Leadership Structure

The title of Apostle has created a lot of confusion over the years. Many of Christians think Apostle only refers to the twelve disciples or that apostles can only be people who physically met Jesus. Some Christians believe that the only need for the gift or office of apostles is in missions work — planting churches overseas and continuing to speak with authority over the pastors of the churches they planted.

It can seem like a great idea for churches abroad, but what about planting, sending, building, and overseeing churches here? Have we come so far that we no longer need this gift ourselves? Has the western church arrived?

We believe that the foundation that is laid out in Scripture is still applicable today, even in the western church.

There is much confusion in the Church today when it comes to leadership roles and titles. Even the familiar term pastor is not actually used in the New Testament to refer to those who lead the local congregation. That responsibility is given to elders, also called overseers.

The leadership of the local church, as described in the New Testament, was by a plurality of elders who were deeply involved in the practical and spiritual care of the people.

One Voice Church is an Elder led church, cared for by David Johnson, Lawrence Kirby, and Matt Myers.

In Acts 6, the deaconing role emerged from a practical need that was causing problems in the church and threatening to take the leaders away from their primary responsibilities. We might, therefore, conclude that deacons are not merely appointed for the sake of having them, but to meet particular needs that arise from time to time.

Deacons operate on behalf of the elders and are accountable to them. Their responsibilities in the church are not general, but are limited to their designated area of service, which may be administrative (e.g., organizing aspects of the life and ministry of the church) or more shepherding (dealing with specific needs, working with small groups, children’s work, etc.).