Theology IV Professor Christopher Ullman

1. Theology IVProfessor Christopher Ullman Church Government Part Two

2. Authors • Peter Toon • L. Roy Taylor • Paige Patterson • Samuel E. Waldron

3. Episcopalian: Overseen by a Bishop • Local congregations are governed by a hierarchy • The office of bishop is distinct from and superior to the officers of local churches • The territory and churches over which the bishop rules is a diocese • Examples: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopalian, United Methodist and some Lutheran groups

4. Episcopalian Form

5. Presbyterian: Overseen by Presbytery and General Assembly • Congregations are ruled by teaching elders and ruling elders forming a session • Members of sessions are also members of the presbytery which oversees the local congregations • Some members of the presbytery are also members of a general assembly which governs the entire denomination • Examples: PCUSA, Presbyterian Church in America, Christian Reformed Church, AG

6. Presbyterian Form

7. Congregational: “No HQ but Heaven” • No ruling body outside the local congregation: local church is autonomous (independency) • Grudem recognizes five different forms of congregational government • Two forms are prominent: single-elder and plural-elder

8. Single-Elder Congregational Form

9. Single-Elder Congregational • Pastor is the only elder in the congregation • An elected or selected board of deacons serve under him, assist him, and in some cases supervise him • Pastor serves as CEO in implementing the decisions of the deacon board on a day-to-day basis • Examples: Baptist, Congregational

10. Plural-Elder Congregational Form

11. Plural-Elder Congregational • Like presbyterian, the local congregation is to be governed by more than one elder or pastor • Elders have no authority over any other congregation than their own • No distinction is made between teaching elders and ruling elders • All elders are considered equal in authority: no “senior,” “head,” or “lead” pastor. All are to be in mutual submission to one another • An elected or selected board of deacons may serve under the group of elders • Example: Evangelical Free Churches

12. Corporate-Board Congregational

13. Corporate-Board Congregational • Patterned after the example of a modern corporation the “you-work-for-us” structure • Church Board hires a pastor who then has authority to operate the church on a day-to-day basis • Board guidance and interference can be next-to-nothing to invasive • The Board retains the right to terminate the pastor • Examples: All Nations Church, Philadelphia Church

14. Pure Democracy Congregational

15. Pure Democracy Congregational • Every issue must come to the congregational meeting. • Every issue may be decided by voting by the entire congregation, or by the voting membership. • Decisions are often argued endlessly. • As the church grows, decision-making may reach a point of paralysis. • Examples: house churches, independent churches

16. PneumanarchyCongregational

17. Pneumanarchy Congregational • The congregation denies that any form of government is needed. • All the members of the congregation are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in their own lives. • Decisions are made by consensus. • In a short time, this approach gives way to a more structured form of government. • Examples: house churches, new start-ups