How Do We Govern Ourselves
The following is a small article that I wrote for the newsletter at River Hills Community Church. The purpose was to bring up the discussion of what it means to be congregational in our polity. It is short, and I Thought it could be helpful to others as well . . . the article is as follows.
Over the last year we have had many opportunities to observe our church function. We have gathered for matters of discipline, direction, and business. Yet, have you ever thought about how our church is structured? What does it mean when we say that we are a congregational church? What does it mean that we are elder led? In this article we will look at these issues with the hope that it will help us to function better together.
Is There A Biblical Model Of Church Government?
I remember when I was in college being given that very question to research. The class was divided up into different groups. Each group was assigned a different form of Church government and told to prove it as being the proper Biblical form. After each group did their study they wrote a group presentation that was presented to the entire class. It was amazing how some of the same scripture passages were used to support completely different models of organization. The conclusion that had to be drawn is that the Bible doesn’t tell us the specifics of how to organize, yet it does give us some principles of how we are to function. Some forms seem to line up better with these principles than others; congregationalism is one of these.
What Does It Mean To Be Congregational?
There is a tension in the Bible in the area of authority that must be preserved in how our Church functions. This tension is reflected in that both elders and the congregation both have real authority. In Hebrews 13:17 we see that elders have a God given authority that the congregation is called to submit to. The elders are to exercise this authority for the good, provision and protection of the congregation. Yet, the Bible also displays for us that the congregation has authority in many ways and has ultimate responsibility for the health of the church and the accountability of Elders.
This congregational authority can be seen in passages like Matthew 18:15-18.
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
What we see here in these verses is that the final court of appeal in matters of dispute is that of the local congregation. This can also be seen in 1 Corinthians 5:4-5 and 2 Corinthians 2:6-7. In Acts 6:1-5 we can see the Apostles sharing their wisdom with the congregation, but it is the congregation that exercises the authority to address the problem in the church, and to appoint deacons. In passages like Galatians 1:6-9 and 2 Timothy 4:2-3 we see that the responsibility for sound doctrine does not just fall only on the elders, but the entire congregation. Paul doesn’t write to the elders of a church to correct issues of improper doctrine or practice. Instead, he writes to the entire congregation.
It is because of this tension that our church is structured the way it is. We are not elder governed because that would mean the only role of the congregation would be in the choosing of its elders. It is also not a mere democracy. This is an easy thing to miss because of the similarities between how we are structured and a democratic government. The main difference between a mere democracy and congregationalism comes from the belief that God’s Word is inerrant, and must be the final standard. It is the standard that we must all individually adhere to. The mere will of the people must be subject to Christ who is the head of the church. The second difference is the congregation does not solely hold all the authority in the church. Even though we are not elder governed, we are elder led. This means that the elders are to work to provide oversight and direction. It also means that many decisions fall under the authority of the elders and do not make it into the public arena. This is why the election of elders is not just a formality. There needs to be trust between the congregation and the elders. The congregation can’t say they acknowledge the elders and then refuse to follow their lead. The elders also must strive to communicate with and respond to the needs and desires of the congregation. In the end all of us are responsible to place ourselves under the authority of Christ, and work to protect the unity of the church in the Faith.