Too Many Chiefs, Not Enough Indians:
“So, you’re saying that in the church the congregation has authority as well as the elders?”
It’s at this point where confusion and bewilderment hits the ear of covenant members, and the programming dial in their brains seek to rectify what seems to be an utter contradiction to the categorical framing of authority. How can two distinct entities have authority over the same body of people? What’s the practical outworking of a two headed authority structure? Who’s in charge of what? And when does one’s authority end and the other begins?
It'd seem that on the face of it, the church polity structure of an elder led congregational rule model would embody too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Meaning, there seems to be a variety of entities within a single, autonomous body vying for control, rule, and dominance. This, some would imagine, is anarchy. How could such a structure be good for the church? How could the church make sense of their responsibilities?
Jurisdictional Space for Executive Orders:
In this blog article, my aim will be to provide practical categories in understanding the relationship between the authority of the congregation and the authority of the elders in the life of the church.[1] We’ll examine this premise under the guise of four (4) R’s: (1) roles, (2) realms, (3) rule, and (4) realignment.
Roles (Offices). Before we tease out the distinct roles, it may be beneficial to identify each respective office—i.e., the office of elders and the office of the congregation. In saying this, it’s important to stress that these offices aren’t two separate autonomous entities. Rather, they’re offices that make up the one local church.
The office of elder, then, “is to exercise governance over the affairs of the church, including everything related to the faith and life of the congregation” (for more click here).[2] Elders function by providing oversight and exercising their persuasive authority through the doctrinally faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word (for more click here). The elders’ authority isn’t absolute. The elders’ authority is tied to a faithful interpretation of the biblical text and a doctrinally sound application of the truth of God.[3] This is, consequently, an expression of the Lordship of Christ in the ebb and flow of a local covenant community through the power of His Word (for more click here, click here, and click here).
The congregation—through union with Christ—sits in the office of priest/king exercising final (human) authority in safeguarding, proclaiming, and defending the Gospel (1 Pet. 2:9-10; cf. Ex. 19:6; for more click here).[4] They exercise their ecclesial authority through the administration of the ordinances—baptism and the Lord’s Table respectively. That is, they safeguard the church—the new covenant temple[5]—by assessing the who and what of the Gospel through church membership which is tied to baptism as well as continual covenantal fidelity which is tied to the Lord’s Table.[6] Covenant membership, fundamentally, means a robust and intimate member-to-member accountability.
Simply put, each respective office has a unique role in the life and vitality of the local church.
Realms (Jurisdiction). As the roles or offices are identified, within what realm does each office exercise their God-given authority? Or said differently, what's the jurisdictional boundary for each respective office? If there are two heads of authority, where does one end and the other begin?
Jonathan Leeman sums it up by saying, “The elders lead in the day-to-day life of the church, while the congregation possesses the final rule over its decision and activities.”[7] Or to further categorize each respective office, the elders exercise their persuasive authority through the forms of the ministry while the congregation herself exercise final authority in the elements (see figure 1.1).
Figure 1.1[8]
Realm/Jurisdiction | |
Elements | Forms |
What/Who? | How? |
Biblical Mandates | Requires wisdom |
Fixed | Flexible |
Examples: | |
Preaching | Style of sermon? Length of sermon? |
Membership | Processes of membership: classes? Interviews? |
Ordinances/Sacraments (baptism & Lord’s Table) | How often? What script in the service? |
Discipleship/evangelism | The vehicle(s) to accomplish discipling; shape of culture |
The elements—which are concrete and definite—are biblical commands that are required by the people of God. They are the principled components that mark a faithful, bible-saturated church. For example, the church is commanded to preach the Gospel (Matt. 24:14; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 14:23; Acts 10:42; Rom. 10:17). The church is commanded to make disciples (Matt. 4:19-20; 28:19-20; Jn. 1:45; 15:16; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:14-15; Eph. 4:12, 16; 2 Tim. 2:2; Titus 2:3). The church is commanded to exercise church membership in distinguishing those who are believers and have professed faith in Christ Jesus (Acts 20:29-30; 1 Cor. 5:1-12; 12:21-26; 1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 5:1-5; for more click here). Thus, the congregation, who exercise final authority for the covenant community, is tasked with ensuring that these components are faithfully represented within the life of the church.[9] Or said in the negative, it'd be unbecoming of the local church to neglect the preaching of the Word, the discipling of the saints, and the identification of covenant believers into the fold of the local church (cf. Gal. 1:6-7; 9-10). Again, the church herself must ensure that these elements are explicitly apparent within the covenant community.
By contrast, the forms—which are fluid, flexible, and somewhat mutable—are the expressions that embody the elements themselves. In addition, these forms are led by the pastor/elders themselves in the day-to-day function of the church. For example, the preaching of God’s Word can be done expositionally or, at times, topically. Discipling can be executed within a one-to-one format or a small group setting. Church membership can be executed through classes, videos, or an elder-led interview. All in all, the forms—which are grounded within biblical wisdom and are congregationally affirmed—are expressions of the elements. The elders exercise their duties, then, by carry out the day-to-day functions of the forms in equipping, informing, and training the congregation toward Gospel fidelity. This is where the elders’ persuasive authority is put on display; that is, through their bible teaching/preaching and the execution of the forms, they direct the congregation to enforce their final authority upon the spiritual matters of the covenant community. Again, the elders’ authority is to inform and empower the congregation in exercising their God-given authority as priest/kings over the temple sanctuary—the local church.[10]
Or simply put, the congregation is tasked to provide oversight in the elements of the church while the elders are responsible for the day-to-day functions of the forms. Though this is an oversimplification, it does posture our mind in the proper areas in order to rightly assess the roles and responsibilities of each respective office.
Rule (Reign). Since we’ve clarified the roles and crystalized their function within its proper realm, what's the significance in exercising the rule of the congregation and the rule of the elders? Isn’t this power to rule dangerous and, thus, necessary to temper? If so, how?
The priest/king rule of the saints is anchored in the great Priest, Prophet, and King Himself—Christ Jesus (Heb. 2:16-28; 4:14-16; 5:5-10; 9:11-15; 1 Pet. 2:5; 1 Jn. 2:1-2; cf. Isa. 9:6-7; Jn. 18:36; Acts 2:30-32; Eph. 1:20-21; 1 Tim. 6:13-15; Heb. 1:3-4; Rev. 19:13-16; for more click here). It's to this end that the people of God are to rule.[11] However, their rule is not absolute, nor does it derive from their own ambition—meaning, the congregation and elders respectively. Rather, their rulership is tied to their representative nature in the redemptive covenant grounded in the work of Christ through the truthfulness of His Word.[12] Or simply put, each offices' authority derives from God Himself (see figure 1.2).
Figure 1.2[13]
The congregation rules, then, by upholding the law of Christ through the Gospel (Rom. 3:31; Gal. 6:2; Phil. 2:3-4). The church is, as Paul infers, the “pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15); that is, as God’s people, she's to uphold God’s standard through the power of the Gospel.
Consequently, the elders exercise their authoritative rule by teaching sound doctrine which aligns with the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:11; 1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17; Titus 1:9). Their authority, as we’ve been stressing, is a persuasive authority. Meaning, it pleads with the people of God through the preaching/teaching of the Word. Or said differently, the rule of the elders are to ensure fidelity and devotion to the biblical Gospel (1 Tim. 4:15-16; Titus 2:1; cf. Heb. 4:12). Therefore, Paul commissions Timothy to “guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (2 Tim. 1:14; cf. 1 Tim. 1:18; 6:20). Timothy’s guarding of the Gospel, however, isn't to hide it, nor is it to bury it in the ground. Rather, the young pastor’s responsibility to guard the Gospel is tied to multiplying its truth within the people of God. Paul goes on to say, “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2; italics mine). To this end, Timothy’s authority—that is, his authority as an elder/pastor—is to exercise rulership through the preaching/teaching of the Word and the raising up of faithful Gospel ministers.[14]
Or simply put, the authority of the congregation and the authority of the elders are aligned to an oversight that ensures the heralding and safeguarding of the Gospel in the local church; that is, the covenant community’s words and deeds are to align with a faithful representation of the Gospel (cf. 1 Jn. 3:18).
Realignment (Accountability). Now that we’ve distinguished between the roles, we’ve also established the proper realms of ordering to exercise each respective authority, and, additionally, we’ve configured the representative rule of God; how do these components, then, bring forth realignment for the covenant community? That is, what does accountability look like? What's the purpose of the church in exercising her God-given rule?
The church exercises her God-given authority—the safeguarding and heralding of the Gospel in word and deed—through realignment in the means of church membership, continual faithfulness in the life of the church, and the proclamation of the Gospel.[15] For example, when a person pursues membership in a local church, the congregation is not passive in this endeavor. Quite the contrary, the congregation must affirm or deny potential covenant members which are recommended through the oversight of the elders/pastors. This is a means to safeguard the temple—the body herself—as well as the Gospel (Matt. 16:13-20). To neglect alignment with Scriptural Truth would be to neglect the responsibility of oversight in the health of the church. Therefore, when it’s conveyed that the church is to guard the Gospel by assessing the who and the what, she’s evaluating the person (who)—their deeds of lifestyle in concert with the truth of Scripture—and their articulation of the Gospel itself (what). The congregation, then, is to function in their God-given authority through assessing the validity of Gospel representation by potential members.
Simultaneously, the elders play a monumental role in exercising their persuasive authority through, again, realigning the congregation toward greater faithfulness in church membership, continual faithfulness in the life of the church, and the proclamation of the Gospel.[16] For example, as the congregation operates within the broader scale of the elements, the elders execute the day-to-day forms by carrying out the process and procedures of, let's say, church membership. The elders, then, handle new members’ classes and, additionally, ascertain the elder interviewing process with potential covenant members. This, again, is to discern the who and what of the Gospel. In doing so, the elders have the authority to recommend these potential members to the congregation contingent upon a proper articulation of the Gospel in word and deed. Notice, however, that it’s a recommendation because the congregation has final authority to affirm or deny the elders’ proposal of any one particular potential member whose false profession of faith may have gotten pass the elders' evaluation process. Meaning, the elders lead in such a way as to inform the congregation of their divinely ordained task in safeguarding the temple as priest/kings. Likewise, the congregation leads in such a way as to be “an emergency brake”[17] if elders misstep or move contrary to the truth of Scripture.
Simply put, the congregation and elders exercise their authority in order to realign the church toward greater faithfulness in guarding the Gospel. There's, in God’s wisdom, a built-in accountability structure when both offices take on their God-given responsibility.
A Kingdom of Priest:
The Apostle Peter anchors the people of God by reminding them of their identity in Christ. He says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). It’s from this identity grounded in Christ that the people of God are to live and be spurred toward greater faithfulness in the mission of God. As priest/kings, the people of God are organized and structured to be a new representative humanity. They're a society governed by His presence to live in accords with His created design—the law of Christ—and redemptive aim.[18]
This polity structure—i.e., elder led congregational rule—is formatted to provide an accountability marker that would ensure through the power of His Spirit in the administration of His Word that the people of God would be marked out by representing Christ.[19] That they'd administer His presence throughout all of the world through the proclamation of the Gospel. In their priestly task, they'd embody a faithfulness in safeguarding the temple and the covenant documents that's emblematic of God’s presence (for more click here). The unifying work of the elders and the congregation, then, is monumental in the scheme of God's people reaching the nations with the Gospel. God is in the business of making a people for Himself (for more click here) and, in so doing, He has structured His people to reflect forth His glory to the ends of the earth.[20] Soli Deo Gloria!
***foonotes***
[1] Mark Dever, The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2012), 141-143.
[2] Derke P. Bergsma, “Prophets, Priest, and Kings: Biblical Offices” in The Compromised Church: The Present Evangelical Crisis, ed. John H. Armstrong (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998), 127.
[3] See Stephen J. Wellum and Kirk Wellum, “The Biblical and Theological Case for Congregationalism” in Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age, ed. Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2015), 70-72.
[4] See Leeman, Jonathan. Don’t Fire Your Church Members: The Case for Congregationalism. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2016.
[5] See Beale, G. K. The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God. New Studies in Biblical Theology. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2004. See also See Stephen J. Wellum and Kirk Wellum, “The Biblical and Theological Case for Congregationalism” in Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age, ed. Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2015), 59-60. Andreas J. Köstenberger, The Missions of Jesus & The Disciples According to the Fourth Gospel: With Implications for the Fourth Gospel’s Purpose and the Mission of the Contemporary Church (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), 210-220.
[6] See Leeman, Don’t Fire Your Church Members, 33-84.
[7] Ibid., 124-125.
[8] Ibid., 126. Figure1.1 is a modification from Leeman’s work.
[9] See Dever, The Church, 143. Dever argues that “the local congregation has no authority to delegate the keys to another group. It may go outside itself for counsel and advice, but the ultimate responsibility for determining teaching or membership in the local church may not be outsourced to any body outside itself.”
[10] See Jonathan Leeman, Authority: How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable, Strengthens Communities, and Promotes Human Flourishing (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), 17-29.
[11] See Wellum and Wellum, “The Biblical and Theological Case for Congregationalism” in Baptist Foundations, 60-64.
[12] See Treat, Jeremy R. The Crucified King: Atonement and Kingdom in Biblical and Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014. See also Crowe, Brandon D. The Last Adam: A Theology of the Obedient Life of Jesus in the Gospels. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2017.
[13] See https://www.9marks.org/article/do-elders-receive-their-authority-by-congregational-vote/. This figure has been adopted from this article written by 9Marks.
[14] See Strauch, Alex. Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership. Revised and Expanded Edition. Littleton, CO: Lewis & Roth Publishers, 2016.
[15] See Jonathan Leeman, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love: Reintroducing the Doctrines of Church Membership and Discipline, 9Marks (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), 229-323.
[16] See Bruce A. Ware, “Putting it All Together: A Theology of Church Leadership” in Shepherding God’s Flock: Biblical Leadership in the New Testament and Beyond, ed. Benjamin L. Merkle and Thomas R. Schreiner (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Ministry, 2014), 283-307.
[17] Dever, The Church, 143.
[18] See D. A. Carson, “On Heralding the Gospel in a Pluralistic Culture,” in The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 491-514. See also DeYoung, Kevin and Greg Gilbert. What is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011.
[19] Gregg R. Allison, Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church, FOET (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 128.
[20] See Köstenberger, Andreas J. with T. Desmond Alexander. Salvation to the Ends of the Earth: A Biblical Theology of Mission. New Studies in Biblical Theology. 2nd Edition. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2020. See also Wright, Christopher J. H. The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006.
McYoung Y. Yang (MDiv, SBTS; ThM, MBTS) is the husband to Debbie and a father to their four children. He is a Pastor of Preaching/Teaching at Covenant City Church in St. Paul, MN and the Executive Editor of Covenant City Church Content Team. Along with his ministerial duties, he is a homeschool dad. McYoung is continuing his doctoral studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO, and his ambition is to use his training as a means to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens.
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