Believe it or not, one of the most significant factors in the downfall of a church is its power structure, the way it is organized to make decisions. In theological terms, its “polity.”
This may sound ridiculous in a time when churches seem to have much bigger problems—apostate doctrine, worldly compromise, blatant sin.
But it is nonetheless true, and I have seen it play out more times than I could count.
But why? Why is polity such a big factor in church decline?
Because, when God sends a change agent into a church to make corrections, he has absolutely no chance of accomplishing anything if the church's power structure will not allow it.
Mind you, he may not be able to do it anyway, but if the church is organized, as so many are today, where the man in charge cannot make binding decisions, then all of his efforts, and those of God himself, will be in vain.
It is important, therefore, to understand God's design for church polity and to labor to implement it in every church. This article will provide an overview of that design, both for individual churches and denominations.
The Biblical Way to Organize a Church
Proper Polity for Individual Churches
Individual churches should be organized around three central elements:
Multiple, biblically qualified pastors in every church who have sole spiritual authority
Multiple, biblically qualified deacons who serve the physical and temporal needs of the people under the authority of the pastors
A congregation of submissive disciples whose involvement in church decisions falls under the authority of the pastors
A biblically organized church has multiple pastors (elders), multiple deacons under the authority of the pastors, and a submissive, supportive congregation.
Element 1: Multiple Pastors in Every Church with Real Authority
The biblical way to organize a church begins by having more than one local pastor for each congregation. The New Testament demonstrates this is at least two ways:
The apostles and their delegates ordained multiple pastors in every church (in the New Testament, the terms “pastor,” “elder,” “bishop,” and “overseer” are synonymous [1]):
So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Acts 14:23
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. Titus 1:5
The churches used multiple pastors:
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. Phil. 1:1
They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this situation. Acts 15:2
On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. Acts 21:18
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him… James 5:14
The Requirements for the Pastoral Office
These pastors must meet stringent spiritual requirements to be qualified to serve. The following chart lists and defines the characteristics specified by Paul in 1 Tim. 3:1-7:
Character Trait | Definition |
Blameless | Without grievous sin in his life |
Husband of one wife | A “one-woman man” with his current wife |
Not given to wine | Does not partake of alcohol inordinately |
Sober-minded | Of a sound mind, sane |
Good behavior | Modest |
Hospitable | Generous to guests |
Able to teach | Skillful at teaching |
Not violent | No “ready for a blow”; does not have a temper |
Not greedy/covetous | Not eager for gain or in love with money |
Gentle | Of a mild disposition, not harsh or abusive |
Rules his house well | Successfully exercises authority in his home |
Not a novice | Not newly converted to the faith |
Good testimony | Of a positive moral reputation with unbelievers |
The Authority of Pastors
New Testament pastors are not simply figureheads, nor are they merely chaplains; they are men with real spiritual authority over their congregations. Notice the commands of Scripture in this area.
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls. Heb. 13:17
Recognize those who labor among you, and are over you [superintend, preside over] in the Lord. 1 Thes. 5:12
The elders who rule well [same word as 1 Thes. 5:12] be counted worthy of double honor. 1 Tim. 5:17
Why give pastors authority?
Why would God put certain men over the rest of the congregation? Because, though pastors are not dictators, God has given them responsibility to do things that will be unpopular, and they need the authority necessary to carry out those actions.
Consider three examples:
Pastors are required to make changes in their churches. Paul told Timothy to “set in order the things that are lacking” (Tit. 1:5). This is precisely what modern pastors are to do in their churches.
Pastors are required to protect the people from false teachers. The apostles constantly warned of the danger of those who would teach things contrary to the Bible (see Acts 20:28-29 as an example[2]). Pastors are there to recognize this when it occurs and put an end to it.
Pastors are required to rebuke those who are sinning or causing conflict. Churches are full of troublemakers, men and women who wreak havoc on the church’s efforts to obey Christ. Therefore, pastors are given authority to call out and discipline them when necessary (see 1 Tim. 5:20, 2 Tim. 4:2, and Tit. 1:10-11, 13).
In the spirit of these texts, the pastors have unassailable authority in the following areas:
What is preached from the pulpit or taught in any form
Those allowed to preach from the pulpit
Those who can teach in any form (Sunday school, small groups, youth, VBS)
The content of song lyrics sung in the church
Those who serve in any position, staff and volunteer
Doctrinal disputes affecting the church
How the church does business (financial, business meetings, administrative)
Element 2: Multiple Deacons in Every Church in Submission to the Pastors
The biblical way to organize a church also extends to the office of deacon. Deacons were established to assist the pastors in providing for the material and temporal needs of the people. The office first appeared in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 6:1-4. Here is that account:
Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to the ministry of the word.”
Notice that the office of deacon was not established as a position of authority in line with the pastors. Regarding their position, the apostles said, “Seek out from among you seven men…whom we may appoint over this business.”
The apostles appointed them; therefore, the apostles were over them (as pastors are today). Deacons are not substitute pastors, nor are they to be placed in authority over them.
Requirements to Become Deacons
Like pastors, deacons must meet certain moral requirements. In Acts 6:3, the apostles said they were to be men “of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.” Paul gives a more detailed list of qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.
The following table lists and explains each briefly:
Character Trait | Definition |
Reverent | To be venerated for character, honorable |
Not double-tongued | Not saying one thing to one person and something else to another |
Not given to wine | Not prone to drink alcohol inordinately |
Not greedy for money | Not eager for carnal gain or greedy for money |
Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience | Maintaining the truths of Christ in a conscience free from known sin |
Wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful | A wife who is venerated for character; not prone to slander or falsely accusing others; not prone to alcohol; faithful in the execution of commands |
Husbands of one wife | Faithfully married to one woman |
Rule his children well | Have control of his children; able to exercise proper discipline to correct errant behavior |
A few observations about the qualifications of deacons:
Deacons must be men. Many attempts have been made to twist passages like 1 Timothy 3 to justify the women deacons, but the arguments fall short. The office of deacon, like that of pastor, is reserved for men.
Deacons do not have to be skilled at teaching the Word as pastors do. As deacons are not given spiritual authority, their requirement for knowledge of the Word and their subsequent ability to teach it are reduced.
Deacons’ wives cannot be troublemaking women. Many men serving as deacons today are disqualified due to the dishonorable conduct of their wives. In my experience, half or more of the troublemakers in churches are women, and many of those are deacons’ wives.
Element 3: Submissive Disciples Whose Involvement in Church Decisions Falls Under the Authority of the Pastors
The biblical way to organize a church also applies to how church members participate in church-wide decision making.
Different denominations approach congregational participation in decision making in different ways. This section will deal with churches that use congregational voting.
Voting and the New Testament
Although it is extremely popular in America, congregational voting is not actually biblical. Consider the following arguments that demonstrate this:
Voting contradicts the authority of the pastors. How can pastors have the authority granted them in places like Hebrews 13:17 and still be overruled by a church vote?
There are no vote counts in the New Testament. Churches that vote today document the results of votes so they can have a record of important decisions. However, though we have hundreds of pages of apostolic writing, we do not have a single documented outcome of a vote. Why? Because there were no votes.
There are no voting processes outlined in the New Testament. The apostles gave instructions for all kinds of processes, like how to support widows, accuse an elder of wrongdoing, and give to the needy. And yet they did not give any direction on what should be one of the most important activities in the church, making decisions through voting. Again, this is likely because no voting took place.
Voting as a Fair and Amicable Process
A second point to note about voting is that it is an unfair and divisive way to make decisions. This can be seen in several ways.
Voting gives new converts the same weight in decision making as seasoned believers.
Because so few participate in voting, only a small percentage of the church actually makes the decisions.
The loudest groups often drive the outcome of votes.
Voting pits groups of believers against one another and creates a situation where one group wins and another loses.
Majority decisions are not always the wisest. Consider the vote that took place in Numbers 13 regarding the decision to enter the land of Canaan. The vote was 10-2, but it resulted in God's severe judgment and 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
Groups Can Make Unified Decisions Without Voting
The false premise in the argument for voting is that it is the only way to ensure everyone in the church gets a fair say in decision making. But this is simply not true. Church decisions can consider the input of all parties without voting and, at the same time, maintain the authority of the elders.
Proper Polity for Denominations
Once the polity of the local church is established, the next logical question is, What about denominations? If God requires churches to have a distinct structure, does he also require it for denominations?
The short answer is no. While the New Testament has much to say about individual church polity, it has less to say about how groups of churches structure themselves. It is not completely silent on the matter, however. In Acts 15, it authorizes the practice of a denominational structure but leaves open the means by which denominations organize themselves and make decisions.
Approval of Denominational Authority in Acts 15
In Acts 15, a dispute arose regarding the requirement of believers to be circumcised to be saved. A specific church enduring this kind of dispute sent Paul, Barnabas, and other men to the church at Jerusalem to speak to the apostles and elders about the issue.
The apostles and elders heard the various arguments and determined that Gentile believers were not required to be circumcised. They then documented their decision and sent it to the Gentile churches (23-29).
How does this event establish God’s approval of denominational authority? In at least two ways:
The apostles and the elders of the church heard this matter. The fact that this was not an apostolic decision alone, and that the pastors of the church were also involved, indicates that the pastors of one church were exercising authority over other churches.
The letter sent to the churches uses the word “commandment.” In verse 24, the apostles and elders say they “gave no such commandment.” This indicates that they had made decisions in the past that they expected the churches to follow. It is only reasonable that they expected this decision to be followed as well.
This indicates that some of the early churches, either directly or indirectly, had a broader structure they used for decision making. The Bible does not require this structure, but it is clear from this example that it is acceptable to use it.
Takeaways
While it may seem like an insignificant issue, church polity is fundamental to a church's ability to revitalize itself. God has given clear instruction in the New Testament on the optimal design for church structure, and we deviate from that design at our own peril.
Therefore, church leaders should focus significant time and resources on educating pastors and church members on biblical polity and supporting them as they attempt to structure their churches as God intended.
OTHER RESOURCES:
*Please use these in your preaching and teaching ministry.
This article is from Saving the Traditional Southern Baptist Church: The Biblical Solution to the Crisis of Dying SBC Churches. By Wes Moore. Amazon.
Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership, by Alexander Strauch, 2003. Amazon.[3]
Paul's Vision for the Deacons: Assisting the Elders with the Care of God's Church, by Alexander Strauch, 2017. Amazon.
NOTES:
[1] A good example is 1 Peter 5:1-2, where Peter says, “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder…: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly….” Here, we have elder, shepherd (the word from which we get pastor), and overseer. The different titles do not highlight different offices but different aspects of the same office.
[2] Consider also 1 Tim. 3:2-5 and Tit. 2:15.
[3] Neither Prophet Scholar nor Dr. Moore make anything on the resources linked here or anywhere else on this site. These are completely for the benefit of site visitors.