How were churches organized in the New Testament?

The churches were under the direction of elders.  Deacons were the servants of the congregation.

Appoint elders and deacons:

Phillipians 1.1: "To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Phillippi, with the bishops and deacons."

Appoint elders for every church:

Acts 14.23: "So when they had appointed elders in every church..."

Qualifications for elders and deacons are stated:

1 Timothy 3.1-13  

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.


Qualifications of elders are repeated:

Titus 1.5-9,

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you-if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

and 1 Peter 5.1-4

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but £willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

Obey the elders:

Hebrews 13.17: "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, and those who must give account."

(Elders, bishops, presbyters and pastors: All of these names signify the same office in the organization of the church of the New Testament.)

Not to add to nor take away from the Word of God:

Revelation 22.18,19: "...If anyone adds to these things, God will add him to the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life..."

(Scriptures are from the New King James Version)

"THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST GREET YOU" (Romans 16.16)