8 Bible Verses about Church Government

In those days, as the number of the disciples was increasing, complaint was made by the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called together the whole body of the disciples, and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave off preaching the word of God to wait on tables. So, brothers, you must select from your number seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit, and of good practical sense, and we will assign them to this business,read more.
while we will go on devoting ourselves to prayer and the word of God." This suggestion was approved by the whole body, and so they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Procorus, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, who was a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, and after they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.

They helped them select elders in each church, and after praying and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

I left you in Crete for this express purpose, to set in order the things that are lacking, and to appoint elders in each town, as I directed you --

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

So, as a joint-elder with them, a witness of the suffering borne by Christ, and a sharer of the glory that is to be uncovered, I beg the elders among you, be shepherds of the flock of God that is among you, not as though you had to but of your own free will, not from the motive of personal profit but freely, and not as domineering over those in your charge but proving yourselves models for the flock to imitate;read more.
and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the glorious crown that never fades.

This is a saying to be trusted: "Whoever aspires to the office of pastor desires an excellent work." So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching; not addicted to strong drink, not pugnacious, gentle and not contentious, not avaricious,read more.
managing his own house well, with perfect seriousness keeping his children under control (if a man does not know how to manage his own house, how can he take care of a church of God?). He must not be a new convert, or else becoming conceited he may incur the doom the devil met. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, or else he may incur reproach and fall into the devil's trap. Deacons, too, must be serious, sincere in their talk, not addicted to strong drink or dishonest gain, but they must continue to hold the open secret of faith with a clear conscience. They, too, should first be tested till approved, and then, if they are found above reproach, they should serve as deacons. The deaconesses too must be serious, not gossips; they must be temperate and perfectly trustworthy. A deacon too must have only one wife, and manage his children and household well. For those who render good service win a good standing for themselves in their faith in Christ Jesus.

each elder must be above reproach, have only one wife, and his children must not be liable to the charge of profligacy or disobedience. For as God's trustee a pastor must be above reproach, not stubborn or quick-tempered or addicted to strong drink or pugnacious or addicted to dishonest gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sensible, upright, of pure life, self-controlled,read more.
and a man who continues to cling to the trustworthy message as he was taught it, so that he may be competent to encourage others with wholesome teaching and to convict those who oppose him.

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived among you all the time from the day I first set foot in the province of Asia, and how I continued to serve the Lord with all humility and in tears, through the trials that befell me because of the plots of the Jews.read more.
I never shrank from telling you anything that was for your good, nor from teaching you in public and in private, but constantly and earnestly I urged Greeks as well as Jews to turn with repentance to God and to have faith in our Lord Jesus. And I am here now on my way to Jerusalem, because I am impelled by the Spirit to do so, though I am not aware what will befall me there, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit emphatically assures me that imprisonment and sufferings are awaiting me. But now I count as nothing the sacrifice of my life, if only I can finish my race and render the service entrusted to me by the Lord Jesus, of faithfully telling the good news of God's favor. And now I know that none of you among whom I went about preaching the kingdom will ever see my face again. I therefore protest to you today that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I never shrank from telling you God's whole plan. Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.