We Believe In Christ’s Church

We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

Articles of Faith 1:6

I have discussed the first five articles of faith. They cover:

1. The nature of God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost
2. Adam’s transgression
3. The Atonement of Jesus Christ
4. The first principles and ordinances of the gospel
5. The way men and women are called of God and proper authority

The sixth Article of Faith discusses the organization of Christ’s church. In Ephesians we read, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (verses 11-13).

Here, Paul is describing the organization of the church in his time. He doesn’t list every office or calling, but gives us enough to understand that Christ organized His church in a specific manner.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is organized (by revelation to prophets) in the same manner as Christ’s New Testament church. The organization starts with Apostles and Prophets, then has other positions throughout the world (see Organization Structure of the Church). We see something similar in New Testament times, where Bishops were called to lead the churches in the various cities of the area. However, those churches were linked to the Apostles who were responsible for leading the church globally. Today it is the same.

Pastors and Evangelists

You may have noticed that the Latter-day Saint church doesn’t use the terms pastor or evangelist. Revelation to the Prophet explains that these terms are synonymous with bishop and patriarch. Most people are familiar with the term bishop. Many people understand the definition of patriarch. However, in the church, a patriarch has authority to give personal blessings to individuals. We call it a Patriarchal Blessing. That blessing describes God’s gifts to the individual and discusses life events that can occur if one obeys the commandments. For more, see: Patriarchal Blessings.

Why Is This Important?

Why is an organized structure to the church important? For me, it only makes sense that God would not allow for disparate churches with disparate beliefs, which creates confusion about who He is, what His plan is, who Jesus Christ is, what the Atonement is, and so on.

God is a god of order. One need only look to the heavens and view the order of creation to understand. He is not a god of chaos, confusion, or contention. Starting with Adam and Eve, He organized an orderly church to help His children “come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God.” He has stated: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). God would not leave that to chance. He is the perfect parent. Jesus shared this with His disciples when He said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).

An organized, well-structured church allows for revelation, doctrinal understanding, and support in returning to God. We don’t have to go from preacher to preacher, pastor to pastor, person to person to try and understand God. He has a structure for how His word comes to His children.

Why Do I Believe?

I have stated before that I am a person of logic. I am also a person of order. To me, God should be organized. He should want a way to help all of His children accept Him and keep the commandments. God would establish an organization to obtain His “work and glory.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has that organization. It is a global church that strengthens each member’s faith. The church also reaches out to God’s children to bring them to Christ. Dedicated missionaries and local community members share the gospel.

This organization strives for unity in the faith and to bring all into God’s fold. It is not a perfectly run organization because the members are not perfect. However, the organizational structure is perfect.

Conclusion

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is organized after Christ’s New Testament church. The church has the same structure with Apostles, Prophets, Bishops, Teachers, and Patriarchs. The church strives for unity of faith. It shares the gospel with all who want to hear. No confusion exists in its teachings. There is no conflict between the congregations. The church works to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,” which is God’s work and glory.