The New Testament talks about hierarchical authority in the world's governing system for law and order [1] and authority in the spiritual realm [2] but Jesus and the apostles taught that believers were not to have authority over each other but instead serve one another [3]. Believers were not put themselves or others in a position of authority over each other, nor were believers required to place themselves under the authority of another. All believers are bothers and sisters in the family of God [4] under His supreme authority [5]. The authority that Jesus spoke about was His authority to teach, cure diseases (heal the sick), cast out demons, do miracles, judge, give His life and take it back again, forgive sins, and give eternal life [6]. Believers were given authority by Jesus to overcome all the power of the enemy, heal the sick, cast out demons, do miracles, teach, and build people up in their faith [7]. Jesus used His authority over the kingdom of darkness, not over people, and we are to follow His example. It was the devil who desired to control and lord over God but could not. The devil desires to control and lord over people and causes people to do the same. But this is not God’s way.

For believers, God is their Father [8], Jesus Christ is their Shepherd (Overseer), Teacher and Leader [9], and the Holy Spirit is their Counselor (Helper/Guide) [10], to whom only these titles belong [11]. Jesus said we are not to exalt ourselves with these titles because believers are all brothers (and sisters) [12]. God however wants to functionally work through believers to father or mother [13], shepherd [14], teach, comfort [15], and guide/lead others by their example of obedience to Jesus for others to imitate. All believers have been given the same Holy Spirit and are a part of the body of Christ [16] each with their unique ministry [17] and Spiritual gifts [18] for building one another up [19]. The ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are not titles but functions in the church. Jesus did not train leaders and give them titles or positions in the church but instead mentored servants and gave them functions in the church body.

Giving titles and positions of leadership authority over other believers has caused many problems in the church. Those in authority usurp God's authority, which belongs to God alone. It has created a clergy / laity separation and competition for recognition and power where, all believers are no longer treated as equals. Those in authority have controlled, suppressed, used and abused the body of Christ. Those in authority have exalted themselves above other believers and expect to be treated special and be paid for their position or work. People have put their faith and confidence in those in leadership authority instead of God.
Whenever people are given titles and positions of leadership authority they become the center instead of Jesus and control people instead of Jesus being the Head and Leader. This is why Jesus taught that there would be no leadership titles, positions or authority among believers.

The greatest evidence that there was no leadership authority in the New Testament church is the fact that the apostles who wrote letters to the struggling churches to encourage them in the right direction, did not send them the elders or overseers but to the whole church body [20]. They could all read the letter(s) and make their decisions together while seeking the mind of Christ like a family dealing with the problems of life [21].

The King James translation of the New Testament was riddled with church leadership authority language because the king wanted the New Testament to reflect the traditional terminology of the church in which he lived. Even newer translations have been translated the same way. Words were used like "Bishop/leadership/chief men/authorities/leaders" which could also be translated as "overseer/oversight/guides"; "Pastor" which could also be translated as "shepherd/guide"; "Minister" which could also be translated "servant"; "Elder" which could also be translated as "older man"; "office" which could also be translated as "service/function"; "govern/rule" which could also be translated as "guide/direct"; "ordained" which could also be translated as "appointed/given a task"; "obey/submit" which could also be translated as "yield".

In the NIV New Testament translation the words "leaders/leadership/govern" are rarely used in context to the church [22] and could have been translated as "guides/overseers/guiding". The word "authority" is also rarely used in context to the church [23] and could have been translated as "oversight". However the words "servant/servants/brothers" are abundantly used in context to the church. There really was only one leader in the New Testament church and that was Jesus, who functioned through every believer by the ministry and Spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit. However there were some more mature men who were servants and brothers in Christ who helped oversee (guide) the churches in a shepherding role with no title or authority position. Even the apostles did not refer to themselves as leaders but instead servants, brothers, and friends.

Apostles, overseers and deacons were not appointed positions of leadership authority over the body of Christ, but were recognized as servants to the body of Christ. Some elders (older men) were overseers but all overseers may not have necessarily been old although they were men [24] who were humble, responsible and mature in their faith [25]. As mature believers their responsibilities were to help shepherd (care for), help direct (guide/lead), help with difficult decisions and situations, help protect the church body from people who would distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after themselves, and encourage the church body to obey Christ [26]. These servants were among the church [27] to help the church. Is it possible for a woman to be an overseer (shepherd) of God's flock? God can and will use women to help oversee his flock especially if men are not fulfilling this responsibility. However the New Testament seems to indicate that this responsibility is to be shouldered by men although I believe women with the ministry gift of a pastor (shepherd) and teacher can work alongside men to help oversee (shepherd) God's flock as fathers and mothers in the faith. Perhaps this was the case with wife and husband Priscilla and Aquila or Paul's relatives Andronicus and Junias who were fellow workers with Paul in the New Testament church [28]. God called older believers to help guide younger believers by their example without having a title or controlling them. Deacons/deaconesses who were in fact social workers for the church, were also mature believers who were humble and responsible for the practical needs of the believers [29]. Overseers and deacons did not have authority over others or control others, but they did require co-operation and respect from other believers so that they could fulfill their roles to guide or serve [30]. Co-operation and respect from other believers is different than having authority over them. The idea of apostles, overseers and deacons having authority over the body of Christ does not line up with the teaching of Jesus or the apostles.

As the head of his wife [31] a husband is required to guide the family in the right direction but he does not have authority over her because she also has Jesus as her Head and the Holy Spirit as her Guide [32]. The husband is to love and respect his wife [33]. The Bible says a woman should not have authority over a man but this does not imply that a man has authority over a woman [34]. A husband does however require his wife's co-operation and respect to be able to fulfill his role to lguide [35]. Co-operation and respect from her is different than having authority over her to dominate or control her. A husband and wife have become one flesh in marriage and as one are equals and should treat each other as such even though they have different roles. They are to submit (yield) to and serve one another motivated by love [36]. They should come into agreement when making decisions seeking the mind of Christ and together move forward with their decisions. A husband (who may also be and overseer) and his wife can be an effective team together using their unique ministry gifts to build up the body of Christ. The idea of a husband having authority over his wife does not line up with the teaching of Jesus and the apostles.

So how did the church function without leadership authority in the New Testament?
Jesus was the Head, Teacher and Leader of the church. The Holy Spirit guided believers as they served one another, submitted themselves to one another, and built each other up using their ministry and Spiritual gifts. All ministry gifts are functions in the body of Christ, not positions of leadership authority. They encouraged each other to participate when they met together. The more mature believers helped oversee (guide) and encourage the younger believers by their example of love, ministry service, use of Spiritual gifts, and obedience to Jesus. All believers learned and received from one another. They loved each other as brothers and sisters in the family of God and made unified decisions by seeking the mind of Christ together. This included having to confront and deal with any difficulties. At times they would have had to confront or close their doors to false teachers or false prophets who led people after themselves, or those who dominated or controlled other believers, or those who were sinning against the church and would not repent [37].

For more articles about the New Testament Church you can visit http://www.edmontonhousechurches.com/ARTICLES.html.

Bible references:
[1] MT 8:9; MT 20:25; MK 10:42; LK 7:8; LK 12:11-12; LK 20:20; LK 22:25; AC 9:13-14; AC 16:19-21; AC 26:9-11; AC 26:12; RO 7:1; RO 13:1-7; COL 1:15; TI 3:1-2; 1PE 2:13-14
[2] MT 28:18; LK 4:5-7; 1CO 15:24; EPH 1:18-21; EPH 3:10-11; EPH 6:12; COL 1:15; COL 2:9,10.15; 1PE 3:18-22; JUDE 1:6
[3] MT 20:20-28; MT 23:11-12; MK 9:33-35; MK 10:35-45; LK 22:24-30; JN 13:12-17; RO 1:1; RO 14:1-4; 1CO 3:1-9,21-4:1; 2CO 4:5; 2CO 6:1; GAL 5:13; PHP 2:5-8; TI 1:1; JAS 1:1; 1 PE 5:1-3; 2PE 1:1; JUDE 1:1; REV 1:1
[4] MT 23:8; RO 16:1; 1TI 5:1-2; PHM 1:1-2; the New Testament is filled with the term "brothers" meaning brothers and sisters in Christ
[5] MT 23:8; MT 28:18; AC 1:7-8; RO 13:12; EPH 1:18-23; COL 2:9-10; 1TH 4:1-2; 1TI 2:1-1; JUDE 1:24
[6] MT 9:6; MK 1:27; MK 2:10; LK 4:32,36; LK 5:23-24; JN 5:27; JN 10:17-18; JN 17:2
[7] MT 10:1; MK 3:13-15; MK 6:7; LK 9:1-2; LK 10:19; 2CO 10:7-8; 2CO 13:10; 1TI 2:11; TI 2:15; HEB 13:17
[8] MT 23:9
[9] MT 2:6; MT 23:5-8,10; JN 10:1-16; HEB 13:20-21; 1PE 2:25; 1PE 5:4; 1JN 2:27; REV 7:17
[10] JN 14:26; JN 15:26; JN 16:13-15; RO 8:12-14; GAL 5:16-18; 2TH 2:16
[11] MT 23:5-12
[12] MT 23:12; LK 14:7-11; LK 18:9-14; 1CO 1:12-15; 1CO 3:1-9
[13] MT 12:48-50; 1CO 4:14-15; 1CO 12:14; GAL 3:19-20; 1TI 1:2; 1TH 1:7,11
[14] AC 20:28; 1PE 5:14; 1PE 5:2
[15] 1CO 14:3; 2CO 1:3-7
[16] 1CO 12:12-27
[17] RO 12:3-8; 1CO 12:28-31; EPH 4:11-13
[18] AC 2:17-18; 1CO 12:1-11
[19] RO 12:3-8; RO 15:1-7; EPH 4:15-16; 1TH 3:2-3; 1TH 4:18; 1TH 5:11,14; TI 1:9; TI 2:6,15; HEB 3:12-12; HEB 10:25 RO 15:1; JUDE 1:20-23
[20] GA 1:1-2; 1TH 1:1; 2TH 1:2; 1CO 1:1-2; 2CO 1:1; RO 1:1,7; CO 1:1; EP 1:1; PH 1:1
[21] AC 15:22; 1CO 5:1-5, 1CO 6:1-6
[22] AC 1:20; AC 15:22; RO 12:8; GAL 2:2; HEB 13:7,17,24
[23] 2CO 13:10; HEB 13:17
[24] 1CO 11:3; 1TI 2:11-12
[25] 1TI 3:1-7; TI 1:6-9; TI 2:1-2
[26] AC 16:4-5; AC 20:28-31; 1PE 5:1-5; RO 1:5; RO 16:25-27; PH 2:12-13; 1TH 4:1-2
[27] AC 15:22; 2CO 8:22-23; AC 6:1-6;
[28] AC 18:24-26;RO 16:3,7
[29] 1TI 3:8-13
[30] 1CO 16:15-18; 2CO 8:23-24; PH 2:29-30; 1TH 5:12-13; 1TI 5:17-18;HEB 13:7,17; 1PE 5:5
[31] 1CO 11:3; EPH 5:23
[32] EPH 1:9-10,22-23; EPH 4:15-17; EPH 5:23; COL 1:17-18; COL 2:9-10
[33] EPH 5:25-33; COL 3:19; 1PE 3:7
[34] 1TI 2:11-12
[35] EPH 5:22-24; COL 3:18; TI 2:3; 1PE 3:1-6
[36] EPH 5:21
[37] MT 18:15-17; AC 20:28-31; RO 16:17-18; 1CO 5:1--13; 1CO 6:1-6; 1TI 1:3-7; 1TI 5:13; 1TH 5:14; 2TH 3:6-15; 2PE 2:1-3; 2JN 1:7-11; JUDE 1:17-19