Elders

The central message of this sermon is that church governance should be based on the biblical concept of the priesthood of believers, where every individual has direct access to God through Jesus Christ. This contrasts with the top-down approach of Episcopalian models, which emphasize a hierarchical structure and mediate access to God through clergy or other intermediaries. Instead, the sermon advocates for a bottom-up approach that recognizes the importance of leadership and authority within the community, but also emphasizes the need for every member to participate in serving and contributing to the body. The takeaway is that churches should be organized in a way that empowers believers to serve one another and carry out the work of God without needing intermediaries or hierarchy, and that leaders (elders/overseers) should be recognized and submitted to within the community for their role in facilitating this process.