How is Christian leadership organized?

Answer 1

It varies by denomination.

There are two basic forms of organization of churches: hierarchal and congregational. Hierarchal is what it sounds like - leadership in the form of a hierarchy, what is termed 'top down' leadership (modern corporations follow this model). Congregational is similar to a democratic republic in that the congregation decides who its leadership will be and those leaders serve at the pleasure of the congregation (which means if the congregation doesn't like its leadership it can change it).

Specifics of how each model is employed vary considerably between denominations and occasionally between different sects within a denomination. The some of best known hierarchal churches are: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and United Methodist. Baptist is probably the best known of the congregational churches.

Answer 2

Early Christian churches had their own leaders because each local church was autonomous there was no such thing as a head bishop in Rome, this was something invented later by men.

If you read the New Testament you will see that the leaders of the local church were the elders:

1Timothy 5:17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

Today, "bishop" means a church official who exercises authority over many local congregations. But invariably in the New Testament there were several bishops in one church - Acts 14:23; Acts 20:17; Philemon 1:1; James 5:14

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The same word translated bishop in 1 Timothy 3:1 is translated "overseer" in Acts 20:28. A bishop, or overseer, is the same as an elder. The same men who are called elders in Acts 20:17 are called overseers in Acts 20:28 ( also Titus 1:5 and Titus 1:7).

Elders are the same as presbyters, for although the latter word is not found in the NT, the English word "elder" translates the Greek word presbuteros. Thus, the words "bishop," "overseer," "elder," and "presbyter" all refer to the same person.

Answer 3

Christianity is not led by a single figure, like the pope. Each congregation has a group of men called elders, who lead that congregation together. Other men, called deacons, serve the church in other ways. Each congregation is led by its own members, and no congregation has authority over another.