As a registered non-profit organization, we are under the laws which govern non-profit organizations. This means that LIFE Church's structure begins with the church board. Each board member is voted on by the membership of LIFE Church and serves for a four-year term which can then be extended by vote. The LIFE Church board consistsof the president, vice president, treasurer, and two additional pastoral elders. The senior pastor serves as the president of the church board. The church board is responsible for the legal representation of LIFE Church and for the pastoral direction of LIFE Church in conjunction with the elders and pastoral staff.

The senior pastor leads the church leadership team consisting of the church board, pastoral staff, elders, deacons, and the support staff. The pastoral leadership team shepherds the congregation, oversees the day-to-day ministry and operations of the church, serves the congregation, and is responsible for developing the church's spiritual life.

The concept of eldership appears in Acts, Paul's letter to Timothy and Titus, and in 1 Peter. The primary function of an elder is to be engaged in the spiritual ministry of the church, assisting and advising the pastoral leadership. Their task is to serve and be engaged in the ministries of the local church.

(Acts 20:28, 1 Timothy 3:1-12; 1 Peter 5:1-3)

Elders in LIFE Church are spiritual advisors and ministry servants in the church. They are involved in the prayer ministry of our church: visitation and praying for the sick, assisting in the leading of communion, assisting in water baptisms, and offering prayerful spiritual advice to the pastoral staff and board.

Elders are members of LIFE Church and are nominated by the church board to serve a provisional six months after which they are then voted on by the church membership for a remainder of three and one-half years. The elders' mission is to lead, teach, protect, and love their church members the way shepherds care for the sheep in a flock, so that the church members will grow up into spiritual maturity.

The origin of the office of deacons is found primarily in the books of Acts and in the Epistles. The qualifications of a deacon can be found in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and include being dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, and being tested. These qualifications are meant to ensure that deacons are individuals of good character and maturity.

The role of deacons is often associated with a servant-leadership model as they assist the pastors and elders of the church. The ministry of a deacon typically focuses on practical matters, such as caring for the physical needs of the congregation and leading the different ministries within a church.

In LIFE Church, our deacons are referred to as Serve Team leaders. Our Serve Teams are responsible for the practical ministry which takes place during the week and on Sunday inside and outside of LIFE Church.

LIFE Church is an officially registered non-profit organization under the name "Freie Christengemeinde e.V. Heidelberg." Our church is over 60 years old and a member of the German "Bund Freikirchlicher Pfingstgemeinden KdöR - BFP" (Association of Free Pentecostal Churches). The BfP is a part of the largest worldwide Pentecostal movement, the World Assemblies of God Fellowship.

LIFE Church is a part of the Baden-Württemberg region of the BfP and our regional leader may be called in by the church board of directors for questions relating to conduct of the pastor, unresolved conflict within the church board, issues pertaining to the annual church meeting or in regards to the church's constitution and bylaws.

Locally, we are an active member of the Evangelical Alliance in Heidelberg.