The Polity of the Church

Forms of Government

Church government is that branch of ecclesiology that addresses the organizational structure and hierarchy of the church.

There are three types of church government: • Episcopalian • Presbyterian• Congregational

Organization of Episcopalians

Archbishop

Bishop

Rector Congregation

Rector Congregation

Bishop Rector Congregation

Episcopalian Government

• An archbishop has authority over many bishops. They in turn have authority over a “diocese”, which simply means the churches under the jurisdiction of a bishop.

• The officer in charge of a local parish is a rector, who is an assistant. Each position is held by a priest.

Organization of Episcopalians

1. Is the office of “Bishop” a distinct office in the New Testament church?

2. The theory of a group of bishops established to replace the apostles is not taught in NT.

3. Is Apostolic Succession true? In Acts 14:3, people in the Church at Antioch ordained Paul and Barnabas, not the Apostles.

4. Timothy was ordained by “council of elders”.

Presbyterian Government

General Assembly

Presbytery

E E E E E Congregation

E E E E E Congregation

Presbytery E E E E E Congregation

Presbyterian Government

Each local church elects elders to a session. The pastor of the church will be one of the elders in the session, equal in authority to the other elders.

The members over the session (the elders) are also members of a presbytery, which has authority over several churches in a region.

Presbyterian Government

Some of the members of the Presbytery are members of the “general assembly.” The general assembly has authority over all the Presbyterian churches in a nation or region.

Arguments for Presbyterian

1. Those who have wisdom and gifts for eldership should be called on to govern more than one local church.

2. A national and worldwide government shows the unity of the body of Christ.

3. Such a system is able to prevent individual congregations from falling into doctrinal error more effectively than a voluntary association of churches.

Arguments against Presbyterian

1. Elders do not have authority over their own local church (Acts 15).

2. This system results in much litigation where doctrinal disputes are pursued year after year, all the way to the general assembly.

3. The power in the church from the general assembly seems to be too removed from the final control of the laypeople in the church.

Arguments against Presbyterian

4. Although it is true that a doctrinally sound denomination can keep a local church from going astray, in actuality the opposite has been true: national leadership has developed a false doctrine, putting pressure on local churches to conform to it.

5. The national meeting of a Baptist denomination where ministers and laypersons (delegates) join together in fellowship may be more Christ unified.

Congregational (Single Elder – Pastor)

Pastor

Deacon Board

Congregation Congregation

Arguments for Single Pastor

• James was the pastor and president of the church at Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; Gal. 2:12).

• “The Bishop” (singular) must be without reproach and blameless (Titus 1:7).

• “Deacons” (plural) likewise must be serious (1 Tim 3:8).

Arguments against Single Pastor

• James 5:14 – “Let him call on the elders.” • 1 Peter 5:1 – “I exhort the elders among you.”• The Greek definite article for Bishop is a general

statement, not to be taken as singular.

• A common practical problem with a “single pastor” system is either an excessive concentration of power in one person or excessive demands laid upon him.

Pastors and Deacons govern together

Congregation

D D D D D D Pastor D D D D DDeacon Board

Plural local Pastor Government

Congregation

E E E E E Pastor E E E E E E Elder Led Government

Bible Baptist Church

Congregation

Deacon Board

Pastoral Staff (Senior, Associate)

Church Polity

Christ is the _________ of the Church and is the ___________ authority (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; Col. 1:18).

Church Polity

The Local Church is to be _______________, free from any __________ control or authority (Titus 1:5; 1 Pet. 5:1-3).

New Hampshire Confession of Faith

• “A visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His word; that its only scriptural officers are Bishops or Pastors, and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.”

Arguments for Church Autonomy

• Narrative-Historical Argument• Biblical Picture of Church Discipline• Jerusalem Council • Elitism • Revelation 2-3 Argument • Landmarkism

Church Polity

The church is to be _________ by spiritual leadership consisting of two main offices: ___________ and ___________ (Acts 14:23; Tit. 1:5; Jam. 5:14).

Deacon “Diakonos”

• The word for deacon literally means a servant, minister, in service for physical needs of the church body (Matt. 25:44; Acts 11:29).

• “Whoever wants to be great must become a deacon.” Greater among you will be your deacon (Matt 23).”

• Women served this way (Matt. 8:15; John 12:2; Matt. 27:33).

Deacon Titles

• Paul called Timothy a deacon (1 Tim. 4:6)

• Peter said OT prophets were deacons (1 Pet. 1:12).

• Angels are called deacons (Heb. 1:14).

• Even Satan has his deacons (2 Cor. 11:15)