The Church of Christ is a non-denominational church structure, as was the earliest form of Christ's church. As such, each church is self governed on all matters. Although there are many Churches of Christ, there is no governing relationship between them. The only guide used by the leadership of each church is the Bible. As some issues and concerns are matters of interpretation, Churches of Christ may differ on certain issues. This explains the subtle-- and sometimes not so subtle-- differences between individual Churches of Christ.

Each church is under the spiritual care and direction of its Eldership. This follows the structure of the New Testament church as designed by Christ's Apostles in the first century. In the Bible, Elders are referred to as Shepherds as a metaphor for their role in the church. The primary responsibility of the Elders is to care for the flock's spiritual well being. Deacons are but another group of leaders under the Eldership's direction who take care of the day to day activities in the church and help implement the church's vision as developed by the Elders. The Deacons relieve the Elders of worldly concerns that would take them away from the truly important matters of the people whom they serve.