Government in the Local church.

     First, a bit of de-churching and deprogramming from what we all grew up with..
In order to understand what the local church government is, or should be, we must first step outside the "box" of what all of us experienced inside the buildings we erroneously called "churches". 

The common "local" church is a false imitation of what we find in the book of Acts.
The churches met mostly in homes and not a single building program is mentioned.
That immediately strips away most of the tradition and need for things like a church checking account, pulpit, church name, signs, advertising, staff, insurance, mortgages, departments, electronics, choirs, fund-raisers, robes, titles, and, God forbid, a hired Nicolaitane pastor.

Here is what the early church established for the "local" assemblies:
Acts 14:23 And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.
Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Let's point out a few things.
1. Pastors are not singled out and given sole authority.
2. "Elders" is plural, and there are elders (plural) appointed for "every church", and "every city".
3. No one is "voted in" or hired.
4. No one minstry is given pre-eminence over the others.
5. The church prayed and fasted in regard to knowing God's Will.
6. You will not read anywhere a pastor had charge over the other ministries.
7. You will not read where a man put his wife in a postion of oversight of an assembly.
8. You will see a warning not to put a novice (newly planted, that is, (figuratively) a young convert)  into a role of oversight.

In the last study on church government we wrote of the church found in Acts. The disciples who were of Jesus and the apostles, made church government decisions for the early church concerning doctrine and sending forth apostles.
Acts 16:4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

The church "government" in Jerusalem gave the correct instructions to the churches scattered abroad what they were to observe and what they were no longer to keep.
Who did the church apostles and elders address these "decrees" to?  
Acts 15:23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
This was consistent with what Jesus had instructed the apostles in Mat. 23:8 when rather than having titles and position, He told them they were simply "brethren".

As the apostle Paul concluded his direct ministry to the Ephesian church, he prepared to depart from the region. He had worked and lived among the brethren for 3 years when at Ephesus. Knowing he would be leaving, he gives charge to an independent assembly.
Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. 

Who were these "elders" and what were they to do?  
NLT: Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders
ASV: Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord
NIV: the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,
NKJ: among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God

Notice, the elders had oversight of the church at Ephesus.
The apostles obviously planted and ministered. In no translation are "pastors" mentioned as having sole authority. In Ephesus, "elders" are shown to be the "overseers", "bishops", and "elders" in synonymous terms. 
This is the direct link to the epistle to the Ephesian church. Let's see what Paul said to these men later when he wrote the church an epistle.
Eph.1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus  (notice the lack of titles, and distinctions as he continued...
Eph. 4:11 And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:

We see the five major ministry gifts are a part of the "ministering" of the elders who had the oversight of the Ephesian church.

These "elders", the overseers, as ministering brethren, were ALL responsible for feeding, shepherding, defending, and building up the "flock", not just one man, or a man and his staff. 
1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
 Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee
1 Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness

Notice also that Peter called himself "an elder"   (not a Bishop, Pope, Leader, or a capitalized A-postle..)

 Now let's look at the Greek word for "elder":
presbeteros Strongs 4245 elder,
of age, the elder of two people advanced in life, an elder,
a senior forefathers a term of rank or office among the Jews members of the great council or Sanhedrin (because in early times the rulers of the people, judges, etc., were selected from elderly men) of those who in separate cities managed public affairs and administered justice among the Christians, those who presided over the assemblies (or churches)
The NT uses the term bishop, elders, and presbyters interchangeably the twenty four members of the heavenly Sanhedrin or court seated on thrones around the throne of God