A Presbyterian church is governed not by a single bishop or pastor, but by a body of elders — “presbyters,” from the Greek presbyteros. Local leadership sits with a “Kirk Session” of ruling and teaching elders, and that same elder-led model scales up through Presbyteries and General Assemblies. At PCEA Milimani South Presbytery alone, this model is carried by 168 active elders across 8 parishes and 34 congregations.
The word “Presbyterian” describes a specific way of governing a church — not a style of worship or a particular doctrine on its own, but a structure of shared, elder-based leadership that goes back to the earliest churches described in the New Testament.
Where the Word “Presbyterian” Comes From
“Presbyterian” comes from the Greek word presbyteros — translated “elder.” The New Testament repeatedly describes early churches being led not by a single individual but by a plurality of elders (see Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5). The Reformed tradition, of which the Presbyterian Church is part, took this New Testament pattern and built a formal system of church government around it: leadership entrusted to elders, gathered in representative bodies, rather than concentrated in one office.
Ruling Elders and Teaching Elders
Presbyterian church government distinguishes between two kinds of elders. The teaching elder is the ordained minister responsible for preaching and the sacraments. The ruling elder is a layperson, elected from within the congregation, who shares responsibility for the spiritual oversight and governance of the church alongside the teaching elder. Together, these elders form the local governing body — known in the Presbyterian tradition as a Kirk Session (“kirk” being the Scots word for church).
This is the structural reason eldership numbers matter so much in a Presbyterian context. An elder isn’t an honorary title — it’s a working office with real governance responsibility, shared across many people rather than resting on one.
How This Differs from Other Church Government Models
Most church government falls into one of three broad patterns: episcopal (governed by bishops with authority over multiple congregations), congregational (each local church is fully self-governing, with no higher human authority above it), and presbyterian (governed by elected elders organized into ascending representative bodies — Kirk Session, Presbytery, and General Assembly). The Presbyterian model sits between the other two: more connected and accountable than a purely congregational church, but without concentrating authority in a single bishop’s office.
Eldership in Practice at PCEA Milimani South
This structure isn’t theoretical at PCEA Milimani South Presbytery — it’s the literal organizing principle behind its 8 parishes and 34 congregations. Each of the Presbytery’s parishes has its own Parish Secretary/Administrator working alongside its Evangelist, Youth Coordinator, and Children’s Ministry Coordinator, all under the oversight of that parish’s elders. Across the whole Presbytery, this model is carried by 168 active elders and 74 retired elders — a meaningful increase from the 136 active and 48 retired elders the Presbytery started with at its founding in 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Presbyterian” actually mean?
It comes from the Greek word presbyteros, meaning “elder” — describing a church governed by a body of elders rather than a single bishop or an entirely self-governing congregation.
What is the difference between a ruling elder and a teaching elder?
A teaching elder is the ordained minister responsible for preaching and the sacraments. A ruling elder is an elected layperson who shares governance and spiritual oversight of the congregation alongside the teaching elder.
What is a Kirk Session?
A Kirk Session is the local governing body of a Presbyterian congregation, made up of its ruling and teaching elders — the same structure that scales up into Presbyteries and General Assemblies at higher levels.
Final Thoughts
Eldership is not a side feature of Presbyterian church life — it’s the structure the whole system is built on. At PCEA Milimani South Presbytery, that structure is carried today by 168 active elders across 8 parishes, continuing a model of shared, accountable church leadership that traces back to the earliest churches in the New Testament.
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Eldership figures are drawn from PCEA Milimani South Presbytery’s own published records. Compiled by the Editorial Desk.