𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲.

The Antioch Church as a Prototype today.

The Antioch Church, as described in the Book of Acts, presents a dynamic prototype of a Spirit-led, mission-oriented, and team-based church model that significantly shaped the early Christian movement. It emerged in Acts 11 as a multicultural and lay-initiated community where believers, scattered by persecution, began preaching to Jews and Gentiles alike. Under the discipleship of Barnabas and Paul, the church grew in depth and diversity, becoming the first to be called “Christian.”

In Acts 13, its leadership—comprised of prophets and teachers—worshiped, fasted, and heard the Holy Spirit’s call to send Paul and Barnabas on mission, demonstrating its role as a sending church rather than a static institution. This team-based, Spirit-guided leadership structure set a pattern replicated by Paul and his companions as they planted churches across Asia Minor, appointing elders in every city to ensure local governance and sustainability.  When doctrinal conflict arose (Acts 15), the Antioch Church submitted to the wider apostolic council in Jerusalem, showing its accountability within a broader network of churches. This networked model, combining local strength with global mission, continued as Antioch remained a base for further missionary journeys, leadership multiplication, and theological development.

The epistles of Paul reflect and build upon this foundation, particularly in his emphasis on reproducing leadership (2 Timothy 2:2), equipping the body through diverse gifts (Ephesians 4:11–16), and upholding gospel truth (Galatians 2). In contrast to many modern churches, which often center around maintenance, institutionalism, or individual leadership, the Antioch prototype offers a vision of the church as a flexible, Spirit-empowered community that balances strong local identity with apostolic mission, accountability, and multiplication—calling the church today to reclaim its missional and collaborative roots.

The Antioch prototype offers a timeless model for the church today: a missional, Spirit-led, team-based, theologically grounded, and globally connected body of believers. It challenges modern churches to move beyond maintenance toward movement, and to balance local discipleship with global mission. By recovering the DNA of Antioch, the Church today can be revitalized to fulfill its apostolic and missional calling.

The Sodal Modal Leadership

The Book of Acts presents a rich and foundational picture of Sodal and Modal leadership operating together in the early Church. These two complementary forms—modal (local, gathered church leadership) and Sodal (mobile, mission-oriented leadership)—are woven throughout Acts, forming a dynamic leadership structure that allowed the early Church to both grow locally and expand globally.

Modal leaders (leaders who have a local focus, leading and shepherding the churches) are seen primarily in the leadership of local congregations. For example, in Acts 2:42–47, the apostles lead the Jerusalem church in teaching, fellowship, prayer, and communal living. Later, in Acts 6:1–7, local servant-leaders (often seen as the forerunners to deacons) are appointed to care for the practical needs of the community, allowing the apostles to focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word. These modal leaders represent stability, care, and teaching within the local church context. Similarly, as Paul and Barnabas planted churches on their missionary journeys (Acts 14:23), they appointed elders in every church, indicating a clear commitment to establishing long-term, local modal leadership.

Sodal leaders (leaders who have mostly a global focus, who establish the churches and network them together for the progress of the gospel), in contrast, are mission-focused and mobile. They are not tied to one local congregation but are sent out for the purpose of evangelism, church planting, and expanding the kingdom. Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and others function in this Sodal role. Acts 13:1–3 gives a clear example of the Sodal function arising out of the Antioch Church, where the Holy Spirit speaks during worship, instructing the church to set apart Paul and Barnabas for the work to which He had called them. These leaders form mobile mission teams, establishing churches and mentoring leaders across regions. Their role is apostolic—not necessarily in the narrow sense of the original Twelve—but in the broader sense of being sent ones (from the Greek apostolos).

Based on the Acts of the Apostles, we can understand Sodal and Modal leaders as two distinct but complementary types of leadership within the early Christian movement. These terms come from missiological studies, especially the work of Ralph Winter, and help interpret the leadership structures in the New Testament.

1. Modal Leaders (Local Church Leaders)

Definition: Modal leaders are those who lead and shepherd the local, gathered church. Their role is primarily pastoral—focused on the care, teaching, and spiritual growth of a local congregation. They represent the "modal structure" of the church, which includes all believers, often organized by geography or community.

Examples in Acts:

• Elders in Jerusalem (Acts 15:6) – These leaders guided and made decisions for the church community.
• Leaders in Antioch (Acts 13:1) – Prophets and teachers who ministered in the local church.

Functions:

• Teaching and discipling believers
• Maintaining community worship and fellowship
• Providing pastoral care and oversight

Implications Today: Modal leaders today are typically pastors, elders, or bishops. They maintain the health and stability of the local church. Their ministry is essential for ongoing discipleship and spiritual formation within Christian communities.

2. Sodal Leaders (Mission Team Leaders)

Definition: Sodal leaders are those who lead missionary movements or teams, going beyond the local church to pioneer new works. They represent the "Sodal structure", which consists of a smaller group of highly committed individuals, usually with a specific mission.

Examples in Acts:

• Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:2-3) – Sent out by the church in Antioch as missionaries.
• Silas, Timothy, and others – Joined Paul’s mission team, traveling to plant and strengthen churches.

Functions:

• Evangelizing unreached people groups
• Starting new churches
• Training and appointing new leaders in emerging communities

Implications Today: Sodal leaders today are found in mission agencies, church planters, itinerant evangelists, and leaders of faith-based movements. Their role is crucial for church expansion and bringing the gospel to new areas. They challenge the church to think outwardly and missionally, often calling believers to deeper commitment and sacrifice.

Why Both Are Needed Today

• Modal leadership nurtures and empower the existing church.
• Sodal leadership extends the reach of the gospel beyond current boundaries.

When the two work together, like in the early church, the church becomes both healthy and missional. Without modal leaders, there is no rooted, sustained community. Without Sodal leaders, there is no growth or outreach beyond existing believers.

In today’s context, churches and denominations are rediscovering the importance of creating space for both types of leadership. This could mean supporting missionaries, encouraging church planting, or raising up specialised ministries alongside traditional church structures.

Importantly, Acts demonstrates that Sodal and modal leaders are not in competition but work in synergy. Sodal leaders like Paul return to the churches they planted to strengthen the Modal leaders, offer guidance, and bring reports to the sending communities (Acts 14:26–28; Acts 15:36–41). Meanwhile, modal leaders, such as those in Antioch and Jerusalem, discern and send out Sodal leaders and also participate in decision-making, such as at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). The relationship between the two ensures that local churches remain connected to the global mission of God, while the missionary movement stays accountable and theologically grounded.

In conclusion, Acts presents a healthy model where modal leadership nurtures the body, and Sodal leadership extends the mission. Together, they reflect a Church that is both rooted and reaching, pastoral and pioneering—a vital blueprint for leadership in the Church today.

What happens if we do not balance between the Sodal and Modal Leadership in our Churches today?

When there is no balance between Sodal and Modal leadership in the church, serious consequences can arise that hinder both the spiritual health of local congregations and the wider mission of the Church.

If modal leadership dominates without Sodal leadership, the church may become inward-focused, stagnant, and overly institutionalised. Local leaders might concentrate solely on maintaining programs, managing internal affairs, and shepherding the existing community without engaging in outreach, church planting, or evangelism. This can lead to spiritual complacency, a lack of missional vision, and disconnection from the Church's calling to reach the unreached. Without the prophetic and pioneering voice of Sodal leaders, the church risks becoming isolated, maintenance-driven, and resistant to change or innovation.

On the other hand, if Sodal leadership dominates without strong Modal support, the church may become scattered, unstable, and unsustainable. Mission movements without rooted local churches can lack long-term discipleship, accountability, and depth. Converts may be made, but without solid local communities for teaching, fellowship, and pastoral care, they may struggle to grow spiritually. Furthermore, missionaries and evangelists may burn out or drift doctrinally if there is no grounding in healthy local church life.

A healthy church needs both forms of leadership. Modal leaders provide stability, depth, and care, while Sodal leaders bring vision, movement, and expansion. Together, they form a dynamic partnership where the local church is both deeply rooted and outwardly reaching, ensuring the Church remains faithful to both discipleship and mission.

New Testament Church Leadership

SN	Passage	Explanation
1	Acts 2:42	The Apostles led the Church. The early believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. The apostles provided spiritual instruction, community guidance, and leadership in worship and prayer.
2	Acts 6:1–7	A new set of 7 Deacons or Servants came into leadership along with the existing Apostles. The apostles delegated practical care (food distribution) to the seven, focusing on prayer and the ministry of the Word. This introduces a form of diaconal leadership to handle practical needs, supporting the apostolic ministry.
3	Acts 11:27-30	There were Prophets and Elders in the new team of leadership. Prophets like Agabus bring revelation (e.g., the famine prophecy). The church responds by sending aid to elders in Judea, recognising their role in local church leadership and distribution of aid.
4	Acts 13:1–3; 14:23	A new set of leadership structures was formed with Prophets and Teachers, Missionaries (Paul and Barnabas) and Elders In Antioch, prophets and teachers hear from the Holy Spirit and commission missionaries. Later, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church, showing a strategy for establishing local leadership in new congregations. Paul and Barnabas became the Sodal Leaders while the Elders acted as the Modal Leaders.  Their ministries were complementary to each one.
5	Acts 15:1–35; 15:36–16:5	The church grew, and new leaders were added. Apostles (e.g., James, Peter, Barnabas, Paul), the Elders, the Prophets (e.g., Judas, Silas), the Sodal Missionary Team Leaders (Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy) A council of apostles and elders makes doctrinal decisions. Later, the missionary teams are reshaped and new leaders like Timothy are brought in, showing leadership development and deployment.
6	Acts 20:17-38	Here, the new office springs up, Elders (also called overseers or bishops) who oversee the churches. Paul speaks to the elders of the Ephesian church, instructing them to shepherd the flock and guard against false teaching. This passage emphasises pastoral responsibility and spiritual oversight.
7	1 Cor 9:1–18	Apostle (Paul) Paul defends his apostolic authority and the right of apostles to receive support. Leadership here includes preaching, church planting, and modelling sacrificial service.
8	1 Cor. 12:28-31	Here we can see the development of Leadership roles like Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, and leaders with Spiritual gifts. Paul lists spiritual gifts and leadership functions in the church, highlighting a diversity of roles. Apostles, prophets, and teachers are prioritized in building the church.
9	Ephesians 3:1–14	Apostle (Paul) Paul describes his role as a steward of God’s mystery—the inclusion of the Gentiles. His apostolic leadership involves receiving revelation and proclaiming the gospel.
10	Ephesians 4:11-16	Different folds of ministries emerged in the Local church, which include Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors/Teachers. Christ gave these leaders to equip the saints for ministry, build up the body, and bring maturity. This different fold leadership structure is missional and formational.
11	1 Timothy 3:1–13; 5:17–25	Here we see the offices of Overseers (Bishops/Elders) and Deacons. Paul gives qualifications for church leaders, focusing on character, family life, and spiritual maturity. Overseers provide spiritual leadership; deacons serve in practical roles. Elders who lead well are worthy of honor, especially those who preach and teach. Paul also gives instructions on disciplining and appointing elders, emphasizing integrity and caution.
12	Titus 1:5–9	Here, the Elders are also called overseers. Titus is to appoint elders in every town. Paul lists moral and doctrinal qualifications—elders must be able to teach and refute error.
13	1 Tim. 4:1-16, 2 Timothy	The leadership roles mentioned here are Timothy as a young church leader, Teachers, Evangelists, and Paul as an Apostolic Delegate. Paul encourages Timothy to teach sound doctrine, train others, guard the gospel, and endure hardship. In 2 Timothy, Paul urges him to entrust teaching to reliable people who can teach others, showing a model of leadership multiplication.