Presbyterian Congregationalist Baptist

Church Courts (polity) Local Local Congregation Local Congregation

Congregation/Session,
Presbytery, Synod,
General Assembly
Membership of Elders Teaching Elder Both Teaching and Teaching Elder is a
(pastors) -> Presbytery Ruling Elders are member of the local
members of the local congregation. No ruling
Ruling Elder (lay elders) congregation elder
-> local congregation
Process Presbytery Care (call to The candidate for the Congregation examines
ministry, seminary ministry is examined by and receives their
training) *this is where the local session minister and installs
a member of the local (elders) him to be their
congregation transfers shepherd (installation
membership to the Local congregation is understood as good
presbytery with receives the candidate as ordained in a Baptist
approval and for ordination and church)
recommendation of installation
the local session
Ordination and
Candidating in a local Installation to the local
church (church session church
and congregation)

Local Church elders

votes to receive the
candidate and calls the
candidate

Examination in the
presbytery (includes
whether he is fit for the
local congregation)

Receiving by the local

congregation through
congregational vote

Ordination in the
presbytery (once
candidate passed the
examination)

Installation to the local

congregation
 Congregational Responsible to accept Responsible to accept Congregation votes to
Responsibility or reject a candidate to or reject a candidate to receive and install the
be their shepherd (TE be their shepherd (TE minister.
and RE) through voting. and RE through voting)

Ruling elders are Teaching and Ruling

selected by the current elders are selected first
elders (TE and RE) then by the current local
approved by the elders then approved
congregation through by the congregation
votation

Teaching elders are

approved by the
presbytery for
candidating before the
congregation can
receive them

Similarities:

 All three forms believe that the church should have elders, but differs in interpretation
regarding the ecclesiastical and judicial authority
 All three forms believe that elders should be members of the local church, except for
Presbyterianism that holds Teaching elders with higher accountability
 All three forms believe in congregational responsibility that members of the local congregation
have the responsibility to receive a minister (elder)

Notes:

 Not all congregational churches are Baptist churches, but all Baptist churches are independent
congregational churches. There are congregational Presbyterian churches like UECP and
Westminster Church in Manila
 The term consistory which UECP and Westminster uses for their elders, elders and deacons
meeting is derived from the continental European reformed churches which also means session
for Presbyterians and boards for independent Baptists.
 Southern Baptists have a convention, but it has no ecclesiastical or judicial authority in matters
pertaining to local church. At most it can dismember a local congregation from their ranks.
When Baptists churches in the same area meet, they also call themselves presbytery
 Congregational churches being elder ruled and led are like Presbyterians, but they believe that
the local church stands as is. They meet in synods or councils, but the local church has the final
authority in ecclesiastical and judicial matters, synods and councils are merely fellowships.
 Since congregational churches are in the same fellowship, they recognize the local
congregational ordination of fellow congregational church. But a congregational Presbyterian
church may not necessarily accept an independent Baptist congregational ordination
Questions:

 What are the Presbyterian church courts?

o A session is the local congregation church elders
o A presbytery is a church court that is within the same geographical location of local
congregations, example: churches in Manila can constitute a presbytery (district 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6) or cities of Metro Manila like Manila, QC, San Juan, Makati, Muntinlupa, etc.
o A synod is a larger body that is composed of presbyteries.
o A General Assembly is the last and highest church court composed of presbyteries or
synods
 Who are members of the presbytery?
o All the teaching and ruling elders within the denomination of the Presbyterian church.
o A candidate for the ministry is cared and examined by the members of the presbytery
(both TE and RE)
o Ruling elders are part of the presbytery, but their membership belongs to the local
congregation. As part of the presbytery their votes count equally as a teaching elder
 Why are teaching elders members of the presbytery?
o Ordination by peers (elders) is logical since he is held with higher accountability and is
charged with the responsibility of the faithfully handling the word and sacrament
o the relationship is likened to a husband and wife with the TE being the husband and the
RE being the wife. The husband is subject to a higher responsibility, thus ordination for
the TE requires wider and broader scope examination by a larger body
 Where are elders tried for discipline cases?
o Ruling elders are tried first on their local congregation and may appeal to higher courts
such as presbyteries, synods or general assembly in cases of injustices
o Teaching elders are tried in the presbytery since that is where their membership
belongs to and can appeal in the synod or general assembly in cases of injustices
o A jury of peers is necessary as the TE is tried for morals or disciplinary issues which he is
held to a higher ecclesiastical accountability
o A TE has a broad influence over a local congregation, while larger bodies may not
eliminate totally the bias, nonetheless the evaluation is less likely to be charged unfair
 What is the difference between the ordination of a TE and RE?
o Teaching elders are ordained ministers of the word and sacrament including to the
office of the elder
o Ruling elders are ordained to the office of the elder. A ruling elder may preach if he has
been licensed by the presbytery his church belongs to.
o The TE pours or sprinkles the water with a RE as a witness to receive a person to the
church, The TE breaks the bread and pours the cup, the RE distributes the elements to
worthy receivers and withhold from unworthy receivers
 Does the Presbyterian portray a perfect system?
o No, but it is the best expression of the biblical form of church government based on Acts
15. The same argument a congregationalist or Baptist church argues for.
o Presbyterians see the work of the TE and RE as collegiate rather than a hierarchy, check
and balance is more consistent with the principle of a universal church