The Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Church

The Principle of Leadership

In the apostolic days, apart from the twelve apostles and others who had been called to share in the responsibilities of leadership in the church, the Lord provided special gifts of the Spirit, which He bestowed upon certain of His children. Among those listed in Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth are the following: BSPC 169.1

“And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” 1 Corinthians 12:28. BSPC 169.2

This outline is clear and easy to be understood. One of the gifts in this listing, however, deserves special consideration in the light of our theme. This is the word “governments.” It so happens that this is the only place in the New Testament where the original word here rendered “governments” is used. There is another form of the word, however, which is translated, “master” and “ship master.” This naturally involves the idea of supervising, directing, et cetera. Various translations of the New Testament render the word “governments” as follows: “power to govern,” Twentieth Century “administrators,” Moffatt; “powers of organization,” Weymouth. The Greek word itself means “steering,” “piloting,” “directing.” BSPC 169.3

In harmony with this we see the apostle Paul directing the churches in their varied activities (1 Corinthians 7:17; 16:1); we see him also giving direction to his fellow workers (1 Corinthians 4:17; Ephesians 6:21, 22). BSPC 170.1

It appears that in both the Old and the New Testament the elders of the church felt the necessity of close collaboration and counsel in matters pertaining to the work of God, for we find them having councils from time to time. There was a meeting of the elders in the days of Samuel (1 Samuel 8:4); the same thing was true in the days of David, for we find him taking counsel with the leaders with reference to plans for God’s work (1 Chronicles 13:1). BSPC 170.2

Even before this we learn that the Levites who served in the Temple were so organized that they had leaders over certain groups. But there was also a leader known as the chief of all these leaders, for we read in Numbers 3:32 of a certain man who was known as “chief over the chief of the Levites.” BSPC 170.3

Another passage in the book of Psalms refers to “the assembly of the elders” (Psalm 107:32). The French Bible renders this “in the council of the elders,” and the Companion Bible gives it as “in the session or seated assembly of the elders.” BSPC 170.4

In the organization of the early church it should be pointed out that the first step was taken by Jesus Himself, and that was when He ordained the twelve apostles. We read: BSPC 170.5

“It was at the ordination of the twelve that the first step was taken in the organization of the church that after Christ’s departure was to carry on His work on the earth.”—The Acts of the Apostles, 18. BSPC 170.6

The organization of the apostolic church followed to some degree the plan of ancient Israel. In those days they had twelve patriarchs and the seventy elders of the people, in the New Testament days they had the twelve apostles and the seventy laymen called to service. BSPC 170.7

“As in the Old Testament, the twelve patriarchs stand as representatives of Israel, so the twelve apostles were to stand as representatives of the gospel church.”—The Desire of Ages, 291. BSPC 170.8

In the days of the apostles the church soon developed an organization that adequately cared for their various needs as they arose. There were the elders of local churches, also the directors of groups of churches. There were men in charge of the department of home missions and the department of overseas missions. This plan gave to the church strong leadership as long as the men called to these positions were men of consecration and devotion to God. BSPC 170.9