Each congregation, which has existed long enough to become fully organized, has a plurality of elders who serve as the governing body of the congregation. These men are selected by the members of the local congregation on the basis of qualifications set down in the scriptures (1 Timothy 3:1-8). Serving under the elders are deacons, teachers, and evangelists or ministers. The elders are shepherds or overseers who serve under the headship of Christ according to the New Testament.