Church Government and Administration

It should be noted that no human model of government is adequate to express the rule of Christ because Christ’s government is at variance with the government of this world, according to what Jesus Christ said in John 18:36: “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

The New Testament does not lay down rigid rules but only offers guidelines for Church administration. The Church did not exist in Old Testament times; hence, Mosaic and Davidic orders cannot be said to be the standard for the Church. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:17-18 that He is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Moses prophesied this in Deuteronomy 18:18-19: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”

God confirmed it in Matthew 3:17: “and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” and also in Matthew 17:5: “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

The book of Hebrews 8:7 attested to the need for a change in Old Testament settings: “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.” Hence, the Church, which is a product of the New Testament, is a new dispensation.

It is therefore intriguing to note that despite biblical injunctions in James 4:4: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” and 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?… Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

The present Church has gone to the world to borrow and adopt worldly systems of government and administration set in place by the devil. Jesus Christ had earlier given His disciples, that is, the Church, a pattern of administration which they should follow in John 13:1-17 and Matthew 20:25-28.

In Matthew 20:25-28, He said: “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

The Apostles who established the early Church also laid down patterns for Church administration, as can be seen in Acts 6:1-6, 1 Timothy 3, and Titus 1:5-9. In these passages, the Apostles clearly defined the roles of leaders and their designated offices. Deacons are to perform service duties, especially in the area of welfare; Elders and Bishops are synonymous and are responsible for administering the Church and teaching. Ministers in the fivefold ministry are to engage in prayer and the ministry of the Word, as seen in Acts 6:2-4: “Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

Except where they are ordained as elders, as in the case of Peter the Apostle (1 Peter 5:1: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.”), they are not directly involved in Church administration. There is a plurality of offices in the local Churches, unlike the singularity of offices seen in many local Churches today.

It can be argued that the fivefold ministry; Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers, came into operation several years after the commencement of the Church, and that the Holy Spirit gave directives for their functions. Nevertheless, what Peter said in Acts 6:2-4 should serve as the background for their roles. 1 John 4:1 also cautions that prophecy should be judged: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

There is nowhere in the New Testament where a Pastor or any other minister is depicted as the sole administrator of the Church. The Church should be guided by the Scriptures, and all prophecies must be judged by the Scriptures.

The present organogram used by many Churches emanates from denominationalism. It is designed to enable the Church to run according to human wisdom and knowledge. More importantly, it allows leaders to secure their positions, dominate followers, and lord authority over them, making them subservient. However, this contradicts the instruction given by our Lord Jesus in Matthew 20:25-28. The Church has the duty to change its structure to align with what Jesus instructed.

The Church should also do away with the idea of headquarterism, regionalism, and provincialism. Each Church should be identified by the name of its locality and should adopt a system in which every local assembly focuses on and reports directly to the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head and Owner of the Church. Church leaders must stop usurping the roles of the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ in His Church. Leaders should view the Church as a spiritual organism, not as a business organization or empire.

The Church must also abandon the practice of assigning titles to its leaders. The present worldly arrangement has corrupted the Church, as it now operates by the rulership system of the world, which involves titling and creates class distinctions. This goes against Jesus’ instruction in the book of Matthew 23:8-12: “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”

It is the inherited pride, yet to be purged from the lives of some leaders, that drives them toward recognition, fame, authority, and the desire to lord over other believers—traits born of worldly lust. Leaders should be reminded that true believers who have experienced genuine salvation will reflect the nature and image of Christ, being humble and meek like Him, and not arrogant and haughty like the devil. Therefore, titles and their prefixes to the names of leaders should be stopped and done away with.

As earlier mentioned, denominationalism should be removed from the universal Church. Different Church denominations should see themselves as various parts of the body of Christ and recognize that no part is more important than another. The devil’s intention in institutionalizing Church denominations is to propagate more errors, making the Church appear abominable before God.

Each new Church often tries to distinguish itself from others through unique practices and man-made ethics which, in many cases, contradict biblical teachings. As a result, such Churches propagate more errors and abominations which ultimately fall short of Christ’s standard.

Church Autonomy: Each local Church should be autonomous and report directly to Jesus Christ, as earlier mentioned. Jesus Christ, who owns the Church, knows what He intends to accomplish through each local assembly and the specific challenges He desires it to address within its locality. Each environment has its unique peculiarities, and generalizing Church operations may contradict God’s intentions for that area. The Apostle Paul’s approach in planting Churches should be carefully reflected upon when establishing new local assemblies.

May the Lord Jesus Christ help in repositioning His Church.
To be continued in subsequent posts.

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