I was ten years old and we had just moved into town. I first saw her playing kickball and admired her pretty face, athleticism, and spunky drive—and something new sparked in my heart. Over the next six years, this exciting and uneasy feeling continued as she dated others and I never had the courage to tell her how I truly felt. I was “in love” according to all the books and movies I knew, but I wasn’t sure what it all really meant.
Christian churches today differ in their approach to leadership. But what is the pattern for church leadership that the Bible shows among first-century believers in the Book of Acts? In looking at ekklēsia, the Greek word most often translated “church” in Acts, we see churches that are locally self-governed and are supported by energized ministers.