Episcopal polity conferences or synods. Their leadership is both sacramental and constitutional; as well as performing ordinations, confirmations, and consecrations, the bishop supervises the clergy within a local jurisdiction and is the representative both to secular structures and within the hierarchy of the church. Bishops are considered to derive their authority from an unbroken, personal apostolic succession from the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Bishops with such authority are said to represent the historical episcopate or historic episcopate. Churches with this type of government usually believe that the Church requires episcopal government as described in the New Testament (see 1 Timothy 3 and
Program test authority Program test authority In broadcasting, program test authority (PTA) is an authorization to conduct on-air testing of broadcast station facilities authorized to be built under a construction permit. Once this testing is successfully completed, and all measured parameters match what was authorized in the permit, the permittee can apply to the broadcasting authority for a broadcast license to cover the permit. PTA lasts until the license is issued (or, rarely, denied). "Program" refers to the permission to broadcast regular radio programming or TV programming, instead of just a test transmission such as a test card or bars and tone (TV