Bishop. A Bishop is a Minister. Bishop is the English version of the Greek word episkopos, which means overseer. He is a Servant of Ministers. Bishops are chosen by unanimous agreement of two or more Ministers from amongst themselves and appointed by another Bishop before the witness of others and anointed to that office. The congregation has not a determination in the choice of Bishops but in return the bishops have no authority or direct obligation to the congregation. His obligation is to the Ministers who have chosen him. [See qualifications]. His office extends no farther than the ministers who have chosen him. His authority is titular and his duty is to serve.

Archbishop. An Archbishop is a Minister. The word archbishop is Greek for chief overseer. [See qualifications] Archbishops are chosen by unanimous agreement of two or more Bishops from amongst themselves or two or more Archbishops from among themselves and appointed and anointed by another Archbishop before the witness of others and anointed to that office. His office extends no farther than the Bishops who have chosen him. His authority is titular and his duty is to serve.

Priest. A priest is a Minister. Priest is the English word that originated from the Greek word presbyteros, which means elder. But a priest is an elder of his family with in the Church and Minister to ministers. The Greek word for a temple functionary is hierarch. A true priest has become a master at being a servant and the testimony of this is that he has been chosen by servants to be a servant of servants.

Pastor.: Pastor is the Latin word for shepherd. A pastor is the officiate but not the owner of a particular congregation. His authority is titular and his duty is to tend to particular needs of the congregation or tasks thereof directed by them and to create unity among the who body.

Support of Ministers and Bishops and Archbishops. Support is given "according to their service" by the constituency or congregations or the general population.

Numbers 7:5 Take [it] of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.

Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Romans 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute [is due]; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

2 Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, [and] prepared unto every good work.

1 Peter 2:17 Honour all [men]. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Qualifications of Ministers and Bishops and Archbishops.

Numbers 3:12-13 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; Because all the firstborn [are] mine; [for] on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I [am] the LORD.

Numbers 3:45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I [am] the LORD.

Numbers 8:14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

Numbers 18:23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I [am] the LORD.

Leviticus 19:34 [But] the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God.

1 Timothy 3:1-7 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. [see bishop]

1 Timothy 3:8-13 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Unanimous: Each congregation makes decisions ideally with unanimous agreement.

I Cor. 1:10. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Phil. 2:2. Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Phil. 3:16. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same things.

Rituals. Rituals of or pertaining to rites or ritual; as, ritual service or sacrifices; the ritual law which is defined "Duly and formally; legally; properly; technically." These rites and rituals may differ in form but technically fulfill the same purpose and substance of most fundamental ordinances and ordinations; observances and duties; functions and ministrations; confirmations, consecration and communion; and recognition of births, matrimony and burials.

Ceremony. Ceremonies are the outward sign of a rite or ritual. It should be an open and visible witness to those concerned and the community of man and recognizably consistent for the purposes of giving evidence of an event related to a given rite.

Church. In its most general sense, the religious society founded and established by Jesus Christ, to receive, preserve, and propagate His doctrines and ordinances.

A body or community of Christians, united under one form of government by the profession of one faith, and the observance of the same rituals and ceremonies. Black's L. D.

The Church includes the Brethren, Ministers and Bishops and Archbishops, as a body within the Polity of the Church to maintain and entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven for all the people who seek to obey the Father and do His will.

Sacrifice. An act of offering something precious; given up of oneself or one's interest for others or for a cause or ideal. Voluntarily giving up what one does have, to give for the benefit of others, individual charity. The ministers are to manage the sacrifices of the congregation as the extended arm of community in charity, faith and hope.

Worship. Worship as a title is used for a person of importance such as magistrates and some mayors. Worship is translated from the Hebrew 'shachah' meaning to bow down before superior in homage and the Greek proskuneo literally meaning "to kiss the hand" and is used to express homage shown to men beings of superior rank.

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FOOTNOTES

Oikodomew ekklesia refers in Greek to the words of Jesus proclaiming the intent to build and edify His house by the calling of the faithful. His house that stretches back to the foundations of the world, from Adam to Noah, Shem to Abraham, Israel to King David and to the Faithful Brethren of His word.

Libera Res Public is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth that was established by Jesus, free from things public, a viable republic, a Kingdom in the heart of but not a part of the Roman Empire.

Bozrah is the Hebrew word for fortress and is a generic term used here to represent the individual locations of the Church and its ministers. Jeremiah 49:22 ... Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. .... I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men. Micah 2:12

John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, [and] one shepherd.

Return² The key phrase here to begin the Polity of the Church is, "entrance shall be ministered". This entrance is to be maintained by the ministers of the Church. The word minister is actually from "epichoregeo" meaning to supply, furnish, present and is from two words, epi choregeo which gives the minister a role of conductor or coordinator to produce harmony amongst the congregation and kingdom as a whole. The word Kingdom is from "basileia" meaning "1) royal power, kingship, dominion, rule 1a) not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom. 2) a kingdom, the territory subject to the rule of a king."

Luke 22:29 states, "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;" here we see that the apostles were had a Kingdom appointed to them for the purpose of ministering to that Kingdom. In God's Kingdom the individual takes on His God given right to the dominion of his own flesh and blood, body and soul and also the responsibility that is correlative to that right. The ministers of the kingdom are answerable to God through the authority of Jesus the King to coordinate these individual freemen into one body under the kingship of Jesus the Christ and God without exercising dominion over them.

The first part of 2 Peter 1 sets the scene and tells us how to do this. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Simon the rock is both servant and apostle. Servant is the word "doulos" which means bond men or slave, while apostle is "apostolos" means "a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders". Each minister is sent with orders from the King to serve the people as Jesus also served them. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,. Grace has to do with "benefit and bounty" and "peace" is from "eirene" meaning "a state of national tranquillity... 2) peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord". These things will multiply through our knowledge of God. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

In this verse we see a hope of taking on the divine nature of Jesus and God as opposed to the corrupted nature of the world. The word "world" is from 'kosmos' which means a constitutional order, an arranged systems of men. There was corruption in that system or world because of "lust". The word lust is from epithumia meaning 'desire or covetousness'. Peter goes on to explain in 2 Peter 2: "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."

Then Peter lays out the general principle you need in order to get along as one body while maintaining individual liberty and warns that without them you will become shortsighted and even blind. Success is dependent upon these principles being a part of the individual freeman.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 2 Peter 1

Return³ 'Jesus' is a common modern spelling with Greek origins. It is used here to refer to the Highest Son of David, King of Judea, Son of the Father, appointor of the Church. There are several other forms taken from the Hebrew that would include but not limited to Yeshua, Yehashua.

'Christ' is the Greek form of the word anointed which makes reference to the anointing of the King of Israel to his office as Messiah [xvm mashach]. The Kingdom of God on earth is not about the letter but the Spirit.

Return⁴ The board and constituency are one in the same. It is usually composed of the elder or heads of families or family groups. Since the board is not a democracy where a majority may rule over the minority it is often simpler to choose and elder in a family group to speak on behalf of the whole family. The governing of the congregation is automatic. If the congregation does not come to an acceptable consensus they will not remain together. If they are divisive they will not remain strong as a group and will become divided and vulnerable. The effort and sacrifice required for consensus can bring a humble and loving congregation closer together.

There are few precept repeated as often as "to love one another". By this charitable precept the life blood of the congregation is realized.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Matthew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Romans 12:10 [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

1 Thessalonians 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all [men], even as we [do] toward you:

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous:

1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

2 John 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

Return⁵ The prime directive of the minister does not allow him to exercise authority one over the other. They are to serve those of the kingdom according to the perfect law of liberty. See Article 10. The minister as the Levite belongs to God. He is His possession. He will always seek to serve God by serving the needs of the congregation and the people at large. Although, he should seek the council of others, it is his own God given conscience he must adhere to. His job is, at least in part is to aid in the consensus of the congregation through arbitration and counsel. To help unite the congregation with all other congregations in Spirit and Truth.

The self governing aspect of his relationship with others is built into the liberty and free choice of this relationship. The stronger the congregation the better the condition of the minister who receives voluntary gifts and donations from them according to his service.

Return⁶ The congregation may exercise charity directly or through the minister. The free will offerings for the poor through the Minister are managed at his discretion. Once given the congregation no longer has control of those funds or items of value. If they see a minister misusing those donation they may bring it to others of the Church according to Protocols of disputes and they may stop supporting his efforts as a minister. The poor is not just those who have no money but includes but is not limited to those who do not have understanding, good health, knowledge, virtue, grace... Etc.. The ministers as a whole form an alter made of red clay, Adamic earth. They are stones of faith and divine revelation and cannot be carved or shaped by the hands of men. They do not stand one on top of the other but each struggles to be of greater service.

Return⁷ Family is the building block of God's kingdom and Parens Patriae [obey the Father] is the foundation of all government. Honoring Father and Mother are the core to the success of the community. As the family thrives in learning the lessons of compassion and sacrifice, diligence and service so also are these precepts generated in the community. The heads of families come together to decide issues in a forum of consensus for the good of the family and the congregation and community as a whole. Reason, patience, charity, love and faith become the glue and life blood of the community instead of force and compliance, regulation and control.

Elders of the family is usually the eldest male but not always and individuals wishing to be a part of the congregation usually are sponsored by a family in the congregation. Like Abraham who expatriated from his own Father in Haran yet continued to tithe to the eldest head of the family from which he was descended, Shem. So also individuals, whether man or woman, generally form a relationship to the congregation through a Family they respect and are a part of.

Return⁸ In ancient times the high priest of a family was usually the first born son. In this position of advisor and steward to the Family that eldest son is in preparation to be elder of the family and heir to the estate of the family for the good of all. At the time of Moses the Levites replaced the first born that opens the Matrix. After the long apostasy of God's Kingdom on earth, Jesus entered the world amongst the remnant of the kingdom who were betraying almost every precept of God holding only to a distorted practice of the rituals and customs laid down by Moses.

Jesus as High priest and king appointed the "Church" as the first born of the Kingdom. It is the Church's job to minister to the kingdom as the original Levites did. The Church is those "called out" to serve the Families of the congregation by uniting them in one body, teaching them with one mind and heart and with the example of Jesus to propagate His doctrines and ordinances.

Return⁹ The ministers belong to God the Father in Heaven and His obedient Son. They owe their allegiance, service and obedience to him and to no other. They are residents and subject citizens of His Kingdom. They can make no contract with out his permission and are to occupy in service to the congregation and the world at large. Those of the congregation may be bond or free but it is the hope of the Church that all men be free to live in their Families in the perfect law of liberty.

Return¹⁰ By the nature of the Church, which is the manifestation the Character of Christ by Faith, Charity and Love, an entrance is maintained on earth as it is in heaven to bring the Hope of liberty under the Father in the Kingdom of Heaven with His mercy and justice to all.

Return¹¹ Bishop and Archbishops are titular titles of service. They are merely ministers of ministers. Their purpose is to maintain the body of the Church, united under one form of government by the profession of one faith, and the service to all under the authority of the Father and the Son through revelation and communion of His Holy Spirit.

Return¹² Rituals and Ceremonies are the simplest aspect of the outward manifestation of the Church but often the least understood. This is because attention is often focused upon the form or appearance letting the Spirit die. As with the law it is not the letter that is important but the Spirit. These outward signs should be uniform to the point where the Church may be visible but never at the expense of the Spirit.

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. Matthew 3:15

Return¹³ The objective of the Church is to fulfill its mission, unite the children of God as one body, to maintain the entrance on earth to the Kingdom of Heaven, to occupy the gate opened by Jesus the Christ King, keeping it open and to receive, preserve, and propagate His doctrines and ordinances. .

Return¹⁴ It is neither this Polity nor the documents of the Church but the Spirit and Character of the Father in Heaven and His obedient Son and His Brethren that manifests the existence of the Church. It is not those who claim to be the Church by words written or spoken but those who do the will of the Father in Heaven that are the Brethren of the Church. His ekklesia, who form the Church, in Spirit and Truth are the Body of Christ. The servants of His kingdom and all who will come unto the Lord according to His Character are the increase of His Kingdom, night and day.

Return¹⁵ Any organization, government, or trust that violates the prime directive is not the Church nor is it a part of the Church. All corporeal and incorporeal hereditaments claimed for Jesus the Christ by such created entities are entirely held in common for His purposes by those remaining faithful to His doctrines and ordinances in the Church. Violations would include but are not limited to the exercising of authority over the People as benefactors or rulers; or to encourage or cause by any direct act or act of omission the creation of such systems; or to facilitate by appointment or any other means the creation of such systems and the subjugation of the People; or the enticing, seducing of the People into or under such systems.

Return¹⁶ The words exercise dominion are from katakurieuo which means to bring under one's power, to subject one's self, to subdue, master , to hold in subjection, to be master of, exercise lordship over

Return¹⁷ exercise authority is from katexousiazo meaning to exercise authority, wield power

Return¹⁸ exercise authority upon is from exousiazo meaning to have power or authority, use power 1a) to be master of any one, exercise authority over one 1b) to be master of the body 1c) to be brought under the power of anyone

Return¹⁹ Benefactor is from euergetes which is a title of honour, conferred on such as had done their country service, and upon princes, equivalent to Soter, Pater Patriae, pater patriae: The father of his country. (A title bestowed by the Roman Senate on Caesar Octavianus Augustus.)

Return²⁰ Appoint is from diatithemai meaning to arrange, dispose of, one's own affairs, to make a covenant, enter into a covenant, with one

Return²¹ Kingdom from basileia meaning royal power, kingship, dominion, rule 2) a kingdom, the territory subject to the rule of a king