What is Gospel Eldership and Why Did I Write It?

My new book Gospel Eldership releases April 4, 2016, from New Growth Press. What is this book and why did I write it?

Well, first of all, it’s not really a book in the classic sense of the word. It might be more accurate to call it a spiritual formation resource. It’s part theological tome, part small-group study, part personal development journal. It’s a tool for raising up and developing godly, wise, gospel-formed, spiritually mature elders for the future of the church.

The content was developed over the course of about 8 years. When we planted Coram Deo Church in 2005, we immediately set out to train and develop leaders to become elders and deacons and church planters. But we quickly discovered a scarcity of resources in this area. There were good biblical/theological books on eldership (Alex Strauch’s Biblical Eldership); there were good works on pastoral ministry (Eugene’s Peterson’s Working the Angles); and there were some decent resources on gospel centrality. But nothing that brought all of these strands together. And certainly nothing that was aimed at emerging/future elders rather than those already in pastoral ministry.

So in 2008, I set out to create something. First it was just discussion questions based on Strauch’s work. Then it became a fuller biblical/theological workbook focused on eldership. Then it became a stand-alone resource. The final product, which is being released under the title Gospel Eldership, is the fourth iteration of a training manual that’s been in development for almost a decade.

Here’s why that’s good news for you: it means this material has been field-tested. It’s been passed around on the Internet for years among churches in our network. Dozens of pastors and leaders have given feedback to make it better, stronger, and more helpful. The final product reflects years of shared wisdom among churches that take biblical eldership and gospel clarity seriously.

To my knowledge, this resource is in a category by itself. I’m not aware of anything similar on the market. Which is why I’m so excited to see Gospel Eldership released. I think it fills a vital niche that’s crucial to the flourishing of the church in the years to come.I’d encourage you to check out a sample chapter online. New Growth Press will be running a number of promotions to celebrate the launch of the book, which should help you get it in the hands of leaders who need it.If you’d be so kind as to spread the word about Gospel Eldership, I’d appreciate it!