Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Hey Fletch … I serve as XP of a quickly growing church plant. We are ready to plan for, appoint, and launch our initial Elder Board. What are the best books or resources to guide us down this path?

DRF—Sounds like you are in an exciting place. I’m thrilled to hear about new and growing church. 

There are two classic books when it comes to the role of elders in a church. The first “Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership” by Alexander Strauch. Some great Christian leaders have endorsed the book, from John MacArthur to S. Lewis Johnson. The Reformation & Revival Journal says:

A very useful resource for teaching … truth regarding elders in the local church. Sound, clear, and extremely important. Recommended. 

The second is “Elders and Leaders” by Gene Getz. This book covers:

Strong leadership in the church is exactly what God had in mind. However, very few people understand the biblical pattern for church leadership. “Elders and Leaders” unravels the mystery and alleviates the confusion surrounding this critical topic. In the first part of the book, Gene Getz lays the historical and biblical groundwork for the position of elder. In the second part, he shares how he has applied or has seen these principles applied over the years.

Like Strauch’s book, many have endorsed Gene’s work, from Tony Evans to Howard Hendricks to Stephen Olford. Randy Pope, Pastor of Perimeter Church in Atlanta says:

How refreshing to read a book dealing with church that is historically biblical yet contemporarily relevant.  Both biblical accuracy and a lifetime of wisdom merge on a subject filled with controversial issues.  I applaud Gene for providing such clarity on a very misunderstood subject.  This book should be read by all who are in leadership of God’s church.

I have used both books in the church and in graduate classes. You will get a great perspective on elders!