After Herbert W. Armstrong's death, Armstrongism fragmented into various groups with different governance structures. The largest and most authoritarian is the Philadelphia Church of God, which maintains a strictly hierarchical, apostolically-led structure with Gerald Flurry as the apostle and prophet. Other groups like the United Church of God employ more collegial elder boards. The original church under Worldwide Church of God transitioned away from Armstrongist theology.

The doctrine of apostolic authority is central to Armstrongism: just as Jesus appointed apostles to lead the early church, God has appointed apostles in the modern era to lead His church and to declare His will. This apostolic authority is absolute within the structure; submission to the apostle is seen as submission to God. Different Armstrongist groups apply this principle with varying degrees of strictness, but all affirm that apostolic government is the biblically correct church government.