It is within this Family that we recognize God’s various roles of leadership. Within the local church, the Lord has set forth pastor / elders to oversee the entirety of the Church (see below for more). On more focused levels, we see deacons (called Directors below) functioning as leaders of individual ministries (Acts 6:1-6). Aiding, encouraging, and providing leadership for leaders, we also see a healthy component of translocal leadership or regional apostolic leaders (Eph 4:11-13; Acts 11:27-30; Acts 15:1-22; Acts 20:28-31; and many more). For a quick reference on these three areas of responsibility in leadership of God’s Family, see Philippians 1:1.

We believe and honor the full function and existance of Ephesians 4 ministers including apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers still in function by the grace and gifting of the Holy Spirit today. For more on these giftings, click here. 

 As outlined in the New Testament (1 Tim 3:1-8; Titus 1:5-10; 1 Pt 5:1-5; Acts 20:17-35; Eph 4:11), we function as a plurality of pastors / elders who oversee the local church, together. Elders are the leaders of the church also called pastors, bishops and overseers in the New Testament of the Bible (Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11; 1 Pet. 5:2). The elders are men chosen for their ministry according to clear biblical qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). The elders are always spoken of in plurality because God intends for more than one man to lead the church as a safeguard for both the church and the leadership.

The function of pastor / elders can be simply explained in four areas. They lead, feed, care, and protect the flock. In leading, they help provide direction in vision, big picture relations, and next steps towards God’s given mandate on any local church (1 Tim 5:17; 1 Pet 5:1-5). In feeding, there is a clear mandate to lead, direct, oversee, and help many to flourish in Biblical teaching that keep the local church healthy and running towards Jesus, our Ultimate Aim (e.g. John 21:17, 1 Tim 3:2; 1 Tim 4:13; Titus 1:9-2:1) . In caring, these shepherds help to bring comfort, prayer, encouragement, and counsel to the flock (e.g. Acts 20:35; James 5:14). In protecting, shepherds are on the look out for and confrontation of false teaching, unhealthy relational behavior, and support of leaders spiritual health (e.g. Acts 20:28-31; Titus 1:9-16).