Before asking pragmatic questions like “How can pastors cultivate health through their leadership structures?” and “What’s the best structure for preventing abuse?” we must consider three other questions first.
The first is “What does Scripture say about church structure?” We can be confident that the best way to prevent abuse and promote church health is to obey God’s Word. Scripture doesn’t address every matter that arises. For example, should there be biweekly elder meetings? Task-specific deacons?
But I maintain that the Bible does establish the basic offices of elder/pastor, deacon, and member, as well as their jurisdictions. Does any of us interpret the Word of God perfectly? Of course not. Yet God is no fool. He knows how to give us a Bible we can understand. It’s not only uniquely authoritative and sufficient but also perspicuous.
The second question we must ask is “What exactly does the Bible say about church structure?” The highest authority in a church belongs to whoever has authority over its membership and doctrine—that is, the ones who determine who does and doesn’t belong and what the church believes. Those who adhere to episcopalian, presbyterian, or elder-led congregational structures can agree on this: In Matthew 16 and 18, Jesus authorized the church with the keys of the kingdom to render heaven’s judgments on the what and the who of the gospel.
We can agree that churches exercise the keys through preaching and the ordinances. Where we disagree concerns who holds the keys. Episcopalians (referring not to a denomination but to a church structure) believe the bishop holds the keys. Presbyterians, the elders and the presbytery. Elder-led congregationalists (like me), the gathered congregation as led by the elders.
While Matthew 16:13–20 and 18:15–20 provide the blueprints for church structure, let’s jump to an application of those blueprints in 1 Corinthians 5. Paul has rendered a “judgment” on a man for unrepentantsexual sin, saying he must be removed (vv. 2–3).
Here, Paul is exercising pastor-like leadership. But is the deed done? Is the man effectually excluded by the apostle’s pronouncement? In fact, no. Paul tells the church that they must follow his instruction
by exercising their own judgment (v. 12). How should they do this? They should assemble in Christ’s name and remove the man (vv. 4–5). Paul doesn’t tell the elders to remove the man in Thursday night’s elders meeting. He tells the church to do it. After all, that assembly actually possesses—pay attention to the words—“The power of the Lord Jesus” (v. 4). There it is: elder leadership plus congregational rule.
The third question is “How does elder-led congregationalism strengthen a church?” It requires pastors to equip their congregations to make good judgments over the what and who of the gospel. When instead pastors or elders say to a congregation, “We’re the experts. We went to seminary. We’re ordained. You can have a seat,” they weaken the church. It tempts members to complacency. However, if it’s our job as members to guard the gospel, then we need to undergo training. And we need faithful elders to train us.
Elder-led congregationalism provides both a downward accountability from the congregation and a sideways accountability from one’s fellow elders or pastors. No doubt, any structure can be abused or misused. Still, I think human history demonstrates that power is best checked when accountability is pushed downward, not upward.
Here are five other recommendations for encouraging church health that apply to congregations of all denominations.
1. Character counts more than charisma or competence.
That’s why Paul spills far more ink on an elder’s character than on the job description. Pay attention especially to how he manages “his own family” (1 Tim. 3:4). Are his wife and children flourishing? Are they excited to see him lead because his leadership has made them stronger and wiser? A man should prove he can manage his little house before he manages God’s big house.
2. Cultivate a culture of discipling and giving away authority.
The best pastors I know are always creating opportunities for others to teach and to lead. They don’t jealously hoard authority. They give it away because they know giving away authority creates a deep bench of teachers and a rising generation of leaders. As the elders lead by creating opportunities to lead, members do the same by discipling one another into deeper holiness and disciple-making.
3. Practice giving and receiving godly encouragement and correction.
Part of cultivating a culture of discipling involves lots of encouragement. Yet healthy correction is also essential to growth. Crucially, the elders—the lead pastor especially—must model how to embrace corrective feedback. If lead pastors cannot receive correction, they cultivate their congregations’ intransigence or lack of teachability. They learn to keep up appearances, to put on a good face. However, when lead pastors show that they can receive correction, they demonstrate to the church what it means to be justified by faith. The ability to be corrected and a gospel culture go hand in hand, and they almost always start with the person at the top.
4. Practice church discipline.
Church discipline is the God-given mechanism for responding to abdicated or abusive leadership, whether among members or leaders. It is how a church says to an abandoned or abused party, “God opposes what happened to you. So do we.” Do churches sometimes get discipline wrong? Yes. But the solution to bad authority is seldom no authority at all but rather is good authority.
5. Trust Scripture and its mechanisms for due process.
This brings us back to where we began. Does the Bible speak to church structure or not? Insofar as it does, trust it. The Holy Spirit is wiser than you or me.
Jonathan Leeman is president of 9Marks.
In This Symposium
Proudly Independent. Humbly Collaborative.
Individual cooperation makes the Southern Baptist Convention a reckoning force.
I’m Grateful for My Bishop
Episcopal governance structure provides both discipline and care for its ministers.
A Marriage of Independence and Authority
A hybrid model of governance helps Assemblies of God churches succeed.
