It is of the devil.” That is how one obviously frustrated Baptist pastor loudly described congregational polity through which local churches govern themselves by democratic vote of members.
Doubtless all of us have seen times when the actions of church members or the action of a congregation seemed more like the devil than Christ. In one church I served as interim pastor, a fight broke out between two men who disagreed about the benefits to be offered a new pastor. In the church where I grew up, a new pastor surprised a business meeting crowd with a motion to dismiss all the deacons and elect new ones. When the motion failed by one vote, a deacon offered a motion to dismiss the pastor, which carried by one vote. You can add your own examples.
But the sinfulness of church members does not invalidate the legitimacy of congregational government. Democratic church government, like every other form of church government ever practiced, has been subject to abuses. More important than the practice is the guidance the Bible offers about how Christians should work together as they make decisions and conduct the work of the church. Each of the four most common forms of church government appeals to the Bible to support its legitimacy.
Roman Catholics interpret Matthew 16:18–19 to mean the authority of the church was given to the apostle Peter and is handed down to his successors who serve as bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic church. Those who practice an episcopal polity point to the appointment of elders in each church as outlined in Acts 14:23 and Titus 1:5. Today diocesan bishops, generally speaking, exercise the authority of these first elders in directing the affairs of the church. Christians coming out of the believing church tradition (only believers can be baptized members of the church) largely reject those forms of church government. Instead some practice a presbyterian, or representative, form of government whereby authority rests in elected and representative members who constitute the ruling body. Others, like Baptists, practice congregational polity whereby all church members work together in democratic processes.
W.T. Conner, perhaps Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s most influential theologian, wrote in his book “Christian Doctrine” that Baptists practice congregational polity because “the New Testament churches were organized on this plan.” He added, “There is no evidence that there were any ‘ruling elders’ or ‘bishops’ or any other official class in the New Testament that managed the affairs of the churches.” Baptists point to Matthew 18:15–17 as one passage supporting congregational polity. There the whole church body was the court of last appeal in cases of church discipline. In Acts 6, deacons were selected by the congregation after the apostles’ request pleased the “whole multitude” (v. 5).
Paul and Barnabas were commissioned for their first missions trip by “the whole church,” who acted with the apostles and elders according to Acts 15:22.
In 1 Corinthians 5:2 and 2 Corinthians 2:6, it was the whole congregation who was admonished to remove the offending brothers. All of these passages reflect congregational polity. Conner pointed out that Paul often admonished and advised churches but he never exercised “coercion in dealing with a church.” Therefore every church is autonomous and no church is subject to outside rule.
In addition to biblical guidance, congregational polity is supported by doctrinal convictions most Baptists share. The lordship of Jesus Christ in the spiritual realm, the focal point of Baptist theology, is inconsistent with recognizing the authority of priest, bishop or pope in the religious realm, Conner argued.
The doctrine of salvation by grace through faith eliminates artificial distinctions between people, not only Jew and Gentile, bond and free, but also clergy and laity. The presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling in every Christian means that God speaks to all, not simply an official class of leaders. The priesthood of all believers means that responsibility for the congregation is shared by all, not just those in official positions.
The first English Baptist confession of faith — the 1644 London Confession — recognized the unique role of the pastor to “oversee, visit and watch” after the congregation. Article 44 added, “So likewise for the better keeping thereof in all places, by the members, He hath given authority and laid [duty] upon all, to watch over one another.”
W.A. Criswell, longtime pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas, made the same point in his book “The Doctrine of the Church.” There he wrote, “Every member shares in the formulation of policies for the local church so that it is not subject to the authority of any external body.”
The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message declares in Article VI The Church, “Each congregation operates under the lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation, each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord.”
Congregational polity does not mean the will of the majority is lord. It is Christ alone who is Lord. The church’s goal is to live under Christ’s will through democratic processes. Some call that a “Christocracy.” Sometimes it may mean that the individual must submit to God’s will spoken through the congregation in majority vote. Sometimes it may mean the majority must attentively listen to see if it is God’s voice speaking through the dissenters. After all, Baptists began as dissenters. This heritage reminds us that humility is a Christian virtue for all.
Conner wrote that congregational polity is “essential to a true church.” He added, “To the extent that the church departs from a democratic organization and government, to that extent does it cease to be Christian in its principles and life.”
If Conner is right, then it is imperative not to confuse the way church members allow the devil to express sinfulness through their actions with the sinfulness of the system Baptists use for church governance.
Congregational polity may be of God and not of the devil as the frustrated pastor so loudly declared.
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