There are a few basic forms of local church government in the world
today. Yet there are many variations to each form and also the
combination of forms. We hear heated debates, contending on which
kind of government is of God and which is not, turning the church
into a political arena, giving opportunities for the enemy and self-
centered manipulators to gain control of the ministry.
The result - loss of zeal, diversion from God’s purpose, church splits
and innocent casualties. This article attempts to diffuse the confusion
of the issues, hoping that the knowledge imparted here will help
God’s people to tide over some rough spots or manage some
growing up pains. Let’s first familiarize ourselves with the few basic
forms of government. The key to identify the form is not who is at
the pulpit, or who holds the money, but who is the real decision
making power.
1. CENTRALIZED
form of church
government is where a central council has
much authority over the running and
ordinances of the local congregation. This
is typical of denominational mainline
churches where the pastor is appointed
and regulated by the directions and rules
of the central council. This kind is usually
one with a long history and has
established branches.
2. PRESBYTERIAN
form of church
government is where the local church is
governed by a board of elders which has
final authority over every aspect of the
church, including the appointment and
work of the pastor. The pastor may or may
not be a member of this board. This kind
of church may be denominational or
independent.
3. CONGREGATIONAL
form is where
the majority rules, the democracy style of
government where the people vote to elect
their pastor and the church board to
administer the affairs of the church. It is
usually an independent church.
4. PASTORAL
form of government is
where one is in authority, with the board or
elders or deacons in the advisory and co-
laboring capacity. The pastor receives from
and is directly accountable to God, and he
runs the ministry according to his depth
and knowledge in God. It is usually an
independent church. The person may not be
a pastor in his primary call, but it is
considered as pastoral in that the pastoral
function has a more dominant role and the
vision is more localized, called to raise a
church in a particular place and time.
5. APOSTOLIC
form of government.
Apostle means "one sent out", one with an
outward thrust and a pioneering or
restoration cutting edge, the edge that
causes revolutionary impact and can either
be of a new movement or a work of
extensive scale, or even both. The leader is a
commander with a mandate and an
extended vision which is usually cross-
cultural or global, but not always. He has to
be one raised and equipped for the job and
for the hour. He usually presides over a
council of fellow ministers that has direct
calling and anointing for the thrust,
covering the 5-fold ministry in varying
degrees. It is a patriarchal, theocratic and can
be a physical government, where the Word of
God reigns supreme, where the leadership is
strong and the followership intelligent, where
revelations from above chart the course and
the leader is directly accountable first to God.
Is he also accountable to the people? Yes, but
not in the same way as he reports to his God.
The spiritual authority of his leaders is
derived very much from ministerial calling
even though seniority is respected.
Dynamism, life and drive are clearly visible in
such churches. It is usually an enlargement of
the pastoral government with a revolutionary
mandate. The leader is usually called the
senior pastor with different ranks of anointed
pastors and leaders working with him. The
title "pastors" here may mean spiritual leaders
with diverse ministries. What is the right form
of church government?
The right form is the specific form that God
wants them to be, at a certain point and time
in its growth development and in its history,
and a price for change may be needed to be
on the move with God. The leadership and
CALLED OUT!
