Books are some of the best friends a pastor can have. How to know which friends to have is quite difficult, for as the inspired Preacher said, “Of making many books there is no end” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Check back through the archives to see my suggestions on pastoral ministry, preaching, and prayer. Here are my offerings on the topic of elders:

Shepherds After My Own Heart: Pastoral Traditions and Leadership in the Bibleby Timothy Laniak. If you aren’t familiar with the “New Studies in Biblical Theology” series edited by Don Carson, this would be a great introduction to a great collection. It can be easy to glean all your understanding of elders from the familiar New Testament texts, but to do so would mean you’d miss out on a treasure trove of truth in the Old Testament. Laniak will help you see the full sweep of shepherding in all of Scripture and make pointed application to contemporary pastoral ministry.

The Shepherd Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in Your Church by Timothy Witmer. Witmer’s book, for me, is the undisputed favorite when it comes to the work of an elder. The first part of the book condenses Laniak’s work, but the real value is found in his four-part matrix of shepherding as: knowing, feeding, leading, and protecting. Clearly grounded in Scripture and overflowing in practical wisdom, this book will either encourage or blow up your current shepherding paradigm. And trust me, the encouragement will be sweet and the explosion will be awesome.

Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons by Thabiti Anyabwile. In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul says, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” This work will help current elders obey that command as they identify and train future elders. Thabiti takes each biblical qualification for deacon or elder, defines it, and then offers sound advice for how you can see if that qualification is present in a man’s life. For example, when thinking about the requirement that elders be hospitable Thabiti encourages, “Note those men who seem to make a ministry of greeting everyone at church . . . Note the men who help those in need . . . Does the man open his home? . . . Remember that homes are not the only place to show hospitality . . . Does he accept invitations to hospitality?” I have probably seen more fruit from this book in personal discipling relationships than any other.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Biblical Eldership by Alexander Strauch. The prose is dry, but the exegesis on all the relevant texts is super helpful.

The Elder and His Work by David Dickson. An older work on elders from a Presbyterian perspective, but this would be quite useful for elder training.