Why "Elder Led Congregationalism?"
“So, I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you.” - 1 Peter 5:1-3
Elder Led Congregationalism is the church authority structure that derives from the Bible’s clear teaching of two truths: Each church is to be led by multiple elders (pastor/shepherd, overseer), and the congregation itself has authority.
It is the church, the congregation, that has been handed the keys of the Kingdom of God to, as far as it is able, “bind” believers to the Kingdom and “loose” non-believers from the Kingdom (see Affirm/Remove Members Essay). In Matthew 18:15-17, the discipline matter is to be settled by taking it “to the church.” In 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, it is the congregation who is obligated to “judge” those “inside the church” and to “purge the evil person from among you,” and it is the same congregation whom Paul urges in 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 to reaffirm the member since he has repented and “the punishment by the majority is enough.” It is the “full number of the disciples” that are summoned in Acts 6:1-6 to select the church’s first deacons and settle a dispute. In Galatians 1, Paul holds the congregation responsible for “turning to a different gospel.” 2 Timothy 4:3 is a congregation held responsible for poor use of authority in “accumulating for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.” The congregation clearly has authority.
God has also clearly called and gifted specific men to carry out the role of shepherding and leading the congregation (Eph 4:11, Ac 11:30, 15:2-6, 15:22, 16:4, 20:17). One of the greatest matters of urgency in the early church was the appointment of elders in every church (Ac 14:23). Paul tells Titus, “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5-9). There are significant qualification guidelines given to churches about what kind of men to look for for this office (Titus 1, 1 Timothy 3). Elders are described as those whom the Holy Spirit has made overseers to care for the church of God (Ac 20:28), who are capable of teaching truth and defending against false teaching (Titus 1, 1 Timothy 3), who set an example for the flock (1 Peter 5:1-5) and humbly serve beneath the Chief Shepherd and Overseer (1 Peter 2:25). Elders are to be honored, supported, and submitted to insofar as they lead the way that God has called them to; they will also be judged more strictly and held accountable by God for how they fulfill this task. (1 Tim 5:17, Heb 13:17.)
King’s Fellowship is set up in the best way we know how to honor these things. The congregation is the authority that chooses elders to submit to as leading shepherds. See our By-Laws for more details in this regard.
Elder Led Congregationalism is the church authority structure that derives from the Bible’s clear teaching of two truths: Each church is to be led by multiple elders (pastor/shepherd, overseer), and the congregation itself has authority.
It is the church, the congregation, that has been handed the keys of the Kingdom of God to, as far as it is able, “bind” believers to the Kingdom and “loose” non-believers from the Kingdom (see Affirm/Remove Members Essay). In Matthew 18:15-17, the discipline matter is to be settled by taking it “to the church.” In 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, it is the congregation who is obligated to “judge” those “inside the church” and to “purge the evil person from among you,” and it is the same congregation whom Paul urges in 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 to reaffirm the member since he has repented and “the punishment by the majority is enough.” It is the “full number of the disciples” that are summoned in Acts 6:1-6 to select the church’s first deacons and settle a dispute. In Galatians 1, Paul holds the congregation responsible for “turning to a different gospel.” 2 Timothy 4:3 is a congregation held responsible for poor use of authority in “accumulating for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.” The congregation clearly has authority.
God has also clearly called and gifted specific men to carry out the role of shepherding and leading the congregation (Eph 4:11, Ac 11:30, 15:2-6, 15:22, 16:4, 20:17). One of the greatest matters of urgency in the early church was the appointment of elders in every church (Ac 14:23). Paul tells Titus, “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5-9). There are significant qualification guidelines given to churches about what kind of men to look for for this office (Titus 1, 1 Timothy 3). Elders are described as those whom the Holy Spirit has made overseers to care for the church of God (Ac 20:28), who are capable of teaching truth and defending against false teaching (Titus 1, 1 Timothy 3), who set an example for the flock (1 Peter 5:1-5) and humbly serve beneath the Chief Shepherd and Overseer (1 Peter 2:25). Elders are to be honored, supported, and submitted to insofar as they lead the way that God has called them to; they will also be judged more strictly and held accountable by God for how they fulfill this task. (1 Tim 5:17, Heb 13:17.)
King’s Fellowship is set up in the best way we know how to honor these things. The congregation is the authority that chooses elders to submit to as leading shepherds. See our By-Laws for more details in this regard.
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