Biblical church leadership structure

church leadership

God has systems and structures for the church. His spirit in a congregations moves to the head (leaders), then from the head to the congregation. A congregation without leadership structure aligning itself to God’s structure does not experience this movement of the Holy Spirit.

The Old Testament provides us with a lot of information on God’s church leadership structure with His first ‘church’; the children of Israel. There was the high priest, prophets, priests and the Leviticus, and Jesus came to exemplify and magnify this to us in the new covenant. How then is the church leadership structure supposed to be as revealed in the New Testament?

The body of Christ

Jesus was one whole body; the body of Christ (the church). In His years of ministry, the church was in Him, growing in Him, the way a baby grows in the womb of a mother. He gave birth to the church in the cross, when his body was pierced producing blood and water (what comes out when a child is been born). In His ascension, He gave men gifts, each man with a gift according to His will for the ministry.
Eph 4:7-8: But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Therefore it is said, ‘’When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.’’

Therefore, for the church to be the body of Christ, we must unify all gifts thus all parts of Jesus Christ’s body, to form one body: the body of Christ. 1Cor:12:20: as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. A body without it’s most essential parts, will it be alive and called a body? No way. It will be a dead body.

The five-fold ministry

A church, to be called a God’s church (heavenly church), must have the most essential parts of the body; the five offices (five-fold). The five fold are called or chosen, empowered and fully filled with the ascension gifts of Jesus Christ. The five offices are (Eph 4:11 and he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers):

• Apostle: – governs, establishes government, which provides a foundation to build on.
• Prophet:- guides, points way; brings vision of what God wants to build on that foundation
• Teacher:- grounds, or establishes the people in the word, raising Godly ministers
• Evangelist:- gathers-outreach
• Pastor:- guides or cares/nurturing for the sheep

A congregation without an apostle is self-willed, blind without a prophet, ingrown without an evangelist, numb without a teacher, and spoiled with only the pastor. Is this the church you go or serve?

A church without the five-fold does not qualify to be called a God’s church. The spirit of God (Holy Spirit) does not move wholly in the congregation without these men and this church does not equip the saints for the work of ministry and build the body of Christ. Eph: 4:11-12: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. But a church is not an island; churches must share God’s chosen men.

After these offices, the church should have other offices for its well-being and growth. Ministers, overseers, elders, bishops, administrators, deacons and all others are very important in the body of Christ; they are all parts of the body of Christ. Without this God’s system or structure in the church leadership, since God’s spirit flows through a structure within a congregation, the spirit and grace of God departs from the ministry, and the ministry finds itself struggling in all ways.

Why are today’s Christians been tossed to and fro, and carried by every wind of doctrine? Because they lack the perfection of one, two or any one of the five-fold ascension gifts. Eph 4:14: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

The five-fold are chosen (called) by God in to the ministry not men who have got the ministry through learning, experience or inheritance. Today’s earthly churches are not allowing God chosen men to carry out their given ministry.  Authority and leadership in these earthly churches is being passed to men chosen by men not those God has chosen. It’s God who chooses and men recognize by ordination. With these churches not in alignment with God’s structure of the church, God has given them out to their lusts of hearts and minds not worshiping Him but worshiping idols.

The work of God is not a one man’s show. Many so called men of God have killed the body of Christ by not allowing God’s chosen men and all saints to take their positions in the church. They are clicking on to these positions, without the required God’s gift to serve in that position because of greed, fame and money, doing work for God not the work of God and the spirit of God has dried up, and I wonder which God they are serving?

Jesus Christ has given all His children gifts of the Holy Spirit for the ministry. All saints are part and parcel of the ministry, them personally having different gifts given to them according to Jesus Christ’s choice and grace and they should all be active participants in the ministry. They should all be playing their part with the gifts in them.

If the church you attend does not have these five offices, it is a one man show, does not allow or give space for others to participate, its leadership is not aligned with God’s church leadership and it does not invite the missing part of the five fold to minister to the congregation, watch out.

All glory to Jesus Christ, Amen.