Just as the government structure of Russia differs from that of the United States, and both differ from that of Great Britain, so it is with church government. Yet, as the institution governed by God's written word, the church must find and defend its governing structures using that word--the Bible. In this book, Dr. Simon Goncharenko argues that it is, in fact, possible to identify a specific preferred model of church polity within the Bible and to model our current church structure after Scriptural precedent. ""Simon Goncharenko has done an excellent job of examining all of the various forms of church governance used throughout history and today. Those who do not understand the issues would be well advised to consult the author's research and see how he comes to his conclusion."" --Elmer L. Towns, author of Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough ""This is a must-read for all church leaders and congregational participants who are sincerely exploring God's plan for leadership in the local church. It represents the author's thorough investigation of church governance, utilizing the lens of Scripture, and church history. Not everyone will agree with all of Goncharenko's conclusions regarding an elder/congregational model as being the biblical model. But as a professor, pastor, and author who has researched and written in this area, I found his book to be very helpful in taking a fresh look at God's plan for local church governance."" --Gene A. Getz, author of Elders and Leaders Simon V. Goncharenko is a church planter, professor, and author. His five-year-old congregation, 21 Fellowship, SBC, is located in Midway, TX, and online at www.21fellowship.com. He is also an Online Professor of Theology and Church History at Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, VA, and the author of Wounds That Heal: The Importance of Church Discipline within Balthasar Hubmaier's Theology (2011).