New Testament Church Leadership
The leadership which the New Testament prescribes, commands, and models for the church is a group of qualified men who serve the church as shepherds. This group is called by the terms 'elders' (presbuteros - 16 times), 'overseers' (episcopen - bishops - 5 times), and 'pastors' (poimen - 1 time).
[Elders - Acts 11:30; 14:23 ; 15:2, 4, 6 , 22-23; 16:4; 20:17; 21:18; 1 Tim 5:17, 19; Titus 1:5; Jms 5:14; 1 Pet 5:1, 5. Overseers - Acts 20:28; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:1, 2; Titus 1:7 (Acts 1:20). Pastors - Eph 4:11]
New Testament leadership is PASTORAL.
Leaders of a church have the responsibility to lead / guide / govern / manage, feed (teach, preach), protect from false teachers and teachings, exhort, admonish, visit, meet needs (comfort, strengthen, pray for, counsel) and judge doctrine. (Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28-31, 34-35; 1 Pet 5:1-2; Titus 1:5-7; 1 Tim 3:1-7; 5:17-18, 22; Jms 5:14)
New Testament leadership is SHARED.
Jesus appointed group leadership. He chose a group, not one man. Each of the apostles had the same authority as the others. They were equals among equals. There were some 'firsts' among them in certain gifts and abilities, but they were all equal in authority (Acts 13:13; 14:12; 15:22; 1 Tim 5:17-18).
Each believer has both strengths and weaknesses - has certain abilities and spiritual gifts while also lacking some abilities and spiritual gifts. When there is more than one leader, the church, as well as each leader, can benefit from the strengths of others in the group.
Churches in the New Testament are not described as having only one leader. Rather churches are listed as having a group leadership (1 Thess 5:12-13; Heb 13:7, 17). A one leader church is not supported, taught, commanded, or modeled in the New Testament. The only possible mention in the New Testament of a church where one person was above all others is in 3 John, and that person (Diotrephes) is described as proud and evil (3 Jn 10-11).
Some churches have a group of pastors/elders along with a senior pastor. This kind of church organization that places one pastor over other pastors is not compatible with shared leadership. Instead, it follows the prideful error of Diotrephes (3 John 1:9-11). Also, it is contrary to the truth that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd (I Pet 5:4).
[In times of persecution, because leaders of churches are often primary targets, a one-leader church will be without spiritual leadership. In such a case, the pastor who refuses to reject Jesus is often exiled, imprisoned, or martyred, while the pastor who denounces Christ becomes a puppet of the government in the position of the church leader.]
[What about Baptist tradition? The current common practice is relatively young. Several Baptist Confessions from 1925 back to 1609 designate leadership of a church as bishops or elders. They distinguish this group from deacons. Actually, the concept of church democracy is new; it was not added to the SBC "Faith and Message" until 1963.]
New Testament leadership is MALE.
Jesus appointed males to establish the church; he did not appoint females. Also, Jesus came as a male, not a female. God's design for family leadership is male (1 Pet 3:5, 7; Eph 5:22-24; Col 3:18; Titus 2:5). Church is an extension of families; it is the family of believing families. Church leaders are required to be males. (Luke 6:12-16; 1 Tim 2:11-14; 3:1, 2, 4, 14-15)
New Testament leadership is QUALIFIED.
The leaders of a church must meet certain requirements - moral and spiritual, leadership abilities, and Spirit-produced desire (1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-10).
New Testament leaders are to be SERVANTS.
The leaders of a church are to be humble in exercising their authority and fulfilling their responsibilities. Their leadership is to glorify God rather than advancing self. (1 Pet 5:3-5; Mk 10:42-45; Acts 20:19; Jms 3:17-18)
Deacons
The New Testament also prescribes a different group, called deacons. Deacons are not leaders of the church. They are to serve the church by helping needy church members with their practical needs. They also must meet certain qualifications. Their work is overseen by the elders. (1 Tim 3:8-13; Acts 6:1-6)
[Much of the above, including the five words used to describe New Testament leadership, is condensed from Alexander Strauch's book, "Biblical Eldership: Restoring the Eldership to Its Rightful Place in the Church," Lewis and Roth Publishers, 1995.]
L.D. Hammons © 2003 This article may be freely copied and distributed without charge if it is copied in its entirety (without editing) along with this notice - including the author's name and copyright notice.
Addendum
Some Bible Verses that Refer to Elders, Overseers, and Pastors
Elders
"And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders." Acts 11:30
"And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed." Acts 14:23
"And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren. And when they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But certain ones of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, stood up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses." And the apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter." Acts 15:2-6
"Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas-- Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, and they sent this letter by them, "The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings." Acts 15:22-23
"Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees, which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe." Acts 16:4
"And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church." Acts 20:17
"And now the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present." Acts 21:18
"Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, " You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages." Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses." 1 Timothy 5:17-19
"For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you," Titus 1:5
"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;" James 5:14
"Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:1-5
Overseers
"For it is written in the book of Psalms, ' Let his homestead be made desolate, And let no man dwell in it'; and, ' His office let another man take.'" Acts 1:20
"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." Acts 20:28
"Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:" Philippians 1:1
"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," 1 Timothy 3:1-2
"For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain," Titus 1:7
