Church Leadership

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

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.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

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;

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; — read the full passage →

And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. — read the full passage →

Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

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:

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

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;

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; — read the full passage →

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

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: — read the full passage →

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. — read the full passage →

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. — read the full passage →

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: — read the full passage →

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; — read the full passage →

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. — read the full passage →

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. — read the full passage →

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. — read the full passage →

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

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.

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. — read the full passage →

Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.

(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

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. — read the full passage →

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; — read the full passage →

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: — read the full passage →

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

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.

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. — read the full passage →

But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: — read the full passage →

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. — read the full passage →

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, — read the full passage →

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. — read the full passage →

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. — read the full passage →

Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? — read the full passage →

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; — read the full passage →

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. — read the full passage →

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; — read the full passage →

Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. — read the full passage →