There is no Authority in the Church unless it is given by God through the Holy Spirit. No man is in charge of the Church, no organization or denomination is over the Church. Jesus Christ alone is over the house of God – the Church of the living God.
God sets, appoints and ordains leaders in the Church. This means that you and I have no choice as to the race, nationality, color or ethnicity of our leaders. This is why some people desire a man to be in absolute control of church government. They quake in fear of the prospect of God’s Holy Spirit speaking to them and guiding them in every aspect of their lives. Because If a man has rule in the church he or she rules and makes decisions that govern the way the church expresses itself in the earth.
The people are afraid of God’s holy presence – the righteous authority of God, they do not want a God consciousness because their hearts are not pure – they are still carnally minded.
Shepherd the Flock of God
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
“Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1Peter 5:1-7)
“For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
“If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
“For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
“But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” (Titus 1:5-9 KJV)
“(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
“He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:9-16 KJV)
“But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28 KJV)
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” (Hebrews 13:7 KJV)
Jamie Thompson 