By Jerry Harris
A 2019 Pew Research Center study reveals that Americans’ attitudes about institutional authority are dropping like a rock. People are losing their trust in government, elected officials, education, journalism, health care, business, law enforcement, science, the military, and yes, religion. The younger we are, the less trust in institutions we have. This lack of trust bleeds down into its most basic form . . . trust in each other. Interestingly, most everyone knows this needs to be reversed and believes it can be reversed—they just don’t know how.
The thing is, authority is essential for anything to work properly. Whether it’s an institution, your marriage, family, or your job, decisions need to be made and a direction must be established. The only way around this is to be completely alone, and we know it’s not good for people to be alone.
But let’s face it, we don’t like authority. We don’t like a boss telling us what to do, the government telling us to pay taxes, the policeman who gives us a speeding ticket, the banker who calls about a late payment, the doctor who won’t refill a prescription without an office visit, or the professor who assigns us a research project. But we need the job, the common services, the car, the house, the health care, and the degree. We accept authority because we require such things, but we might have a different reaction when we think we don’t need an authority figure . . . like when it comes to church. Rebellion is in our nature . . . our sinful nature, and the Bible speaks about authority a lot.
In the description of the infant church in Acts 2:42 is a somewhat overlooked descriptive word of the new disciples’ devotion. It wasn’t just doctrine they were devoted to, it was “the apostles’ doctrine” (King James Version). The birth of the church was accompanied by authority, and the apostles were that authority. The Bible makes clear that believers are to submit to authority, and that applies to both government and culture (see Romans 13:1, 2; 1 Peter 2:13, 14; Titus 2). But God also expects us to submit to authority within the church.
All spiritual authority begins with Jesus. Our Lord said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). It’s interesting that we frequently quote the Great Commission but seldom emphasize the authority Jesus declares over it. Jesus also established the authority structure of the church; see Ephesians 4:11-13 (“He . . . gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers . . .”). Authority is both a privilege and burden, but that burden should not be shouldered alone, which is why a church is designed to have a plurality of elders. Eldership is a role that answers to the authority of Jesus, and that’s why there need to be multiple voices in unity that exhibit a deep commitment to following Jesus.
Spiritual authority flows through the elders, and because of that, there are specific requirements in God’s Word about who can fill that role. Elders oversee the minister or ministry team, who, in turn, oversee the congregation. One might use the word pastor—meaning “shepherd”—here; a main function of pastors is herding sheep. This shepherding involves leading, offering care, encouragement, and discipline. Two of those functions (offering care and encouragement) are usually received well; the other two (leading and discipline), not so much.But the Bible is clear: “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you” (Hebrews 13:17).
Yes, some people resist being led and disciplined. They sometimes lash out at discipline in person, on social media, or through rumors. That’s one reason every decision about discipline must be made in unity, pastors and elders in agreement and under the authority of God’s Word. It’s a burden, not a joy, to be criticized by people who have a limited understanding of the circumstances, and that’s why leadership is not for everybody.
Being a Christ follower means submitting to spiritual authority. That said, church leaders sometimes exercise their authority poorly or wrongly. We can infer this from James 3:1 (“We who teach will be judged more strictly”). Wherever there are people, there are problems.
However, Christ followers should endeavor to submit to spiritual authority rather than seek out reasons or offer excuses for stepping out from under authority. We see examples of the latter by those who church hop, refuse to commit to a local church body, or choose an online-only option for church rather than regularly engaging with the body of Christ in person—none of these are acceptable to God.
Some might stop giving or attending if leadership launches a fundraising campaign; they might question how the money is spent or even become angry over it. The complaining by some never stops.
But under proper church authority, we also witness people who find their identity in Christ. They drop their burdens at the foot of the cross, and their children learn how much God loves them. Marriages are healed, lives rearranged, victories won, eternities changed, and God is glorified.
The point is . . . it’s worth it! With all of our faults and inconsistencies, all of our hypocrisy and brokenness, God’s way is the best way! It will always be the best way.
The structure of authority as it was designed by God is critical to making the church operate the way Jesus Christ intended it.
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