This article is a reprint with minor editorial changes of the article of the same name that appeared in the Summer, , issue of Perspective Magazine: A Quarterly Journal of Discussion and Dialogue for Seventh-day Adventist Laymen and Students.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Every follower of Christ pays at least lip service to this command. Christians of all varieties have organized themselves to accomplish those portions of this commission that they can't individually accomplish.
But have we thought about the implication of the universality of the gospel commission to these same organizations? It implies that people from a variety of cultural backgrounds will accept the teachings, be baptized, and perhaps even want to cooperate with a particular Christian church in carrying forward the gospel commission.
It follows then that any church with such a cross cultural membership must develop a system of government that enables all its constituent elements to function effectively. There are four generally recognized forms of church government; these may be summarized as follows: 1. Independent Congregationalist. Representative--the form of church government which recognizes that authority in the church rests in the church membership, with executive responsibility delegated to representative bodies and officers for the governing of the church.
This form of church government recognizes also the equality of the entire ministry. The representative form of church government is that which prevails in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In view of the implications of the gospel commission outlined above, this choice of church government by our founding fathers was indeed wise, but it is the responsibility of each of us today to maintain its representative nature.
