8 Bible Verses about Church Government

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was increasing, protests were made by the Greek Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were not taken care of in the distribution of food every day. And the Apostles sent for all the disciples and said, It is not right for us to give up preaching the word of God in order to make distribution of food. Take then from among you seven men of good name, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, to whom we may give control of this business.read more.
Then we will give all our time to prayer and the teaching of the word. And this saying was pleasing to all of them: and they made selection of Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolas of Antioch, who had become a Jew: These they took to the Apostles, who, after prayer, put their hands on them.

And when they had made selection of some to be rulers in every church, and had given themselves to prayer and kept themselves from food, they put them into the care of the Lord in whom they had faith.

I did not take you with me when I went away from Crete, so that you might do what was necessary to put things in order there, placing men in authority over the churches in every town, as I said to you;

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the rulers of the church.

I who am myself one of the rulers of the church, and a witness of the death of Christ, having my part in the coming glory, send this serious request to the chief men among you: Keep watch over the flock of God which is in your care, using your authority, not as forced to do so, but gladly; and not for unclean profit but with a ready mind; Not as lords over God's heritage, but making yourselves examples to the flock.read more.
And at the coming of the chief Keeper of the sheep, you will be given the eternal crown of glory.

This is a true saying, A man desiring the position of a Bishop has a desire for a good work. The Bishop, then, is to be a man of good name, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, serious-minded, having respect for order, opening his house freely to guests, a ready teacher; Not quickly moved to wrath or blows, but gentle; no fighter, no lover of money;read more.
Ruling his house well, having his children under control with all serious behaviour; (For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will he take care of the church of God?) Not one newly taken into the church, for fear that, through his high opinion of himself, he may come into the same sin as the Evil One. And he is to have a good name among those outside the church, so that nothing may be said against him and he may not be taken by the designs of the Evil One. Deacons, in the same way, are to be serious in their behaviour, not false in word, not given to taking much wine or greatly desiring the wealth of this world; Keeping the secret of the faith in a heart free from sin. And let these first be put to the test; then let them become Deacons if there is nothing against them. Women are to be serious in behaviour, saying no evil of others, controlling themselves, true in all things. Let Deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their houses well. For those who have done good work as Deacons get for themselves a good position and become free from fear in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Men having a good record, husbands of one wife, whose children are of the faith, children of whom it may not be said that they are given to loose living or are uncontrolled. For it is necessary for a Bishop to be a man of virtue, as God's servant; not pushing himself forward, not quickly moved to wrath or blows, not desiring profit for himself; But opening his house freely to guests; a lover of what is good, serious-minded, upright, holy, self-controlled;read more.
Keeping to the true word of the teaching, so that he may be able to give comfort by right teaching and overcome the arguments of the doubters.

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the rulers of the church. And when they had come, he said to them, You yourselves have seen what my life has been like all the time from the day when I first came into Asia, Doing the Lord's work without pride, through all the sorrow and troubles which came on me because of the evil designs of the Jews:read more.
And how I kept back nothing which might be of profit to you, teaching you publicly and privately, Preaching to Jews and to Greeks the need for a turning of the heart to God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And now, as you see, I am going to Jerusalem, a prisoner in spirit, having no knowledge of what will come to me there: Only that the Holy Spirit makes clear to me in every town that prison and pains are waiting for me. But I put no value on my life, if only at the end of it I may see the work complete which was given to me by the Lord Jesus, to be a witness of the good news of the grace of God. And now I am conscious that you, among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom, will not see my face again. And so I say to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all men. For I have not kept back from you anything of the purpose of God. Give attention to yourselves, and to all the flock which the Holy Spirit has given into your care, to give food to the church of God, for which he gave his blood.