Working Together in the Church
A study on church structure and governance based on New Testament principles—exploring how local churches and the general body work together in fellowship, cooperation, and accountability while maintaining apostolic doctrine.
GIFT SCRIPTURE STUDIES (TAGALOG-ENGLISH)
📅 October 1, 2025 / 6:30–8:30 PM
FOREWORD
The main theme of the book by David Bernard (UPCI GS) is how Apostolic Pentecostals should live and how the Apostolic Church should minister in a diverse, postmodern world.
FIRST SECTION: “DEVELOPING AN APOSTOLIC WORLDVIEW”
(This section positions the Apostolic movement in contrast to other historical and modern Christian traditions and identifies the essential elements of an Apostolic worldview.)
Topic: “Working Together in the Church”
The church is the body of believers who have been born again, living by faith in Jesus Christ, and pursuing holiness.
In the New Testament, the word church refers both to the local congregation and to the universal body of believers.
Hindi natin maitutulad ang New Testament church sa anumang human organization.
For example, the United Pentecostal Church (UPC) does not claim to be equivalent to the body of Christ. However, it is part of the universal Church and helps establish and strengthen local congregations.
We do not teach that one must belong to the UPC to be saved or to have a genuine ministry. Rather, we unite together to fulfill the biblical call to unity, fellowship, evangelism, and discipleship.
Our official mission is to bring “the Whole Gospel to the Whole World by the Whole Church.”
As its name implies, the UPC is more than a ministerial fellowship—it is an organized expression of the New Testament Church. Both preachers and saints are members of the UPC.
Credentialed ministers (those holding licenses) participate in district and general conferences, while all members of local churches take part in local business meetings.
Church Governance and Structure
The New Testament does not provide a detailed, step-by-step manual for church governance.
This omission is intentional, recognizing that needs, methods, and circumstances vary across time, culture, and place. The church of the first-century Israel would naturally operate differently from that of the twenty-first century—whether in America or the Philippines.
Nevertheless, the New Testament gives principles for church structure and organization.
Ministers must meet biblical qualifications, be approved by elders, and be ordained for service.
Believers should belong to a local church, and each local church should be led by a pastor.
Every local church, in turn, should be connected to a broader fellowship or international body that upholds apostolic doctrine, promotes fellowship and evangelism, provides accountability, and recognizes mutual spiritual authority.
(See Acts 2:42–47; Acts 16:4–5.)
When a church applies these principles within its own culture and setting, God honors its efforts.
Jesus Himself declared concerning church government:
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
— Matthew 18:18
He also promised to honor the church’s unity in prayer and gatherings (Matthew 18:19–20).
The church is not infallible, for only God’s authority is absolute. Yet, God established church government to accomplish His divine purposes.
Human Structure with Divine Purpose
The specific structure of any local or general church organization is human in nature—but that does not mean it can be ignored or disregarded.
Churches may differ in their policies and procedures, and these may change over time. No single model is perfect or complete.
However, each structure represents our collective effort to apply biblical principles in an orderly way. Because of this, God expects us to cooperate with these systems and remain accountable within them.
We are called to respect the structure, recognize appointed authority, and support the decisions of both local and general church leadership.
For example, when God calls someone to preach, that person should first seek approval from their local pastor and church, before being recognized by the general body.
The New Testament shows that once a local church matures, it should manage its own affairs under the direction of its senior pastor, without unnecessary external manipulation.
Paul’s Example of Church Leadership
Although Paul was an apostle and a founding pastor of many local churches, when he addressed their issues, he did not simply impose decrees.
Instead, he worked in cooperation with local leaders to resolve problems.
- In a case of immorality in Corinth, Paul did not personally excommunicate the offender. Rather, he instructed the local church on how to discipline him (1 Corinthians 5:1–5).
- When that same member later repented, Paul urged the church to forgive and restore him, promising his full support for their decision (2 Corinthians 2:5–11).
- The local churches were not independent, however. They remained connected to the larger body and accepted guidance from leaders like Paul.
The Jerusalem Council Example
In Acts 15, the apostles and elders met in Jerusalem to decide on the inclusion of Gentiles in the church.
They debated, consulted Scripture, sought the leading of the Holy Spirit, reached consensus, and communicated their decision by letter to all local congregations.
No church or pastor was expected to reject the decision or withdraw from fellowship. Instead, all were expected to accept and uphold the collective decision of the council—demonstrating biblical unity in action.
Four Levels of Authority in Paul’s Ministry
In the ministry of Paul, we can observe at least four levels of church authority:
- Submission to the general body — Paul reported to the leadership in Jerusalem (Acts 15:1–35; Acts 21:18–26).
- Recognition of his calling — The leaders acknowledged Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:6–10).
- Oversight of ministers — Paul supervised leaders such as Titus, giving him authority over the churches in Crete.
- Delegation to local pastors — Titus, in turn, ordained elders and pastors to lead the local churches (Titus 1:5).
Likewise, in the United Pentecostal Church (UPC), each local congregation is self-governing yet connected to the general body in fellowship, cooperation, and accountability.
When we work together under biblical order, we build up the body of Christ—strong, united, and ready for the harvest.