The Classical Hierarchical Model
The classical hierarchical model is essentially a pyramid structure, and is basically an extension of the conversion process. In conversion, a Christian "disciples" a non-Christian to become a Christian (Matthew 28:18-19). In theory, that older Christian teaches that younger Christian to obey everything that Jesus has commanded.

To facilitate the effective ongoing training of all members of the church, a "tree" is constructed based upon this pattern, where a single member disciples one or more other member(s). This continues until all members are incorporated in the tree. There are some general guidelines on how this model is applied in practice:

1. Full time workers usually disciple between four and eight people; non-full time workers will usually take no more than two people.
2. Great care is taken by leadership to ensure that there is a good "match" in these relationships, where the more mature one can truly meet the needs of the less mature one. Numerous factors are taken into account—time, resources, location, common circumstances, age, etc.
3. People are not forced into a position in the structure; great care is taken to make sure people are confident that their needs will be met in their position in the structure.
4. As necessary, the structure is changed to facilitate changes (growth, relocations, etc.).

1. Everyone has someone that has time for personal attention with him.
2. Everyone is matched with someone who can effectively meet his needs.
3. Leaders can focus on a small number of people for effective leadership.

1. The weakest member (at the bottom of the hierarchy), who may need the most skillful training, may have the least competent trainer. This can give rise to inadequate or even harmful training.
2. It can create distance in the body between leaders and those they do not directly work with.
3. It can weaken the "one another" concept of relationships and isolate members from the body as a whole.

The Jethro Concept and the Classical Hierarchical Model
The incident involving Moses and his father-in-law Jethro provides a suggestion of the Classical Hierarchical Model. Here is the text, from Exodus 18:17ff:

This text has been used to substantiate the classical hierarchical model, and there are some similarities. However, a closer look at the text shows some important details that are in conflict or opposition with the classical hierarchical model:

1. These men were to be leaders (see Exodus 18:26- they served as judges); there were specific qualifications for them.
2. There were leaders of 1000's, 100's, 50's and 10's. There are no leaders over 1’s or 2’s, and no "non-leaders" are over anybody.
3. This is explicitly stated as a hierarchy for leadership and groups, not for all individuals in Israel.

The Modified Hierarchical Model
These observations from the Jethro passage cited above suggest some items that can be mapped into a model:

1. Leaders training new leaders.
2. Leaders training new converts.
3. Groups of various sizes, arranged in a hierarchical manner so that those who lead larger groups lead the leaders of a number of smaller groups, so that all members belong to a small group and are led by the leader of that small group.
4. The members of the small groups are peers.

Leaders Training Leaders
Paul had a crew of men he trained as ministers, including Timothy, Titus and the band of men in Acts 20:5. In each church that was planted, leaders were raised up from that church and the missionaries continued on to new areas.

Titus had responsibilities in multiple cities (Titus 1:5) and was charged to delegate those responsibilities to a number of people who could discharge them.

Leaders Training New Converts and Young Christians
The conversion process suggests some means of teaching the gospel to the convert (Mt 28:19-20). This is mentoring or personal training, and is appropriate for young Christians as well. It could be individual (e.g. Apollos, Acts 18:26; the Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians 2:6-8) or collective (e.g.the Jerusalem church, Acts 2:42; the Ephesians, Acts 19:9).

Interestingly, in each these cases the ones doing the training or mentoring of young Christians are leaders. It wasn't delegated to the youngest members of the church.

Groups of Different Sizes, Hierarchy of Leaders
Jesus had twelve apostles who were called into a special group from among the larger group of followers (Mark 3:13-14). From within this group, three appear to have been in a closer relationship with Jesus: Peter, James and John (ref. Mark 5:37, 9:2, 14:33). Yet, the Twelve were referred to as a group consistently (Mark 4:10, 6:7, 9:35, 10:32, 11:11, 14:10, 14:17, 14:20, etc.). Jesus consistently used the apostles to meet the needs of larger groups (Mt 9:36-38, 14:19). Yet there is no evidence that Jesus advocated or taught a perpetuation of such a hierarchy beyond the apostles.

In the Jerusalem church, Silas and Judas were regarded as "leaders among the people" (Acts 15:22) though they were neither elders nor apostles.

In the Roman church, there is evidence of smaller groups of believers under some leaders (Romans 16:5, 14-15). Also see 1 Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15, Philemon 1:1-2 for this same practice alluded to in Corinth and Colosse.

The New Testament teaches people should use whatever gifts they have—leadership gifts included—in accordance with their faith (Romans 12:6, 1 Peter 4:10). This implies differing scopes of responsibility, and hence different numbers of people being led.

It is important to realize that whatever support the Bible provides for this sort of arrangement, it does not mandate such an arrangement. As in the time of Moses, the small group concept is designed to facilitate the meeting of needs, not to divide or hurt the body.

Peer Relationships in the Body
The apostolic church consistently used "one another" or "each other" passages in the context of a wide variety of "ministerial" functions. Examples of this include "teaching and admonishing" (Colossians 3:16), "instructing" (Romans 15:14), and "encouraging" (Hebrews 10:24-25). The key idea in one-another passages is that all disciples have these responsibilities to each other, not that only leaders have these responsibilities to those they lead.

Key Factors of the Modified Hierarchical Model
We may summarize the critical features of the modified hierarchical model:

1. Leaders training new leaders.
2. Leaders training new converts and young Christians.
3. Small groups according to the Moses/Jethro pattern, a hierarchy of small groups into larger groups according to the Moses/Jethro pattern. Leadership of groups assigned according to qualifications and abilities.
4. Peer/body concept according to the "body" and "one another" pattern of the NT church.

On the down side, there is the potential for leaders to be overloaded with responsibility. This is mitigated by the fact the direct area of focus for leaders is more closely defined, and that the rest of the group meets its own needs in accordance with the one-another concept.

Having discussed both Matthew 28:18-19 and the Jethro incident, we can see the Scriptural basis and validity of leadership models in the church today. We can see the latitude given to leadership by God to accomplish the purposes of training and leadership within the church. We have discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the classical hierarchical model, and applied the details of the Jethro incident towards the creation of a modified hierarchical model. Finally, we have considered the advantages and disadvantages of the modified hierarchical model as an alternative to the currently employed classical hierarchical model.