Must a gathering of Christ-followers choose between being a hierarchy (a body of believers governed by an organizational chart) or anarchy (a body of believers with no government or order at all)? Historically church has chosen to be a hierarchy. However there is a third option: We can meet as a Christarchy / a Christocracy (a body of believers governed directly by the living, resurrected Jesus)! In the Greek New Testament Jesus said: “I will build My ekklesia” — those called out of the world’s systems to follow and obey a new sovereign, the risen Jesus.
A gathering of Christ-followers isn’t called to be a dictatorship under the control of a one man pastor or a democracy where majority rules. It’s called to be a Christocracy, directly guided, led, and controlled by the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.
“The government of Christ is radically different from all the governments on earth, forming, of itself, a divine Christocracy. By Christocracy I mean nothing more than a government of which Christ is law-giver, king, and judge, and yet so arranged . . . not to be controlled by civil government or hierarchy. Let this government be called by what name soever, it is not of this world, and therefore the rulers of this world have nothing to do with it in their official capacity. It is distinct from the government of state, and consequently should never be mixed with it. It is complete of itself and dismisses the assistance of human laws . . . The exercises of Christ’s government are moral excellencies which force can never effect.” –John Lealand (1754-1841)
“I’ve been alternately called an aristocrat and a democrat, I am neither. I am a Christocrat, I believe all power will fail of producing order and happiness in the hands of man. He alone who created and redeemed man, is qualified to govern him.” –Benjamin Rush (1746 -1813)
“I am a Christocrat, because I consistently advocate the principles of God’s Word and God’s Government. I am a Christocrat, because my obedience to God is more important than my loyalty to any political party’s ideology. I am a Christocrat, because I have surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus the Christ. Lastly, I am a Christocrat, because only Jesus Christ could save me, so only Jesus Christ should govern me.” –Nadine Drayion-Keen
“Democracy; Everyone’s opinion is required! Autocracy; Someone’s opinion is the best! Christocracy; What Christ said is final!” –Israelmore Ayivor
