Senior Elders, Senior Deacons, and Senior Deaconesses

Jesus admonished that you should Call No Man Your Father.

In God's plan for lay ministry, there were no senior elders, senior deacons, or senior deaconesses. Elders, deacons, and deaconesses were chosen, but there was no discrimination of rank. As the time for a board or business meeting approached, in a wholly informal way, one of the elders would say, "Now who chaired the last meeting?" Usually they would eventually remember, and then they would decide whose turn it was. Each took his turn in leadership. They were following the admonition of Jesus, "All ye are brethren," (Matthew 23:8). Thus, no one had kingly rule in the church, and the teams worked together in excellent harmony.

The lay leadership of the church held responsibility for almost every aspect of what took place. If any member appeared lax or backslidden in Christian experience, the elders would shoulder the responsibility of seeking to restore such a member. In this way the lay leadership was responsible for the physical and spiritual needs of the members of the church. They handled the usual domestic problems that arose or the challenges that families had because of poverty or other adversity. The district pastors had little or no responsibility in these areas, as the primary focus of their ministry was to work for those not of our faith.

(Portions excerpted from Organizational Structure and Apostasy, by Colin and Russell Standish, pages 68-69.)