On 4th March 2013, Kenya ushered in devolved governments created under the 2010 Constitution. One objective of devolution of government is to give powers of self – governance to the people and enhance their participation in the exercise of the powers of state and decision making. Devolution recognizes the right of the communities to manage their own affairs and to further their development. We may ask: what kind of governance is appropriate for the church? Church governance is about who should make decisions, what procedures should be followed, the kind of authority that characterizes those decisions or procedures, etc.
The church belongs to Christ as He declares in Matthew 16:18 – “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Christ as the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18) has delegated the governance of His church to the “Local Church” as the decision-making entity. Each local church is to be governed by a plurality of Elders who are charged with the responsibility of taking care of God’s church. (1 Timothy 3:5). Christ’s intention is for each church to be independent and be able to decide on all matters affecting its operation.
The idea of ‘denominations’ or a group of churches under one bishop (or archbishop) is foreign to the New Testament. Paul in Acts 20 addressed the elders of the Ephesian church - charging them to ‘pay careful attention to themselves and the flock in which the Holy Spirit had made them overseers and also to care for the church of God which He obtained with His own blood. John the Apostle was instructed by Christ to write to the Seven churches (Revelation1:4) and not to a denomination but to individual churches with their own unique differences.
Church leaders are variously referred in the New Testament as Elders, Overseers, Bishops, Pastors/Shepherds depicting the nature of their work as assigned to them by the Head of the Church, who is the Chief Shepherd. These Biblical elders/pastors are to protect, feed and lead the flock even as they desire to declare the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:28). Elders lead, direct, manage, and care for the flock of God in addition to helping in meeting the practical diverse needs of the flock. The overall function of the elders is the pastoral oversight of the local church.
The New Testament presents a consistent pattern regarding the local church government as a plurality of elders ruling the church as Christ’s under-shepherds. This was the pattern followed by Paul in Acts 14:23 – ‘And when they had appointed elders for them in every church with prayer and fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. It is quite evident that Christ the Head of the church rules His church through His under-shepherds – the elders-bishops-pastors whom He gives authority, and to them honour, submission and obedience is due. This authority does not imply superior standing before God since all Christians have equal access to God.
Hebrews 13:17 gives clear instructions regarding governance in the local church: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. God requires His people to willingly place themselves under the leadership, authority and accountability of Biblical elders and that with an attitude of great love and gratitude and honour for them. If your elders-pastors are faithful in their oversight, providing Scriptural counsel and responsible leadership, then God expects you to submit to them.
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