I think the ideal structure is functional, flexible and relational.  Not necessarily in that order.  I believe in horizontal leadership as opposed to the vertical type and ultimately functions best when seen the least.

That’s going to look different everywhere you go.  I used to be part of a movement that believed the New Testament created a blue print for church government.  I gave up on that one based on what I saw in life and in the Bible.  I think the best idea is “it seemed right to us and to the Holy Spirit”.  Always be adapting is what I’m learning.  What worked for structure and leadership at 35 doesn’t work at 100 and at 150 it’s different again.  But functional, flexible and relational will always work.

I am currently pastoring two yoked congregations. Each church has their own constitution, their own board, their own culture, their own building, etc. One of my churches is currently experiencing and demonstrating how poorly conceived their constitution and by-laws are. Much of what is on paper is ignored. Making up the rules as they go along is leading to much conflict and behind the scenes power-plays.

To complicate matters, the yoke relationship needs structure but the structure is being resisted because I think those in power at the one church recognize that they have much to loose if the yoke relationship and how the churches will get along with each other is clarified.

This is so utterly frustrating! Why can’t we be about advancing God’s kingdom instead of our own little kingdoms? Honestly, these little kingdoms don’t amount to much! But we protect that turf like our lives depended on it!

Sadly, this dysfunction is really casting a dark shadow over these churches.

At this point, I am not terribly pleased with the congregational form of government as that is the dysfunctional church. I’d love to see a healthy congregational church but my experience is when the church has a representational form of government (presbyterian), it is easier to get everyone on the same page (consensus).

Dale,

What you wrote sounds very good.  Can you supply more detail in terms of the specific modelv you are currently using?  Thanks.

Ken

Checks and balances.  Whether your church government is congregational, or elder led or any sort of combination, there must be a system in place for appeal to a higher authority.  Many a church system looks good, assuming that good people occupy the positions of authority.  But when designing a church structure, ask yourself, “What peaceful way is there to resolve conflict if the problem lies with the leaders themselves?” Never put too much power in one place. 

Some might say that we have nothing to worry about if the person with that authority is godly and called of God.  But there is no guarantee that that person(s) will be godly and called of God.  What if they turn out not to be?  Then what?  There must be a system and structure in place to check that postion of authority if there’s ever a problem.  And the time to do that is BEFORE a problem arises.

I have pastored a church with a congregationally centered democratic government, a church with an elder run structure, a church with sole authority vested in me as the Pastor and a church under submission to an external apostolic team leadership.  What I have come to as a result of much study, experience, sorrow and joy, as well as prayer, is that the structure of church government ultimately is an issue only for those who are going to live out their Christian walk in the carnal arena of their flesh and natural minds.  I say that because church structure and its governmental authority is in reality “Civil Authority” and not “Spiritual Authority.” Church governmetal authority is not “Kingdom of God Authority.” Whatever form it takes will work for us to the degree that we recognize the difference and do not allow that authority to interfere with true Spiritual Authority.  If we let the church government control or influence our direction and what we will or will not do in response to the leading of the Lord we are in trouble.  No position of leadership in any church structure gives any man or woman any spiritual authority at all.  True spiritual authority only extends as far into any one persons life as that individual is able to see and hear jesus his master through that particular leader at that given moment.  His sheep hear his voice and they do follow after Him.  there is a very real sense in which church government is Ceasar’s kingdom so let’s give it what it needs whatever form it takes and just be sure we give God what is His.  I know whoever disagrees will consider this over spiritualization and foolishly impractical and that’s okay.  But it is rooted in 30 plus years of pretty valid ministry.

Pastor Mark Dever and Capitol Hill Baptist Church have thought deeply on these issues.  See http://www.9marks.org for a great model of biblical church structure, as well as helpful pointers on healthy change.

Okay, I went to the web site and read the nine (9) distinctives for BIBLICAL church structure according to Devers. It reads a great deal more Baptist than it does Word of God. But then this is our consistently present problem in the sadly divided Body of Christ.  Rather than DOING what the Word of God speaks to us concerning submission to Him and depending upon His Holy Spirit to LEAD and GUIDE us, we choose to press Scripture through the denominationally and culturally mandated collander of our theological bias and end up worshipping “THE BOOK THAT SITS UPON THE THRONE”!  While the word Biblical ought to mean that we are living, moving and having our being in Him, that we have abandoned trust in our natural minds knowing by experience with His Word that the things of God (all of them including church structure)are spiritual and cannot be understood with our natural minds, we instead have become those who “search the Scriptures because in them we think we find life.” Until we are willing to admit that we have replaced real relationship with and complete dependence upon God Himself, with absolute allegiance and submission to an institutionally interpreted BOOK, the Word of God we are so blessed to have access to in the Bible will continue to escape the true authority in our lives it is intended and empowered to hold! Because of where we have come across the board as His Church divided over His Word, the mere suggestion that the most important thing is for our church structure to be Biblical, is in itself, a convoluted statement of semantic distortion to the highest degree. What it needs to be is whatever He makes it be as He inhabits the praise of His people, dwells in their midst and leads them by His Holy Spirit DAILY!! Anything beyond that is our doing and not His. That doesn’t make it wrong or even ungodly.  But we ought to be honest enough to admit we’re doing it that way because we want to or feel the need to and not because it is BIBLICAL!

Lee Iacocco said:
“Nobody at Chrysler seemed to understand that interaction among the different functions in a company is absolutely critical.  People in engineering and manufacturing almost have to be sleeping together.  These guys weren’t even flirting.” “

That’s a good example of how close leaders need to be.

,,,Bernie
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/247

Our church was founded on John Carver’s policy governance model.  We’re still trying to get this nailed down because it is so counter-intuitive and foreign to how 99.9% of nonprofits function.  So, while the jury is out in terms of its effectiveness in our church, we believe this model is consistent with scripture (recognizing that scripture does not prescribe one right way of goverance)and that it has a proven track record of creating structures and roles that actually work.

As the lead pastor I am responsible for the “means” to accomplishing the “ends established by the elders.  Furthermore, regarding the means to the ends, the elders issue “executive limitations” that prescriptively tell me what I may NOT do.  Implied in that is that if they do not tell me know, then the answer is YES...go for it.

As you might expect, Executive Limitations include things like don’t break the law, don’t put the church at risk financially, morally, ethically, legally etc. (with a fair amount of context to flesh this out).  But then the elders “hands off” so that I, the staff and the multiple ministry teams have maximum freedom to do what God has called us to do.

The Carver model of Policy Governance is a fairly radical shift, but remember what Peter Drucker said about churches and other non-profits--they are organizational disasters frought with micro-management that kills initiave and promotes the staus quo.

Blessings to all you pastors as you lead and guide God’s people.

Nick in Traverse City, MI

how do i meet you,ken personally as i have need of you in my country.