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Our Leadership Structure 

   We have organized our leadership structure so that no one is directly responsible for too many people. Our leaders are servants who can effectively shepherd no more than fifteen adults at once. Each leader also needs shepherding, and in this structure we have the ability to provide encouragement and accountability for everyone. 

   Our goal is to organize our structure according to the geography of our cells. As new people are added to the cell, the need for multiplication becomes evident. When the new cells are formed, the proximity of the homes of the cell members is a big factor in the decision of which members will be in each new cell (although this isn't the only factor in the decision). As more cells multiply, zones and districts may also be formed. In this way, the church spreads across an entire geographic area. 

The Cell Servant

   The one responsible for direct spiritual leadership of the cell is the cell servant. He must be able to discern the needs of his group, help minister to them, and lead them by his example. He must facilitate the weekly meeting, oversee the sponsor relationships, cast vision, and mentor an intern and prepare him for cell leadership. He must lead the cell to reach the lost, and help guard the cell against false teaching and strongholds of sin. Above all, he must lead everyone to rely on Jesus Christ for the spiritual health and growth of the cell. 

The Cell Intern 

   Each cell needs at least one intern who will commit himself to be prepared for cell leadership, so that the cell will be ready to multiply when the time is right. The intern is learning how to shepherd people through opportunities to minister to the cell. He spends a lot of time with the cell servant, learning by watching and by doing. He will learn to recognize different spiritual needs and how to minister to them. He will also be learning to set an example of godly character in his own life. The intern goes through a time of testing during his training, and as he proves to be faithful, available, and teachable, he will be given the responsibility of shepherding a cell. 

The Pastoral Team

   We believe that the example of church leadership in the New Testament is a plurality of elders. Our elders are the pastoral team of the church. There is equality among our pastors, and decisions are made unanimously. The pastors are under the authority of God and the Bible, and are accountable to each other for every aspect of their lives. They are responsible for the spiritual oversight and leadership of the whole body of Grace Community Fellowship. Their responsibilities include teaching and preaching, casting vision, training and shepherding leaders, and guarding the church against false teaching and sin. They are responsible for making sure that Grace Community Fellowship is obedient to our mission, and they must lead the whole church to follow the leadership of Jesus Christ as the Head. 

   As the church grows, the pastoral team also grows. Any man who meets the qualifications of a Biblical elder (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1) and who desires the ministry of an elder will become a pastor. As leaders are being developed, those who have a desire to become a pastor will be trained through mentoring, teaching, and an equipping track. We grow stronger through shared leadership, and as the Lord leads, we will prepare men to become spiritual overseers of the congregation. 
As our cells grow, our leadership structure must also grow to be effective. Some of our pastors will have different roles in our leadership structure, depending on their talents, abilities, and God's leading.