Authentic Church Government

Is the current model of Church government Biblically accurate, or have we settled for a centuries-old model that has no Biblical basis? Authentic Church Government examines the roles of the Apostles Prophet, Evangelist. Pastor and Teacher in the Bible, as well as looking at the roles of Bishops, Elders and Deacons.

Perspectives on Church Government presents in counterpoint form the basic models of church government which have developed over the course of church history with a view toward determining which is most faithful to Scripture. Each chapter will be written by a prominent person from within each tradition—with specific guidelines dealing with the biblical, historical, and theological issues within each governance tradition. In addition, each writer will have the opportunity to give a brief response to the other traditions.

The greatest tragedy in this end-time is the falling away of God’s own Laodicean Church (Rev. 3:14-22). The Laodiceans, comprised of several groups, are deceived on many different issues. But there is one issue that ALL of the Laodiceans are deceived on: God’s government! And it is the most important subject in the Bible! This booklet will explain how Christ is the Head of His spiritual body, the Church. He looks after and protects His family, if they respond to Him. The Bible indicates that 50 percent of the lukewarm Laodiceans will die for all eternity! The other 50 percent experience the greatest suffering ever on this Earth. Remember, these are God’s own people. You can’t afford not to understand this subject! In this booklet: • God's Family Government • Holding the Head • How Satan Attacks God's Government This ebook is offered completely free of charge by the Philadelphia Church of God. However, please not that Google Play will need a verified Google Wallet account which requires your credit card information. In a small number of countries, a temporary authorization of $1 will be charged to your account but will be refunded. This refund can take up to 1 month to process.

In American church culture, worldly benchmarks of achievement have all but blinded us to the true purpose of the body of Christ. A New Model of the Authentic Church may be one of the most significant books written on the American church in decades. It not only offers a scholarly analysis of the current state of the church, but provides practical solutions. The book offers a brilliantly well-developed model for how to make church work more effectively. If implemented, it would provide a much needed paradigm shift in how we do church in America. The books main contribution is that it provides a workable framework not only on how to birth new missionally minded churches, but how to reform existing ones back to the Authentic Church of the gospels. If its principles are taken and applied, the book could alter the landscape of the American church, which will be a breath of fresh theological air to a church that has lost its way in the new millennium. The purpose of this book is not to just challenge and change the status quo; its goal is to bring a real, lasting transformation to how we do church. The aspiration in writing this book is for it to be seen and read not just as a critical assessment of the condition of the American church, but as a practical blueprint that will provide much renewed hope and purpose to the contemporary American church, the bride of Christ.

In this work, Love sets down the plain teaching of Scripture demonstrating Presbyterial Government. It is a simple, but profitable, short, but sound teaching on the subject. Though the work is shorter than most works on the subject, there is a great deal of matter in a few words. It is a brief but yet biblically solid work so that not only the weak may be instructed, but the strong also established in the truth. There has always been a debate surrounding church government, concerning the question, “What is the best oversight of the church that could be had by Christ’s people while the church militant is established in the world?” Mr. Love will demonstrate, in catechistical form, that Presbyterial Government is of Divine Right, and is the best means for governing the people of God under Christ as a church body. The government of the church by Presbyters or Elders, who have the rule (Heb. 13:7, 17, 1 Tim. 5:17), and the keys of Christ’s church (Isa. 22:22, Rev. 1:18, 3:7), as well as power to remit and retain sin (John 20:23), are those who feed and govern the flock (1 Peter 5:2, Acts 20:17, 28), and are over people in the Lord (1 Thess. 5:12). Such men, as Love masterfully demonstrates, are Guides, Leaders, Bishops, Governors, and Pastors. And it is by this Divine Right that Christ rules his church in a Presbyterian form of church government. His section on the support of the church, minister and tithing is worth the cost of the volume alone. This work is not a scan or facsimile, has been carefully transcribed by hand being made easy to read in modern English, and has an active table of contents for electronic versions.

Why does church government matter? In this book, Guy Prentiss Waters offers a brief and accessible introduction to presbyterianism that shows how a well-ordered church fosters Christian lives lived well. In making the case that church government is critical to Christian discipleship, Waters presents an overview of the nature of the church (the body and its member) and its structures of authority (officers, assemblies, and ordination). He concludes by answering common questions people raise about church government. The book is an ideal resource for explaining the relevance of church government to the ordinary Christian’s life and service. Table of Contents: 1. Why Does Church Government Matter? 2. What Makes a Church? 3. How Is the Church Led? 4. But What about…? 5. Where Do We Go from Here? Further Reading Appendix 1: Membership Commitments Appendix 2: Presbyterian Church Polity and the Church Order of Dort