The local church and leadership: Who’s in charge?

Grace Fellowship is committed to a New Testament philosophy of ministry which recognizes and submits to the supreme authority of Jesus Christ. The New Testament reveals that there is one body, the Church, with one head, Jesus Christ (I Cor. 12; Eph. 1:22) and the Church has only one Chief shepherd, Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 5:4).

Essentially the church as the body of Christ is a spiritual organism with Christ as head. Jesus Christ is called the “Chief Shepherd” (I Pet. 5:4). Jesus Christ rules over and watches over His church. (Eph. 1:23; Col. 1:18). It is God’s intention that the local church be a picture and a miniature replica of the universal church. As such, each local church is complete in itself. Each church has a unity of its own. Each is a body of Christ in its own right. (Acts 8:1; 11:22; 16:5; Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor.1:1; Gal. 1:2; 1 Thess.1:1). Therefore, Grace Fellowship believes that God ordained leadership in a local church must search the Scriptures and seek the mind of Christ through the guidance of the Holy Spirit for direction and guidance in the decision making process. Grace Fellowship recognizes that God may choose to move the church in a particular direction through the members of the body. (1 Cor. 12:4-11).

Grace Fellowship recognizes that God has placed families within the Body of Christ that He has ordained parental authority over families. Fathers are directly accountable to God for their families. Grace Fellowship believes that the family is the basic social structure and that parents have the ultimate responsibility to train up their children in the ways of the Lord not the church. However, Grace Fellowship believes that the Church has a duty to support and strengthen the family by providing biblical instruction, encouragement and opportunities for spiritual growth and ministry. (Deut. 6:1-9; Eph. 4:11-16; 6:4)