It might be easy when visiting a church to think that the pastor is in charge. But many times once you get involved in that church and see behind the curtain it becomes apparent that other groups hold the power. What all of these churches have in common, though, is the temptation to find in the world the template for their governance structure. But what the Bible teaches is that the power God gives individuals or groups in the church is to be used to support those who need that power and strength to do the ministry God has gifted and called them to do. So pastors should not be CEOs, and ministry teams at a church should not function as corporate boards.

Instead, everyone in Christ’s church should function as members of Christ’s body, loving and serving the whole body in its calling to be Jesus’ body in whatever context in which that church finds itself.