• Submission is a biblical virtue - but it is never absolute.

• Every Christian is called to exercise discernment under the authority of Christ.

• Healthy church leadership equips believers to follow Christ, not to become dependent upon its leaders.

 

 

​Introduction

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​For many former members of Wellspring Church, the subject of submission is not merely a theological concept. It is remembered as a defining feature of church life.

 

Former members frequently recall that Wellspring's leadership placed a strong emphasis on submission to spiritual authority, particularly during significant decision points in a person's life.

 

Decisions involving marriage, divorce, employment, education, relocation, ministry, and church membership were often viewed through the lens of spiritual submission and the counsel of church leadership.

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Many former members describe feeling that faithfully following Christ required more than seeking biblical wisdom or pastoral advice. They believed that submitting to the direction of church leadership was an essential expression of obedience to God.

 

For some, declining or questioning that counsel could be perceived as evidence of pride, independence, or a lack of spiritual maturity.

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Those who taught these principles may have believed they were protecting the spiritual well-being of the congregation and helping members remain faithful to Christ. The question is whether the degree of submission expected was consistent with the pattern of authority and Christian liberty presented in the New Testament.

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The purpose of this page is not to criticize the existence of church leadership or the biblical call to humility and submission. Rather, it is to examine what Scripture actually teaches about submission, where the authority of church leaders begins and ends, and how Christians can distinguish healthy spiritual leadership from forms of authority that extend beyond what the New Testament requires.​​​​

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Remaining "In Good Standing"

 

One aspect of church life that many former members recall is that submission was often reinforced through the culture of the congregation as much as through formal teaching.

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Many members genuinely desired to be trusted by the church's leaders and to be regarded as spiritually mature.

 

Over time, this created an environment in which members became increasingly attentive to the preferences, expectations, and counsel of the church leadership. Explicit direction often became unnecessary. Many members learned to anticipate what leadership would approve or discourage and adjusted their decisions accordingly.

 

Questions about marriage, employment, relocation, education, or fellowship naturally became questions about what the leaders would think. Remaining “in good standing” therefore came to include not only living a faithful Christian life, but also recognizing and embracing the direction leadership was perceived to favor.​​​​

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The New Testament certainly encourages believers to seek wise counsel and to respect faithful spiritual leaders. It also teaches, however, that every Christian is ultimately accountable to Christ and must exercise wisdom and conscience before God.

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In writing to the churches of Galatia, the Apostle Paul asked a searching question that every Christian should consider: "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)

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Paul's point was not that Christians should ignore godly counsel or reject spiritual leadership. Rather, he reminded believers that their ultimate allegiance belongs to Christ.

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Seeking wise counsel from pastors and mature believers can be a valuable part of the Christian life. The New Testament encourages this kind of mutual care within the body of Christ. At the same time, Scripture never presents church leaders as the necessary intermediary through whom every significant decision must pass.

 

When a believer is frequently advised to "go talk to the church leaders" in times of decision, it is worth asking whether confidence is resting primarily in Christ's guidance through His Word and Spirit, or whether dependence upon church leaders has begun to overshadow personal responsibility before Christ.

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A healthy church should encourage believers to mature in discernment and confidence in God's Word, not simply to become skilled at anticipating the preferences of its leaders.

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The Purpose of Church Leadership

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The New Testament describes church leaders primarily as shepherds and servants, not as rulers who exercise dominion over the congregation.

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Jesus warned His disciples against adopting the leadership style common among earthly governments: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them... It shall not be so among you." (Matthew 20:25–26)

 

Likewise Peter instructed elders: "Shepherd the flock of God... not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:2–3)

 

Biblical leadership leads primarily through teaching, example, persuasion, and sacrificial service - not through fear, pressure, or institutional control.

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The authority of elders is real, but it is ministerial rather than absolute: it is exercised in service to Christ and remains bounded by His Word.

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Ephesians 4:11–16 further explains Christ's purpose in giving pastors and teachers to the church. Their calling is to "equip the saints for the work of ministry," so that believers grow into spiritual maturity and are no longer "children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine." The goal of biblical leadership is therefore not to create continuing dependence upon church leaders, but to equip believers to become mature disciples who increasingly know, trust, and follow Christ for themselves.

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Jesus did not reject authority; He transformed its purpose. In His kingdom, leadership exists not to elevate leaders or increase their influence over others, but to serve God's people. Christian leaders teach, protect, encourage, and equip believers through humble service, faithful teaching, and personal example - not through domination or dependence.

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This pattern is rooted in the example of Christ Himself. Although He possessed all authority, He used that authority to serve others, ultimately giving His life for His people. New Testament leadership reflects that same self-giving pattern. Its purpose is not to create followers of a pastor or group of elders, but to equip mature disciples who increasingly depend upon Christ and are themselves prepared to serve His body.

 

 

Submission Is a Biblical Teaching

 

​The Bible plainly teaches that Christians should be people of humility rather than self-will.

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Believers are instructed to:

• Submit to God (James 4:7)

• Submit to governing authorities (Romans 13:1–7)

• Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21)

• Respect faithful church leaders (Hebrews 13:17)

 

The New Testament, however, never equates rejecting self-will with surrendering one's judgment to another person. Instead, believers are repeatedly called to test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21), exercise discernment (Philippians 1:9–10), and follow Christ according to a conscience shaped by God's Word (Romans 14:5, 22–23).​​

 

 

Christ Alone Is the Supreme Authority

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While Scripture teaches submission to various authorities, it never teaches that any human authority is absolute.

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Every Christian's highest allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ.

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When the apostles were commanded by religious authorities to stop preaching Christ, they answered: "We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)

 

Their response establishes an important principle.

 

Human authority is real.

 

But it is always limited.

 

No pastor, elder, teacher, denomination, or local church possesses authority equal to Christ Himself.

 

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A Subtle Shift

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In many healthy churches, members understand themselves to be submitting ultimately to Christ.

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In some churches, however, the object of submission can gradually shift.

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Instead of thinking:  "I submit to Christ."

 

The practical mindset slowly becomes: "I submit to Christ through the church."

 

Eventually it may become: "I submit to Christ through the leaders' interpretation of Scripture."

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When this happens, disagreeing with church leadership can begin to feel equivalent to disagreeing with God Himself.

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This shift is often gradual rather than intentional. Members may sincerely believe they are simply being faithful Christians, while becoming increasingly dependent upon the judgments of spiritual leaders for decisions that Scripture leaves to individual conscience.​​​​​​​​

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The Bereans: A Model for Every Christian

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The Apostle Paul himself did not ask people to accept his teaching unquestioningly.

 

Instead, Luke commended the Bereans because: "...they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so." (Acts 17:11)

 

Remarkably, Scripture commends them for carefully examining even an apostle’s teaching.​​

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Biblical leaders invite believers to compare every teaching with Scripture. No teacher’s interpretation should be treated as immune from examination by Scripture.

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Submission and Leaving a Church

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Sometimes Christians conclude, after prayer and careful study, that they should worship elsewhere.

 

• People relocate.​

• Churches change.​

• Doctrinal convictions develop.​

• Personal circumstances differ.

 

The New Testament does not teach that leaving one local congregation constitutes rebellion against God.

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The apostles planted many churches throughout the Roman world, and believers were members of one body in Christ despite belonging to different local congregations. The New Testament emphasizes faithfulness to Christ and His gospel rather than permanent allegiance to a particular congregation or network of churches.

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A church may certainly encourage commitment and stability.

 

But when leaving a congregation is consistently portrayed as leaving God's will - or when members believe there is no other legitimate church to attend - the concept of submission may have expanded beyond what Scripture teaches.

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Mutual Submission

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One passage that is often overlooked appears just before Paul's teaching on marriage:

 

"Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Ephesians 5:21)

 

Submission in the New Testament is not exclusively one-directional. Church members:

 

• Encourage one another.

• Correct one another.

• Bear one another's burdens.

• Pray for one another.

• Serve one another.

 

Even leaders remain accountable to Christ and to the standards of Scripture.

 

The church is not merely a hierarchy.

 

It is a body.

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Questions Worth Asking

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Every Christian should be willing to ask thoughtful questions about the life of his or her church.

• Is Christ clearly presented as the highest authority?

• Are leaders viewed as servants or as unquestionable authorities?

• Can members respectfully disagree without fear of spiritual consequences?

• Is Scripture encouraged to be examined personally?

• Are leaders themselves accountable?

• Is leaving for another Christian church automatically viewed as rebellion?

• Does submission produce mature disciples who depend upon Christ - or members who become increasingly dependent upon leaders?

 

These questions are not intended to undermine biblical authority.

 

Rather, they help distinguish between the healthy leadership described in the New Testament and forms of authority that gradually move beyond its boundaries.

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Conclusion

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Biblical submission is a Christian virtue. It reflects humility, teachability, and trust in God's wisdom.

 

But Scripture never asks believers to surrender their conscience to another person. Every Christian ultimately stands before Christ and is responsible to obey His Word.

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Faithful church leaders help believers follow Christ more closely. Their calling is to point people to Christ, not to become the object of their dependence.

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When submission deepens a believer's love for Christ and confidence in His Word, it fulfills its biblical purpose.

 

When submission gradually becomes dependence upon an institution or its leaders, Christians should prayerfully return to the pattern established by the New Testament.

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