How Jesus Runs the Church

by Guy Prentiss Waters

Few books on church leadership, eldership, and the diaconate address their biblical foundations for a contemporary audience. Waters provides pastors, elders, and others with a greater understanding of how to govern the church.

Genres: Theology, Ecclesiology, Christian, Church, Leadership, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Guy Prentiss Waters (PhD, Duke University) is James M. Baird Jr. Professor of New Testament and academic dean at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson. He is the author or editor of fifteen books and numerous chapters, articles, and reviews. He is a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).

Reviews

[Colby Benedict · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a succinct and well written introduction to Presbyterian church government generally and PCA polity specifically

[Colton Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A succinct, well argued book that essentially argues for jure divino Presbyterianism. You could argue it is a bit PCA centric (with multiple references to the PCA Book of Church Order) but still a good read.

[Drew Norwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waters provides a good introduction to Presbyterian church government, especially for those in the PCA. This book gives you everything you want in such a work--an organized account of the relevant subjects, a simple presentation of the doctrine and brief outlines of the various areas of internal disagreement, plus plenty of footnotes and reference cites pointing to the best sources to consult if you want to dig deeper (even including an annotated bibliography at the back of the book to this end).

Those who are already familiar with Presbyterian polity may not gain much from reading this, but for the layman and those new to Presbyterianism this is a great resource.

[Ryan Peacock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great lengthy introduction to presbyterian church government. Ironically I feel many assertions of the kingship of christ in modern times has in view him being king of nations, rather than king of his church and how he rules through its governance. It really whet my appetite to dig deeper into the many referenced works. Waters makes a lot of use of the PCA's book of church order and didn't feel the need to overly engage in debatable issues. My only criticisms would be 1. the lack of mention of the old testament foundation for presbyterianism and 2. The horrendous cover art of the book.

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the best introductory text on presbyterian church government available today. Waters draws extensively from the 17th century “Jus Divino” book, Peck, Cunningham, other 19th century American Presbyterians, and the PCA Constitutional documents (WCF, BCO).

[Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid, easy-to-read introduction to the basics of Presbyterian polity. I don't agree with everything (e.g., his case against female deacons), but all in all it's a great introduction. Simple enough to give to any typical church member, and fairly thorough, too.

Unfortunately, I don't think I would make use of this book in my own denominational context for fear that one particular line may cause unnecessary offense. In his discussion of whether women may serve as elders (a topic on which I agree with Dr. Waters), he makes the rather absolute claim that all faithful Reformed denominations agree that the office is reserved for men. I suppose that means the EPC isn't a faithful Reformed denomination. Rough.

[mattie mae seals · Rating 4 out of 5]

i picked up this book thinking i was just doing some light church studies and instead found myself waist deep in the reality of christ’s present reign over his people. waters does this thing where he is not merely explaining church government he is unveiling the way the ascended jesus exercises his kingship through real offices and real authority. i kept pausing like oh this is not about preferences this is about the lord who sits at the right hand of the father actually ordering his household according to his own wisdom.

i did have to pull out the dictionary once or twice but it felt strangely devotional like part of the discipline of learning to think god’s thoughts after him as much as a human can. the way waters moves through scripture showing the continuity of god’s covenantal care made me realize church structure is not bureaucratic nonsense. it is the gracious means by which the shepherd king guards sanctifies and leads his flock. the patterns of elders oversight discipline and connectional accountability are not human inventions but reflections of the very character of god who rules with both tenderness and holiness.

and honestly somewhere around the chapters on church courts i caught myself thinking this might actually be extremely effective propaganda for me to join a presbyterian church. not because presbyterianism feels cute or orderly but because the theological argument is so grounded in the sovereignty of christ that resisting it felt like resisting scripture itself. i suddenly had this sense that submitting to the structure christ instituted is one of the concrete ways the church participates in his ongoing reign.

it is dense but in that sacred way where your mind and heart feel stretched toward eternity. i closed the book feeling both instructed and gently humbled and apparently ready to have very strong feelings about presbyterian polity.

four stars.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introduction to Presbyterian polity (church government), making a case for it from the commands and examples of the New Testament church. After defining the church, it explains church government, the power granted to the church, the offices of the church, and the courts of the church. It's full of Bible references, and draws heavily from PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) Book of Church Order (BCO). Often I'd follow a footnote expecting a Bible reference, only to find a BCO reference, which was disappointing. It's written by a PCA pastor who's a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary.

It's fairly well-written overall, but I lost track of a chapter's outline a couple times with its hierarchy of points that sometimes reaches 3 or 4 levels deep.

This is definitely worth reading for any officer in the PCA, and would probably be helpful to officers in other Presbyterian denominations, as well as Christians in general.

Notes
Government of Church
"Keys of kingdom" in Matthew 16:19 refers to the "disciples' administrative authority as household servants." The picture is of opening a storehouse to provide for the household (see Isaiah 22:15-22). It's not a picture of admitting or excluding from the house (absolving and excommunication).

Church government seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17.

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in Acts 14:23.

Paul writes of elders and deacons as regular and ongoing offices (2 Timothy 2:3) in 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9.

A biblical command or example is binding on the Christian if they're in like circumstances to the original audience, and if it's founded on moral grounds common to all people in all times in all circumstances. It's not binding if it depends on local or temporary grounds, peculiar to certain people in certain circumstances at a given time.

Officers are to be chosen by church they'll serve (Acts 6:3, 5).

Power of Church
Church courts and officers are to avoid cultural and political affairs. New Testament church proclaimed Christ, they didn't address political questions of the day. Believers should live according to God's law and understand that all humans are accountable to that law.

Offices of Church
Apostle and Prophet are extraordinary offices that fulfilled their purpose (Ephesians 2:20) in New Testament and are not continuing. New Testament contains no provisions for apostles or prophets to ordain successors.

2-office proponents say Scripture uses only 2 titles: elder and deacon. 3-office proponents say Scripture describes 3 functions: teaching, ruling, serving.

2-office view is biblical. 1 Timothy 5:17 shows all elders rule, and some labor in preaching and teaching. 3:2 says all elders must be able to teach. So 5:17-18 says some elders rule and teach to extent they're paid. Minister is "fellow elder" (1 Peter 5:1).

Only teaching elders may administer sacraments. Jesus entrusted those in full-time ministry with administering sacraments (Matthew 26:28). Bible records only ministers, not ruling elders, administering sacraments.

Elders serving limited terms has a substantial historical precedent in Reformed church. PCA Book of Church Order neither stipulates nor forbids it; it's widely practiced in PCA.
Objections to term eldership
• Based on Bible, church must assume gifts of elders are permanent.
• No New Testament warrant for or example of terms.
• It creates a difference from teaching elders, who serve for life. Also deprives session of continuity, experience, wisdom.
• It can give governance to congregation rather than elders, because congregation uses elections as political tool to govern or exercise authority in congregation.

Women in office (elder or deacon)
Women may not be elders. Women may not teach in corporate worship or exercise authority in congregation (1 Timothy 2:1-15). They may teach privately (Titus 2:3-5, Acts 18:26).

God used women as instruments of revelation, but prophecy is different than teaching, which isn't revelatory, but explanation of God's previously revealed Word.

Office of elder limited to men (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6).

Prohibition of women from eldership isn't limited to a time or place. It's based on Creation (1 Timothy 2:13-14).

1 Timothy 2:15 means women shouldn't be distracted by a role to which they haven't been called, but should pursue the high and noble calling of childbearing, to have assurance of salvation.

Romans 16:1 doesn't say Phoebe held office of deacon. Word "diakonos" or "servant" can refer to non-officers, and context indicates she was non-officer.

Context of 1 Timothy 3:11 shows women mentioned are neither deacons nor a separate office. It refers to qualified women (including deacons' wives) assisting deacons.

Although office of deacon is one of service, not rule, exercise of office necessarily entails exercising authority. 1 Tim 3:5, 12), so prohibition of 1 Timothy 2:12 applies to deacons.

Courts of Church
Biblical evidence for Presbyterianism
1. Bible teaches unity of church and visible, catholic church. John 17:22-23, Eph 4:4-6; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 12:12; Acts 9:31.
2. Bible speaks of congregations collectively as the "church," united in one government. (Acts 8:1, 11:22, 15:4). Congregations were collectively governed by apostles, individually governed by elders (Acts 15:2; 6:1-6). Regional government shown by Acts 11:22, 30; 15:2.
3. Higher courts are to be composed of elders who represent their congregations (Acts 15).

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always wanted to know a bit more about presbyterian polity but it seemed like such a daunting task. This book as an absolute gift. Dr. Waters does a terrific job arguing for Presbyterian polity. I can certainly see how such a form of government is Scripturally supported. I was left with a lot to think through.

[Adam McKinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good, accessible work on conservative Presbyterian church government.

[Timothy Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flat on my face to the body of Christ under the headship of Christ… the backbone of this book is the authority of no one except the head of the Church, our Lord. It is from Him and through Him that we could exercise any authority or power in His kingdom here on earth. Without that you don’t have a church you have a club of good morals at best. That is first and foremost. Waters takes an amazing look on the church and her nature through a Presbyterian lens, one of my first looks thoroughly. Who would have that a wise and divine God would have laid out such perfect expectations on how to govern, operate, and sustain His body. All in a way that incorporates elasticity without losing truth. God has allowed His body to flourish for centuries in ways that promote unity, strengthening, and endurance. Waters touches on membership, discipline, offices, and government. All which have been set forth to rule. However the effects are no less binding that the commandments God has given us. There is a profound sense of freedom experienced by Gods people through these processes. The final chapter of church government was the cherry on top for me. And it comes from no where but your Bible. A look at the Jerusalem Council in Acts is a perfect display of how Christ set up His church to include His people and His truth throughout all decisions that would affect His church. The church is one, at the council, even though it represents thousands of people and multiple congregations, it is ONE. Believers were meant to be the representation of unity to the world. How can we be expected to do this if every church is on an island. Separate from her sister across the world let alone across the street. The church is called to unity, not only across the congregation, but across congregations. As always, charity is first. Charity not ever meaning compromise. It implies unity through disagreement on non essential doctrine with our brothers and sisters.

[Stephen Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book introducing foundational principles of church polity and demonstrating why such a topic is important for the health of the church and the propagation of the gospel. Dr. Waters patiently explains the Presbyterian view from the ground up and makes many helpful distinctions along the way to provide a clear picture of what the church ought to look like according to the New Testament apostolic model. While the book is mainly focused on principles, there are plenty of questions posed and answered which are of an applied nature, though perhaps one could have hoped for some more.

With the myriad of leadership problems disrupting and dividing the church today, along with the American penchant for celebrity pastors and teachers, books such as these are sorely needed for those who, like me, have neglected the critical importance of the structure of the institution which our Lord promises to build. Rather than being merely reactionary against such abuses, it would be good for modern Christians, especially American Christians, to go back to some of the old paths and return to that which is biblical.

[Chase Pheifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid intro to Presbyterian polity. Though I've gone to church my whole life and known it was important for a Christian to be part of a church, this book solidified and convinced me of just how essential it is to be part of the Church; it is, after all, how Christ rules his redemptive kingdom in this age.

[Kirby Key · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Church government is a gift of the risen and reigning Jesus to the church, and perpetually reminds the church that Jesus is on his throne.”

I would’ve appreciated more “Scripture says” than “WCF/BCO says” in the Offices and Courts chapters, especially as a “lapsed Baptist”

[Coleson White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very accessible and clear book on Presbyterian polity.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful overview of Presbyterian polity with scripture-based arguments.

[Cassandra Chung · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the past year or so, I've had to ask myself some very difficult questions on how churches should be governed as a result of some personal circumstances that had taken place. While I was quite clear in my head as to what 1 Timothy prescribed, I was also looking for more resources on what Scripture had to say about formal membership, the boundaries of the office of elder and what place an episcopal denomination had in modern Christianity, if any.

Waters' book was a good starting point for my reading!

Poised as an exposition on Presbyterian church governance, Waters explains the the whats, whys and hows of infant baptism, church membership, the elders and deacons voting system, the limits on their power and the Presbyterian denominational structure, amongst other matters. While very technical in nature (as compared to most layman Christian books I've read), I personally think Waters structures his book and thoughts very well so much so that readers would be able to smoothly follow his thought process and not get bored of the (the very well articulated) details along the way.

Waters is humble and balanced in much of his analyses: he cites works which hold contrary views to his (i.e. works supporting the necessity for a figure like a Bishop) and assures readers in different ways throughout the book that churches that are governed differently from Presbyterian churches are still churches nonetheless. I also would like to publicly applaud Waters for writing on a typically unconventional topic and his bravery in stating and explaining some of his potentially unpopular convictions (i.e. that the deacons' office is a male-only office).

The only reservations I had about this book was that I felt his analyses on separation of church and state, formal church membership and why the deacons' office should only be limited to males might have been too simplistic. However, I also understand that these doctrines are probably worth books in their own right and it wouldn't have been helpful to dwell on these topics too much when this book is meant to be a broad sweep of Presbyterian church governance.

If you're keen to start reading on church governance, this book would be a good starting point no matter what denomination you come from. If you have any recommendations of books on other denominations' church governance, church membership and / or gender within church offices, would be happy to explore those as well as I continue to think about church governance more thoroughly!

[Tyler Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a good summary and defense of presbyterian church government. Waters is a clear and extremely logical thinker. He presents his arguments in detailed lists with points and subpoints galore. He does a good job grounding his arguments in the Scriptures. At points, the book read like an apologetic against other forms of government. At others, it felt more like an explanation of the way the Presbyterian Church in America functions. Both were beneficial, but I don't think this book would be a great one to give to someone examining whether congregationalism, presbyterianism, or episcopalianism are more biblical. It would be a great read for officers wanting to brush up on their church's leadership dynamics or candidates for ordinations in the PCA prepping for their BCO exams!

I would plead that we have a full moratorium on qualification-free and positive citations from Southern Presbyterian slave holders and white supremacists like Dabney, Thornwell, and many others that Waters cites as authorities. At parts, Waters even articulates a version of the Spirituality of the Church that I fear could have been 'amen-ed' by these men, to our shame.

[Michael Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good. A bit dry, if you aren't immediately interested in the topic. He supports his arguments extensively with scripture, and makes sincere attempts to give fair voice to opposing viewpoints on certain doctrines (like female deacons), while still attempting to maintain a measure of brevity. Overall worth reading. Would make a good primer on the topic for those unfamiliar. I would recommend to most Christians who are not brand new to the faith and don't be distracted from more pressing matters of study, like the doctrines of grace.

[Jay Munroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a meat and potatoes book than it might appear. One omission in the commentary on church and state is the importance of the churches to retain their prophetic witness to the culture. Exceptionally well researched, so much that it made me wish there were many more books half as well researched still written with the pews in mind like this one was; and, if you think that's just inter-presbyterian kiss up, jokes on you. ;)

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well done and concise explanation on the biblical concepts of church government. You will not agree with everything, but you must admit that the author has done his research.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good basic overview of Presbyterian church polity.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best introductory work on biblical Presbyterian church government.

[Mitchell Traver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the more detailed version of Dr. Waters’ “Well Ordered, Living Well.” Essentially an exposition on PCA Church Polity, the book is surprisingly fresh and clear. Jargon is kept to a minimum, and while Scripture is by necessity heavily engaged throughout, the book doesn’t read like an academic biblical-theological ya-da-ya-da. In other words, this book can be helpful for a larger audience, I think. The clarity and spirit displayed here is the primary reason for the four star review. I really enjoy the way Dr. Waters writes, as academic-types tend to be heady and unnecessarily dense. Not so, in this case!

The book really did two things for me:

1) It helped to provide a solid foundation for Presbyterian polity without too much jargon and associated intra-PCA debates. It also showed very directly *why* and *where* the terms and concepts for Presbyterian polity come from. It’s really not rocket science, and practically speaking, makes a ton of sense. I don’t align on everything, and yet, I really appreciate Dr. Waters commitment to Scripture as the infallible Word of God given (in part) for clear direction in the Christian life. This is a heart posture I’m committed to sharing in as well and think is indispensable for following Jesus.

2) It affirmed and clarified the differences in conviction that I have with some of my Presbyterian brothers and sisters, which I initially picked up on in “Well Ordered,” the shorter version of “How Jesus Runs the Church.” I’ll spare y’all the details, but in short, the Church’s mission and relation to the world/culture, the office of deacon/deaconess, and the reliance upon Scripture *to the near absence* of Church history in terms of offices (yes, bishops are in mind here) all are areas that I either differ on or remain unpersuaded by the arguments presented here. I’m happily Reformed and comfortably Presbyterian - this book helped affirm that even more. But the articulation of what that means would land me in some different spots than Dr. Waters, though very much not without precedent within our shared Tradition.

I’d heartily recommend this book, even if just for the sake of seeing the gift that Church Government is designed to be. I do think it to be a category that is missing for many Christians in my own context, and that’s unfortunate. Dr. Waters did a good job here - take and read!

[Adam Nesmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot to like about this book. First off, this thin volumes summarizes a ton of dense literature on Presbyterian church polity while still pointing you back to the original sources. In a sense, I would call this an amazing literature review arguing for what the church is , what church officers are, and, ultimately, for Presbyterian church government being the most biblical. I see myself recommending this volume as a “one stop shop” for people to understand ecclesiology at a deep but still accessible level.

Second, the annotated bibliography at the end of the book is itself worth the price of admission. The author has highlighted dozens of some of the best resources to continue the readers study further.

Lastly, there are some sections that are just particularly excellent and well written. The section explaining Acts 15 is my personal favorite.

That said, two sections in the book in which I disagreed with the author keeps this from getting a full five stars. The first was a discussion of how the church relates to politics/society at large. The author argued a VERY strong “spirituality of the church” and “two separate spheres” understanding, too strong in my opinion. Although he made some good points, overall I thought he ignored the points of overlap between the “spheres” and didn’t acknowledge that certain moral issues that the church does have a strong stance on do, of necessity, relate to policy. If you took his position to its logical conclusion, it seems that for the church to speak directly to any issue of the day is to disobey Christs role for the church.The second section of disagreement is much less consequential but the author argues for a “2 1/2 office” view instead of a “2 office” or “3 office” view. I found the position and the argument unconvincing.

Despite these couple sections of disagreement, this book is an amazing resource. You learn a ton and then are connected with resources for further learning. I’ll be recommending this one frequently.

[Andrzej Stelmasiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book which serves as an introduction to Presbyterian ecclesiology. I'm not sure if there's a better resource in this category.

One might wonder why there are so many references to PCA's BCO and it seems that 19th century Southern Presbyterians dominated his footnotes, but this should not bother anyone, because it's not an apology for PCA/Southern view. It can be easily translated into your own context, if you're not in the USA.
If one is interested on the relationship between ruling elders and teaching elders, Waters advocates for 2 office view instead of 2.5 view, but he is very fair, and this doesn't change much at all in his overall argument.

Kevin DeYoung wrote in one of his TGC posts about it - "He’s almost certainly thought about church polity more than you have." If I may add - and it seems that Waters read more about it than anyone else.

Definitely in a "keeper" category for me.

[Ethan McCarter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to matters of ecclesiology. Waters gives a basic understanding of what the church is, an argument for the specific roles in the government of the church, and a case for Presbyterianism as the way the Bible has established church government. His sources are excellently chosen (Peck, Cunningham, Thornwell, Bannerman, etc.) and he writes a compelling case for his position. He is also fairly PCA-centric which is understandable given where his credentials are. I thought that there are some areas he could shine some more light on including the chapter on the officers of the church. With some of the egalitarian arguments that are arising in certain corners of the Reformed world, it would be helpful to address those with a bit more length. A great book all the same, and an excellent beginning point for someone to further study ecclesiology.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for anyone pursuing office in a Presbyterian church, especially the PCA. Presbyterian polity can be very confusing and challenging to grasp for those of us who were previously in Congregationalist or Episcopal communities. The writing is easy to understand and the author sort of ‘holds the readers hand’ through the more challenging concepts with relatable examples and explanations which are easy to comprehend. Most importantly, the author makes an excellent case that Presbyterian polity is that which is laid out in Scripture. I believe that all members of Presbyterian churches should be encouraged to read this book even if they have no desire, or lack the necessary qualifications, to hold office. Presbyterian churches would do well to have congregations that are at least somewhat versed and familiar with how we believe that Jesus runs the church.

[Bradley Endsor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book I many was feels like it is written for those who are convinced, often times the author will say that scripture shows and then quotes his own church books. I think that whilst this probably is a good introduction to presbyterian polity, it seems like the case is presupposed rather than argued. I now know a bit more about Presbyterian church government and found the stuff on acts 15 helpful.

This book is sadly Radical 2k in its outlook, limits the bible's authority to the institutional church and does blend kingdom and church together. It is also highly ecclesiocentric in interpreting passages about the reign of Christ.

It is well written and I overall enjoyed the book, hence my 3 stars

[Bob O'Bannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is probably of little interest to anyone not an elder in a Presbyterian church, but if church government is an interest of yours (and to some degree it should be), Waters makes an excellent case for Presbyterian polity. Who would have thought there was so much scriptural foundation for the existence of sessions, presbyteries and general assemblies in the life of the church? Waters not only tells us it is so, but argues that church government is a critical part of Christian discipleship, and that “to be zealous for the government of the church is to prize and to cherish the reign of Jesus.” (151).