Apostles and Elders

(see also Church Administration, Authority, and Leadership)

While elders are responsible for the administration of a local church (Acts 14:23), those who function as apostles (i.e., the leading co-workers) labor among the churches (Acts 15:36; 2 Cor. 11:28) and bear the responsibility to speak to and adjust the shortcomings and deviations of the churches. Some have argued that once a local church is established the apostles have no right to “interfere” with any matters in the church. These article debunk that claim and examine the New Testament pattern of apostles and elders, including their proper relationship to one another.


Who has the authority to appoint and remove elders? According to the New Testament, apostles, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, have the authority to appoint elders in the churches (Acts 14:23; Titus … Continue reading Questions and Answers about Apostles and Co-workers

To say that once a church is established the apostles, that is, the leading co-workers, should never “interfere” in that church’s affairs is inconsistent with the Bible and with the whole body of … Continue reading The Ongoing Relationship between the Apostles and the Local Churches