Church Structure
by Paul Hazelden

Introduction

Patterns of church leadership have been argued for almost as long as there has been a church.   Many people today accept that all the major systems of church government have some basis in Scripture, and all of them have inherent advantaqges and disadvantages.

This is all true - up to a point.   I am not too interested in the formal structure adopted by a church, but in whether the way people operate within that structure conforms to the patterns and principles we find in the Bible.

I am increasingly coming to suspect that a major source of weakness in the church today - across all the major denominations and groupings, both old and new - lies in the way we run our churches according to the rules we have established, and ignore some of the clear principles established in Scripture.

Church life does not work as God intended because we ignore His pattern of church leadership.

I recognise that not all of the patterns and principles I identify here are seen by everyone in the same light.   I have had numerous discussions with people on this topic.   Each discussion generally boils down to the possibility of three distinct scenarios:

• the Bible is not clear;
• the Bible is not relevant;
• the Bible does not agree with my traditions.

I leave it to the reader to decide, in the event of any conflict, which of these possibilities is the more likely.

 

The Main Focus of Church Structure

Introduction to the section.

 

Amateur, not Professional

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Mission, not Maintenance

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Kingdom, not Congregation

(get out and make a difference)

 

Gift, not Position

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Principles of Church Organisation

 

Servanthood

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Incarnation

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Team Work

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Flexibility

The aim is not to implement an abstract set of principles, but to release the life God has given, and let it grow.   The structures served the mission and purpose of the church, not the other way round.

Paul appointed Elders on his second journey, not the first.   the organisational approach would have been to appoint Elders before leaving the church for the first time - after all, a church needs Elders to lead it.

But the reality is quite simple - when you have a bunch of people trying to work together, some will emerge as leaders.   And it is often not obvious in advance who these leaders will be.

Of course, this is a wonderful get-out clause.   If we don't like the Biblical pattern, we can point to some detail of our situation which makes it difficult, and say we are being flexible.   But then, if we don't want to do things God's way, there's not much point in worrying too much about the wording of our excuses.

 

God's Five Gifts to the Church

Introduction to the section.

In the New Testament, the church was led by Elders.   Today, it is led by Pastors.   Spot the difference!

We can summarise four of the five gifts in this table:

	Emotion	Reason
Outside the church	Prophet	Evangelist
Inside the church	Pastor	Teacher

 

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