If the Bible is our guide for the organization of the church, the church will have Christ as the head, elders (bishops, shepherds, overseers) to oversee the flock, deacons to help with the duties of the church, as well as preachers (ministers, evangelists, teachers) to preach God's word. Elders and deacons must meet certain qualifications, and each congregation is independent of all others.
Ephesians 5:23 |
...Christ is head of the church; and
He is the Savior of the body. |
Acts 14:23 |
So when they had appointed elders in every
church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to
the Lord in whom they had believed. |
Titus 1:5-9 |
5 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 -- if
a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful
children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For
a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not
self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent,
not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good,
sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the
faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by
sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. |
1 Timothy 3:1-7 |
It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office
of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer,
then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate,
prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted
to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the
love of money. He must be one who manages his own household
well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but
if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how
will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert,
so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation
incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with
those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach
and the snare of the devil. |
1 Timothy 3:12,13 |
Let deacons be the husbands of one wife,
ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who
have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing
and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. |
1 Timothy 3:8-10 |
Likewise deacons must be reverent, not
double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But
let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons,
being found blameless. |
1 Peter 5:1,2 |
The elders who are among you I exhort,
I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ,
and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd
the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not
by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; |
1 Timothy 2:7 |
for which I was appointed a preacher
and an apostle -- I am speaking the truth in Christ and not
lying -- a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. |
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