I. Biblical statements about leadership of the Church.

    A. Jesus Christ leads His Church.
        1. Authority - Matt. 28:18 - "all authority given to Me..."
        2. Leader - Matt. 23:10 - "one is your Leader, that is Christ"
        3. Head - Eph. 4:15 - "the head, even Christ"
            Eph 5:23 - "Christ is the head of the Church"
            Col. 1:18 - "He is the head of the Church"
            Col. 2:19 - "holding fast to the head"
        4. Shepherd - John 10:11,14,16 - "I am the Good Shepherd"
            Heb. 13:20 - "the Great Shepherd of the sheep"
            I Pet. 2:25 - "the Shepherd...of your souls"
        5. Elder - I Pet. 2:25 - "Guardian of your souls"
        6. Deacon - Matt. 20:28 - "Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve"
    B. Designated human leaders.
        1. Elders - presbuteros.
            Acts 14:23 - "they appointed elders in every church"
            Acts 20:17 - Paul "called to him the elders of the church"
            I Tim. 5:17 - "let the elders who rule well be considered worthy"
            Titus 1:5 - "appoint elders in every city"
            James 5:14 - "call for elders of the church"
            I Pet. 5:1 - "exhort the elders"
            I Pet. 5:5 - "be subject to your elders"
        2. Overseers - episkopos.
            Acts 20:28 - "the Holy Spirit has made you overseers"
            Phil. 1:1 - "overseers and deacons"
            I Tim. 3:1 - "office of overseer"
            I Tim. 3:2 - "an overseer"
            Titus 1:7 - "the overseer must be above reproach...."
        3. Shepherds - poimen.
            Acts 20:28 - "to shepherd the church of God"
            Eph. 4:11 - "some as pastors and teachers"
        4. Deacons - diakonos.
            Acts 6:2 - "serve tables"
            Phil. 1:1 - "overseers and deacons"
            I Tim. 3:8 - "deacons must be men of dignity"
            I Tim. 3:10 - "serve as deacons"
            I Tim. 3:12 - "deacons be husbands of one wife"
            I Tim. 3:13 - "those who have served well as deacons"
        5. Leaders -
            Rom. 12:8 - "he who leads, with diligence"
            Heb. 13:17 - "remember those who led you"
            Heb. 13:24 - "greet all of your leaders"

II. Attitudes of Church leaders.

    A. Available. Not perfect or more "spiritual" than others.
    B. Servant-heart. Matt. 20:28
    C. Attitudes to avoid.
        1. Prominence - III John 9 - "Diotrephes loves to be first"
        2. Dominance - I Pet. 5:3 - "lord it over others"
        3. Disputational - I Tim. 6:4

III. Response to Church leaders.

    A. I Peter 5:5 - "Be subject to your elders"
    B. Heb. 13:7 - "Remember those who led you...imitate their faith"
    C. Ministry of all believers -Eph. 4:12 - "equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, to the
         building up of the body of Christ"

IV. What is God's intent for the human leadership structure of His Church?

    A. Theocracy, Christocracy - rule of God and Christ
    B. Monarchy - rule of one.
    C. Hierarchy - rule by divided arrangement.
    D. Oligarchy - rule of a few.
    E. Democracy - rule of the majority of the people.