What does the Bible say about the form of church government?

Answer  
  

The Lord was very clear in His Word about how He wishes His church on earth to be organized and managed. First, Christ is the head of the church and its supreme authority (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18\). Second, the local church is to be autonomous, free from any external authority or control, with the right of self\-government and freedom from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations (Titus 1:5\). Third, the church is to be governed by spiritual leadership consisting of two main offices—elders and deacons.   
  

“Elders” were a leading body among the Israelites since the time of Moses. We find them making political decisions (2 Samuel 5:3; 2 Samuel 17:4, 15\), advising the king in later history (1 Kings 20:7\), and representing the people concerning spiritual matters (Exodus 7:17; 24:1, 9; Numbers 11:16, 24\-25\). The early Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, used the Greek word *presbuteros* for “elder.” This is the same Greek word used in the New Testament that is also translated “elder.”  
  

The New Testament refers a number of times to elders who served in the role of church leadership (Acts 14:23, 15:2, 20:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14\) and apparently each church had more than one, as the word is usually found in the plural. The only exceptions refer to cases in which one elder is being singled out for some reason (1 Timothy 5:1, 19\). In the Jerusalem church, elders were part of the leadership along with the apostles (Acts 15:2\-16:4\).  
  

It seems that the position of elder was equal to the position of *episkopos*, translated “overseer” or “bishop” (Acts 11:30; 1 Timothy 5:17\). The term *elder* may refer to the dignity of the office, while the term *bishop/overseer* describes its authority and duties (1 Peter 2:25, 5:1\-4\). In Philippians 1:1, Paul greets the bishops and deacons but does not mention the elders, presumably because the elders are the same as the bishops. Likewise, 1 Timothy 3:2, 8 gives the qualifications of bishops and deacons but not of elders. Titus 1:5\-7 seems also to tie these two terms together.  
  

The position of “deacon,” from *diakonos*, meaning “through the dirt,” was one of servant leadership to the church. Deacons are separate from elders, while having qualifications that are in many ways similar to those of elders (1 Timothy 3:8\-13\). Deacons assist the church in whatever is needed, as recorded in Acts chapter 6\.  
  

Concerning the word *poimen*, translated “pastor” in reference to a human leader of a church, it is found only once in the New Testament, in Ephesians 4:11: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.” Most associate the two terms “pastors” and “teachers” as referring to a single position, a pastor\-teacher. It is likely that a pastor\-teacher was the spiritual shepherd of a particular local church.  
  

It would seem from the above passages that there was always a plurality of elders, but this does not negate God’s gifting particular elders with the teaching gifts while gifting others with the gift of administration, prayer, etc. (Romans 12:3\-8; Ephesians 4:11\). Nor does it negate God’s calling them into a ministry in which they will use those gifts (Acts 13:1\). Thus, one elder may emerge as the “pastor,” another may do the majority of visiting members because he has the gift of compassion, while another may “rule” in the sense of handling the organizational details. Many churches that are organized with a pastor and deacon board perform the functions of a plurality of elders in that they share the ministry load and work together in some decision making. In Scripture there was also much congregational input into decisions. Thus, a “dictator” leader who makes the decisions (whether called elder, or bishop, or pastor) is unscriptural (Acts 1:23, 26; 6:3, 5; 15:22, 30; 2 Corinthians 8:19\). So, too, is a congregation\-ruled church that does not give weight to the elders’ or church leaders’ input.  
  

In summary, the Bible teaches a leadership consisting of a plurality of elders (bishops/overseers) along with a group of deacons who serve the church. But it is not contrary to this plurality of elders to have one of the elders serving in the major “pastoral” role. God calls some as “pastor/teachers” (even as He called some to be missionaries in Acts 13\) and gives them as gifts to the church (Ephesians 4:11\). Thus, a church may have many elders, but not all elders are called to teach and preach (1 Timothy 5:17\). But, as one of the elders, the pastor or “teaching elder” has no more authority in decision\-making than does any other elder.  
  

