Church government

Church government (or ecclesiastical polity) is the operational and governance structure of the church.

Christ

Head of the church

1Co 11:3; Eph 1:22–23; 4:15–16; 5:23–24; Col 1:18; 2:10

Chief shepherd, teacher, overseer, cornerstone of the church

Mt 9:36 (cf. Mk 6:34); Mt 23:8, 10; 25:32; 26:31 (cf. Mk 14:27); Jn 10:11, 14, 16; Eph 2:20; Heb 13:20; 1Pe 2:25; 5:4

Has all authority

Mt 7:29 (cf. Mt 13:54; 22:33; Mk 1:22, 27; 6:2; 11:18; Lk 4:32, 36; Jn 7:46); Mt 9:6–8 (cf. Mk 2:10; Lk 5:24); Mt 21:23–27 (cf. Mk 11:28–33; Lk 20:2–8); Mt 28:18; Jn 5:27; 10:18; 17:2; 19:11; Eph 1:20–21; Rev 12:10

Source of all the church’s authority

Mt 10:1 (cf. Mk 3:14–15); Mk 6:7; Lk 9:1; 10:19; 2Co 10:8; 13:10; Col 2:10

Church officers in general

Church offices listed

Ac 13:1; 1Co 12:28–29; Eph 2:19–20; 4:11–12; Php 1:1

Whole church helps select officers

Ac 1:15, 23; 6:3; 15:22; 2Co 8:19 — see also Mt 18:17; 1Co 5:4

Officers ordained by laying on of hands

Main topics: Ordination, Laying on of hands Ac 6:6; 13:2–3; 1Ti 5:22; 4:14; 2Ti 1:6

Ordination ultimately from God

Ac 20:28; 1Co 12:28; Eph 4:11

Full-time officers can/should be compensated

Main topic: Paid ministry 1Co 9:1-19; Php 4:10-20; 1Th 2:6; 2Th 3:9; 1Ti 5:17-18

Apostle

Apostle, qualifications for

Jn 15:27; Ac 1:21–22; 1Co 9:1; 15:7–9; 2Co 12:12

Examples of apostles besides original twelve, Matthias, Paul

Barnabas: Ac 13:2–3; 14:14; Apollos (and Sosthenes?): 1Co 1:1; 3:4–6, 22; 4:6, 9; Silvanus and Timothy: 1Th 1:1; 2:5–6; James the brother of Jesus: Gal 1:19 — see also Ro 16:7; Php 2:25

Prophet

Rules regarding orderly prophesying

1Co 14:1–5, 29–33, 37–40

Examples of NT prophets

Agabus: Ac 11:27–28; 21:10; Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul: Ac 13:1; Judas and Silas: Ac 15:32

Evangelist

Evangelist, every occurrence of

Ac 21:8; Eph 4:11; 2Ti 4:5

Elder, bishop/overseer, pastor

Elder, qualifications for, duties of

Ex 18:21–26; Nu 11:16–17; Dt 1:13–18; 1Ti 3:1–7; Tit 1:5–9

Elder, bishop, pastor are same office

Ac 20:17, 28; Php 1:1; Tit 1:5–7; 1Pe 5:1–2

All elders rule, some preach and teach

1Ti 5:17

Every church has plurality of elders

Ac 11:30; 14:23; 15:2, 4, 6, 22–23; 16:4; 20:17, 28; 21:18; Php 1:1; 1Ti 4:14; Tit 1:5; Jas 5:14; 1Pe 5:1

Elder, every occurrence of

Ac 11:30; 14:23; 15:2, 4, 6, 22–23; 16:4; 20:17; 21:18; 1Ti 4:14; 5:17, 19; Tit 1:5; Jas 5:14; 1Pe 5:1; 2Jn 1:1; 3Jn 1:1

bishop/overseer, every occurrence of

Ac 20:28; Php 1:1; 1Ti 3:1–2; Tit 1:7; 1Pe 5:2 — and the same word is used at Ac 1:20

Pastor, every occurrence of

Ac 20:28; Eph 4:11; 1Pe 5:2

Deacon

Deacon, qualifications for, duties of

Ac 6:3; 1Ti 3:8–13

First deacons ordained

Ac 6:1–7

Deacon, every occurrence of

Ro 16:1; Php 1:1; 1Ti 3:8, 10, 12–13 — and the same word is used at Ac 6:1–2