A system for directing the affairs of the church in an orderly manner. Only a primitive organization existed in the early Christian church, for the obvious reason that organization came only when the growth of the church demanded it. In the New Testament church the bond of union was the common faith of the believers and the personal guidance of apostles themselves. The Jews, who accepted Christ at first, worshiped at the Temple ( Acts 2:46 ; 3:1 ) and separated from the body of Judaism only when forced to. But it was not long before an elementary church government was established.
The setting apart of Matthias to take the place of Judas might be considered the first organized act of the Christian church body ( Acts 1:23–26 ). Another major act was the appointment of seven deacons for the ministry of tables as distinct from the ministry of the Word ( Acts 6:1–8 ). The council at Jerusalem ( Acts 15:6–29 ), sometimes referred to as the first General Conference, represented a significant concerted effort by the church.
Paul’s instruction with regard to the office of elders ( 1 Tim. 3:1–7 ) and to that of deacons ( vs. 8–13 ) revealed a developing organization. Two Greek words described the leaders selected to supervise the New Testament churches: presbuteros , “elder,” referring to a position of dignity, and episkopos , “overseer,” referring to the responsibility to superintend.
As the church expanded rapidly in the postapostolic period, and as churches united in given areas, the “overseers,” or bishops, assumed wider powers, and in time archbishops appeared, exercising still wider authority. The papal system of church government was the outcome. The bishop of Rome held that his peculiar authority rested on divine origin and sanction. This system has also been called monarchical or hierarchical . In it the supreme power is vested in the pope, who is the head of the various orders of priesthood.
Other systems of church government that developed were:
1. The congregational system, sometimes called “independent.” It has the highest powers residing in the local congregation. No other authority can legislate for it or direct its life.
2. The presbyterian system. This provides for government by elected representatives, by teaching elders (ministers), and by ruling elders (laymen), functioning in such representative bodies as presbyteries, synods, and a general assembly as the supreme governing body.
3. The episcopal system. This centers in the bishops, who are successors of the apostles and have governing power in the church.
The polity of the Seventh-day Adventist Church contains both presbyterian and congregational elements. Its authority springs from the members, whose representatives govern through a five-stage organization—local church, conference, union, division, and General Conference. Beyond the local church level there is limited lay representation in the governing bodies, but the local church, in which every member has a vote, has distinct prerogatives of its own. The polity may be described as a representative system . See Organization .