Elders Rule?

There may be some uncertainty in some Churches as to how "members rule" vs. "elders rule". Congregationalism (my denomination) says that members rule -- and one always adds: under Christ. Yet the Bible shows us: members and elders rule. And the evangelical Congregational textbook Evangelical & Congregational writes: "The supreme function of the elders is the rule of the church" (you may click on the image to enlarge). So which is it? A way to explain this is: elders may have the gift of, say, leadership. A gift is a God-given ability, but not a right. One skippers a boat, say, not because it is one's right, but because one is an excellent skipper -- and so chosen.