Running a Local Church: A Lost Discipline

In the sense of how the local church is run, I believe in these modern times and right across the Church, we have lost the biblical disciple of how a local church should be run. The structure of a local church should be Presbyterian, for that is both logical and biblical at once. But the inner function of a band of God's people needs close spiritual criticism.

Here is my complaint: it is usually the person with the biggest ego and not the person with the most talent that has responsibility in the Church of God. This is sad and regrettable. All our labours must be predicated on a personal relationship with Christ and a credible testimony among the people inside and outside the Church community. Built upon this there must be a God given talent. If someone is gifted musically, there should be a natural progression to exercising that gift. If one is gifted technologically, intellectually etc. Christ gave gifts to the church according to Ephesians 4. No doubt these included gifts in all areas of 'God glorifying labour.'

'it is usually the person with the biggest ego and not the person with the most talent that has responsibility in the Church of God'

In the Presbyterian pattern then, it is essential that the Elders lead the shepherding of the people and delegate to where needs in the church are open. This is a lost disciple and we must get back to it by local Church Order becoming important again. By individually cultivating our gifts and testimonies; and then in God's time by exercising those gifts for the better running of the Church and ultimately for the Glory of God in our lives, fellowship and witness to the world.

So both the church and we as individuals carry the great responsibility of giving to God's work. Let us go forward in anticipation of what God can do in us and through us!