The Biblical Requirements For Church Government, Elders And Deacons

This sermon briefly examines the three forms of church government, addresses the question of why congregations should have officers and explains the Biblical requirements for elders and deacons.

“It is in the local assembly or congregation of God’s people that the ordinances of Christ’s appointment for his church are regularly administered. The importance of the local congregation is therefore paramount and it is in the local congregation that the presbyterian principle must first be exemplified… In the New Testament the presbuterion is simply the elders gathered together for the discharge of those functions of government devolving upon them and no prerogative of presbytery is denied them when acting in that capacity. The presbyterian principle begins at the level of the particular flock or congregation and if for good reasons, it does not extend further than one congregation, we are not to deem it unpresbyterian. To be concrete, to that local presbytery belongs all the functions that Christ has accorded to presbytery.”
-- John Murray, "The Presbyterian Form of Church-Government"