Pentecostal Pastoral Leadership and Global Missions — Unit 4: Polity: Episcopal, Presbyterial, Congregational and Apostolic Models

Key Verse

"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." (Titus 1:5, NKJV)

Learning Objectives

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Define "church polity" and explain why order is not an enemy of the Holy Spirit.

2. Describe the episcopal, presbyterial, congregational and apostolic models of church government, with a strength and a weakness of each.

3. Name the main New Testament offices and show what the New Testament does and does not say about church government.

4. State fairly the objections to church structure and to apostolic claims, and give the Pentecostal answer.

5. Apply principles of good polity in a local church that has weak accountability.

The Voice of This Unit

This unit is written from inside the classical Pentecostal tradition, for pastors who belong to it. It is Trinitarian and conservative. Pentecostal churches around the world govern themselves in different ways. We do not claim that one chart is the only biblical one. We describe the models fairly, and then we say what Scripture requires of all of them: order, accountability, shared leadership and servant hearts. Unit 3 taught that a church should govern itself. This unit asks how.

Why Order Matters

Some Pentecostals have feared that structure kills the Spirit. The Bible says otherwise. Paul wrote to a church full of gifts, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). The same Spirit who gives gifts gives "helps" and "administrations" (1 Corinthians 12:28). In Acts 6 the apostles found a problem in the care of widows, and the church chose seven men full of the Spirit and wisdom to solve it. In Acts 15 the church met in council to settle a serious question. Order and the Spirit work together.

Polity is the word for how a church or group of churches is governed: who makes decisions, who appoints and corrects pastors, who owns property, who handles money and discipline. Every church has a polity, whether it is written down or not. A church with no written polity usually has an unwritten one, and the unwritten one is often a single powerful person.

What the New Testament Shows

The New Testament names several kinds of leaders.

• Apostles. Jesus chose the Twelve, and Paul was called as an apostle. In Ephesians 4:11 apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are listed as gifts Christ gave to His church. The church is built on "the foundation of the apostles and prophets" (Ephesians 2:20).

• Elders and overseers. The words presbyteros (elder) and episkopos (overseer or bishop) are used of the same men in several passages. Paul called the elders of Ephesus to meet him (Acts 20:17) and told them that the Holy Spirit had made them overseers to shepherd the church of God (Acts 20:28). In Titus 1:5-7 he speaks of elders and then of the overseer in the same breath. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders "in every church" (Acts 14:23).

• Deacons. Paul greets "the overseers and deacons" at Philippi (Philippians 1:1). The seven chosen in Acts 6 are often seen as models of this service, though the passage does not use the title for them.

• The whole congregation. In Acts 6 the "whole multitude" chose the seven, and in Acts 15 the apostles, elders and the whole church agreed on the letter to the Gentiles (Acts 15:22).

What the New Testament does not give is one complete chart. It shows a plurality of elders in a local church, apostolic oversight of churches in a region, the involvement of the congregation, and a council for a common decision. Historians describe how, within a few generations after the apostles, many churches came to be led by one bishop over each city, with elders and deacons under him. Other Christians formed other structures. Our churches have drawn on all of these patterns.

The Four Models

The episcopal model

In an episcopal system, bishops (or similar overseers) have authority over pastors and churches in an area. The bishop appoints or approves pastors, supervises their work and often holds property. Several Pentecostal groups use this model, among them the Church of God in Christ, which uses the title bishop.

Strengths. It gives unity, quick decisions, and care for pastors. A pastor in trouble has someone above him who knows him.

Weaknesses. Power can be concentrated in a few. A bishop far from the people may not know their needs. If the overseer fails, the whole system suffers.

The presbyterial model

In a presbyterial system, a group of elders or ministers governs together, and local churches are joined in regional and national councils of ministers. No single man rules. Decisions come from shared leadership.

Strengths. Shared judgment and mutual correction. Careful teaching and discipline.

Weaknesses. Decisions may be slow. Councils may become distant from ordinary members.

Many Pentecostal bodies show some presbyterial features, since their ministers meet in district and general councils.

The congregational model

In a congregational system, each local church governs itself. Members vote on important matters, including calling a pastor and approving the budget. Churches may cooperate, but no outside body can order them.

Strengths. It honors the priesthood of all believers and gives freedom to act. It fits small churches and new fields.

Weaknesses. A church can become isolated. A strong pastor may in practice rule alone. If the pastor falls into sin or error, the church may have nowhere to turn. Division is easy.

Many independent Pentecostal churches, and some Pentecostal fellowships whose members govern their own churches, follow this pattern in whole or in part.

The apostolic model

In an apostolic system, the church is led by people believed to hold the office of apostle, often with prophets, who give direction to a network of churches. The Apostolic Church, which began in Wales in the early twentieth century, has taught that apostles and prophets continue in the church. Many newer neo-charismatic networks, especially in Africa and Latin America, also use apostolic leadership. Those who hold this view point to Ephesians 4:11, which lists apostles among Christ's gifts, and to the missionary pioneering that apostles did.

Strengths. It gives strong vision and fast growth, and a clear leader who can open new regions.

Weaknesses. Apostolic claims can lead to personal control, to leaders who answer to no one, and to confusion over whether the apostle's word stands alongside Scripture.

Mixed systems

Most Pentecostal bodies mix these models. The Assemblies of God, for example, teaches that each local church governs itself, while the churches join together in district and general councils for fellowship, credentials, missions and discipline. The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) has a more centralized form, with a General Overseer and a General Assembly. These examples show that the same movement has used different forms, and each body should explain its own polity to its members.

What Classical Pentecostals Say About Modern Apostles

This question divides Pentecostals and charismatics, so we state it fairly.

Supporters of modern apostles argue that Ephesians 4:11 names apostles as a gift for the church until the body is built up, and that the word apostle is used for others besides the Twelve. Barnabas and Paul are both called apostles in Acts 14:14. They also point to the great missionary fruit of leaders who function as church-planting pioneers.

Most classical Pentecostal bodies answer carefully. We agree that the word apostle means "one sent," and that God gives pioneering missionaries today who plant churches. We hold that the Twelve and Paul had a unique role as eyewitnesses and as the foundation on which the church is built (Acts 1:21-22; Ephesians 2:20), and that no one today speaks with authority equal to theirs. Whatever title a leader uses, he must be tested by Scripture, accountable to others, and free of claims to a private authority that cannot be questioned. A title does not make an office. Character, fruit and submission to the Word do.

Principles for Every Model

Whatever model a church uses, Scripture asks for the following.

1. Scripture is the final authority. No bishop, council, apostle or congregation stands over the Word.

2. Shared leadership. The New Testament shows elders, in the plural, in the churches (Acts 14:23; Philippians 1:1). One man alone should not hold all power.

3. Accountability outside the pastor. Leaders must answer to someone: a board, a council, a fellowship of pastors. Acts 15 shows the church settling a question together.

4. The congregation has a voice. The church took part in choosing the seven (Acts 6) and in the decision of Acts 15.

5. Servant leadership. Peter writes to elders not to be "lords over those entrusted to you," but examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:3). Jesus taught that greatness in His kingdom is service (Mark 10:42-45).

6. Written rules. A written constitution protects the pastor and the people. It states how leaders are chosen, how money is handled and how discipline is carried out.

7. Care and discipline with restoration. Leaders who fall should be corrected and, where possible, restored with gentleness (Galatians 6:1).

8. Testing of the gifts. Paul said that the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets (1 Corinthians 14:32). Prophecy and other gifts are weighed by the leaders and the church.

Fair Objections and Pentecostal Answers

Objection 1: Structure quenches the Spirit.

Some say that the early Pentecostal revivals were free and spontaneous, and that denominations, offices and rules bring a loss of fire. Scholars sometimes speak of the "routinization" of a movement's early charisma.

Our answer. It is true that structure can become cold, and many denominations have lost their first love. But the apostles themselves created structure, and the Spirit is not the author of confusion. The early Pentecostal bodies, such as the Assemblies of God in 1914, organized in order to support missions, give credentials to ministers and protect the churches from error and abuse. The question is not whether we shall have order, but whether our order serves the Spirit's work.

Objection 2: Hierarchy produces pride and abuse.

History shows bishops and church leaders who loved power. Critics say that Pentecostals should have no offices above the local pastor.

Our answer. The abuse of power is a serious sin, and every model can suffer from it, including the congregational one. A congregational church can be ruled by one man with no one to correct him. The answer is accountability and servant leadership, not the absence of structure. A pastor without a council to correct him is not freer. He is more exposed.

Objection 3: The New Testament gives one pattern, and the others are mistakes.

Each tradition tends to say that its own model is the biblical one.

Our answer. We read the New Testament as giving principles, not one chart. The evidence supports several forms: elders in each church, apostolic oversight, congregational decision, and councils. This is why we can hold firmly to our own polity while honoring believers who govern differently, and why we require all models to meet the principles above.

Objection 4: Apostolic leadership is unbiblical because the apostles have ceased.

Cessationist critics and many evangelicals say that after the Twelve and Paul, no one holds the office.

Our answer. We take the objection seriously. We agree that no one today may add to Scripture, and that the foundational apostles cannot be repeated. We also see that the New Testament calls other men "apostles" in the sense of sent missionaries. Where a leader is simply a church-planting pioneer, we can honor the gift. Where he claims unquestionable authority, we oppose it.

Pastoral Application

Pastor Joel founded a church in western Mexico fifteen years ago and now leads about three hundred people. He has no board. He signs the checks, chooses the leaders and decides every matter. Several members have come to a trusted older pastor with concerns: no one sees the accounts, and two families have left after disagreements with Joel. Joel is a sincere man, but he sees that the church depends too much on him.

First, he does not take the concerns as an attack. He prays and asks the older pastor to meet with him.

Second, with the older pastor's help, he forms a board of elders, chosen for their character and maturity, and not only because they are his friends. The elders are members known for faithfulness in the church's life.

Third, the church writes a simple constitution, explaining how leaders are chosen, how the budget is approved, how two persons must sign for money, and how a complaint against the pastor may be heard.

Fourth, Joel joins a fellowship of pastors that meets regularly and can offer counsel, correction and credentials. He asks them to review his work every year.

Fifth, he teaches the church from Acts 6, Acts 15 and 1 Peter 5 so that the members understand that the changes are biblical.

Some members worry that Joel is losing authority. But a year later the church is more peaceful, the families who left have been visited, and Joel finds that sharing the burden has made him a better shepherd.

Summary

Polity is how a church is governed, and order is not the enemy of the Spirit: Paul commanded that all things be done decently and in order, and Acts shows the church choosing leaders and meeting in council. The New Testament names apostles, elders or overseers, and deacons, and shows plural leadership, congregational involvement and councils, without giving one chart. Four models are used among Pentecostals: episcopal, presbyterial, congregational and apostolic, and many bodies mix them. Each has strengths and weaknesses. Classical Pentecostals honor pioneering missionary gifts but hold that the Twelve and Paul had a unique place. For any model, Scripture requires final authority in the Word, shared leadership, accountability, a voice for the congregation, servant leadership, written rules, restoration and the testing of gifts. We answer critics who say structure quenches the Spirit, that hierarchy breeds abuse, that only one pattern is biblical, and that apostles have ceased. A church without accountability is exposed, and a church with godly order is free to serve.

Further Reading

• Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism (2nd ed., 2014).

• Vinson Synan, The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition (1997).

• Melvin Hodges, The Indigenous Church (1953).

• J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, Contemporary Pentecostal Christianity (2013).

• Donald E. Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori, Global Pentecostalism (2007).

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