The largest group that comprises the International Executive Council is which of the following?

• A. Pastors
• B. Elders
• C. Deacons
• D. Ministers

Answer: (A)

In this question the focus is on who most people on the International Executive Council represent. The council is a governing body drawn primarily from those who shepherd local congregations—the pastors. Because there are many more local churches and each typically has a pastor as its primary spiritual leader, pastors make up the largest group on the council. Elders and deacons play important support and service roles, but their numbers on the IEC are smaller and they don’t form the main core of the leadership at the international level. The category of ministers can overlap with pastors, but when asked for the largest group, the clear answer is the pastors, reflecting how pastoral leadership forms the backbone of governance and direction across the denomination.