EXPOSITION: The military thrives on hierarchy, command and control. This requires that armies are arranged hierarchically to ensure troops know the chain of command. In our study today, we will consider the several levels of church hierarchy as it relates to the army, and the need to obey leadership and submit to their control. The army that triumphs is one that respects hierarchy, obeys commands and appreciates controls.
The army operates at various levels of strategy and tactics – Grand Strategic, Operational and Tactical levels. In the church, the grand strategic level relates to the Sovereign Godhead, who is the Head of the Church. The Operational level is the highest level of leadership which provides Vision direction, this lies with The Executive Council. The tactical levels are at the Heads who ensure practical missions are undertaken at every operational level of the District, Assembly and Cell (Bible Study, Home Cells, ministries, etc).
David ensured hierarchy by placing captains over thousands and hundreds, and three major commanders. He issued very clear directives on sparing the life of his son, Absalom. A loyal soldier referred his immediate commander, Joab, to the command from the Strategic level and will not go contrary to the highest level of leadership.
When a church has clear hierarchy, it allows tasks to be clearly assigned, which results in operational effectiveness and large impact at various levels at the same time. Command and controls ensure that people do not do things on their own, that monitoring and evaluation take place, which make people accountable. We must note that in organising the army, the grassroot becomes the implementing agency. Failure at the District, Assembly and the cell level in particular, it eventually affects the entire Church (army).