governance Is Right?
Church polity simply refers to the structure of church government. What was the form of polity in the New Testament? Dean Stanley asserts that no existing church can find any pattern or platform of its government in the first century.
Historically, the three basic forms of church order are:
• Episcopal—governed by bishops
• congregational—places authority in hands of local congregants
• presbyterial—governed by elders of equal rank
Originally church order was exclusively episcopal, but congregational and presbyterial polities emerged out of the Protestant Reformation.
A member’s relation to the church is a reflection of a member’s relationship to Christ, since the individual members make up the body of the church which is the bride of Christ. In Ephesians 5:32, Paul is careful to tell us that his instructions concerning the relationship of the husband and wife are, in fact, a representation of the relationship of Christ with His Church.
The dominant primacy of the Holy Spirit assumes that God and humanity are in a partnership in the church enterprise. God is operating in and through the church through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not subject to human leadership or guidance. There is neither an attempt to preempt Him nor to direct, limit, or regiment His movement within the church. Christ is the Head of the church through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
As the church emerged, the need for official and appointed leadership developed. Focal congregations needed direction. New Christians required teaching. The world stood waiting for the message of eternal life. As God’s plan unfolded, leaders were selected and placed in positions of responsibility to lead in worship, to minister to the congregations, and to strengthen the witness of the church. The leaders were described with multiple titles which seem to indicate the various functions of the church’s leadership. They were called elders, pastors, teachers, and bishops. In Acts 6 a group emerged which would later be known as deacons or servants. As a result, the New Testament church developed two basic offices or leadership roles. One is the pastor (elder, bishop) and the other is the deacon.
While churches today differ in their application of these offices as they relate to church government and polity, we can be sure that Jesus is the Lord of the church and that He mediates His rule through the congregation and its chosen leaders. God’s church is therefore dependent upon the right kind of leadership, which fits the biblical pattern and develops healthy Christians within the congregation. Since church leadership is a stewardship having significant impact upon the lives of Christians, it is imperative that qualified leaders be chosen.
Notes:
Schaff, P., & Schaff, D. S. (1997). History of the Christian church. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Kurian, G. T. (2001). Nelson's new Christian dictionary : The authoritative resource on the Christian world. Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Pubs.
Tidwell, C. A. (1985). Church administration: Effective leadership for ministry (22). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Believer's Study Bible. 1997 (electronic ed.) (Re 22:17). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Tommy
