Church government
From “Tota Scriptura”, Joey Day’s personal Scripture topic index wiki
Church government (or ecclesiastical polity) is the operational and governance structure of the church.
Contents
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