This week Crossway published my new book, Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons. I had the privilege of writing this as a contribution to the 9Marks imprint at Crossway.
Today, Jonathan Leeman posted a short interview about the book and church officers at the 9Marks blog. I pray the book provides a helpful, brief meditation on what it looks like to meet the biblical qualifications for church office and subsequently how and elder should carry out his duties. I hope the book might be helpful for training potential elders and deacons, assisting search committees as they prepare for pastor churches, and helping congregations know what to look for in leaders and how to pray for the gifted persons the Lord has provided to watch their souls.
Uppermost in my mind while writing the book were the scripture (1 Timothy 3 and 4) and the faithful men I’ve had the privilege of serving with over the years. Most of these men would be unknown beyond their local churches and communities. But they were and are pillars of godliness in the local church. The book is dedicated to one such brother, Dr. Philip Pedley, who served First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman with a rare blend of tremendous intellect (a layman with expertise in Greek), theological discernment and conviction (when courting his wife, every Wednesday night they would read through Berkhoff!), vision, gentleness, and selflessness. He worked professionally in the government of the Cayman Islands, first as a school teacher, then as the pioneering director of the country’s archives, and finally as a chief policy advisor. The Lord’s fingerprints were all over the country due to His faithful use of Philip. This book is written with an untold number of men like Philip in mind, whose lives count for time and eternity.
I hope you’ll read the book or perhaps give a copy to an aspiring pastor, elder, deacon, or search committee. Here’s what a few others have said:
“Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons offers the sort of meditations from the Pastoral Epistles that would-be elders and deacons-in-training need. Yet, pastors and laymen alike will find these chapters to be insightful and poignant, for they are faithful to Scripture, culturally contextualized, and able to be implemented immediately. I am encouraged to think that there are thousands of well-meaning churches peddling along with mediocre religious practice that could be transformed into vibrant, Christ-pleasing, soul-winning, community-transforming churches if the officers of their congregations would humbly embrace the simple exhortations of this gracious work.”
—Eric C. Redmond, Senior Pastor, Reformation Alive Baptist Church, Temple Hills, Maryland
“Thabiti Anyabwile’s book has been a great reminder to me of the basics that can easily be forgotten in the race for ecclesiastical progress—namely, that we need faithful elders and deacons. Although this book is meant to help those looking for church officers to know what to look for, I found the questions to be a good tonic to my soul and a mirror exposing the areas in which I need to shape up as a church pastor.”
—Conrad Mbewe, Pastor, Kabwata Baptist Church, Lusaka, Zambia; author, Foundations for the Flock
“As a member of a pastoral team that is always at some point in the process of identifying, developing, and affirming elders and deacons, I welcome this very helpful book by Thabiti Anyabwile. Right from the start, with the simple clarity and conviction of the opening sentences, this book is marked by sound biblical teaching. The consistent transition into the practical counsel at the end of each chapter, however, is where this book really proves its worth. Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons will be a most useful primer for all those who are committed to doing church leadership by the Bible.”
—Mike Bullmore, Senior Pastor, Crossway Community Church, Bristol, Wisconsin
“Choosing men who will lead your church is serious work. I commend this valuable resource to you from my friend and partner in the gospel, Thabiti Anyabwile. It is both thoughtful and practical. His insights in this book will help you recruit, enlist, and reproduce faithful leaders in your church.”
—James MacDonald, Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel, Chicagoland Area; radio teacher, Walk in the Word
“Out of an obvious love for the local church, Pastor Thabiti takes biblical leadership very seriously. He takes it so seriously that he has written a book designed to be both biblical and accessible to the people of the church—clearly explaining the Bible’s teaching on the qualifications for leadership and so much more. After a careful exposition of every leadership qualification, he includes a list of helpful questions for the aspiring leader to ask one’s self and for those who will be interviewing such aspiring leaders. Thank you, Thabiti, for helping me to reflect more deeply on my calling as an elder and in my effort to raise up God-glorifying and people-loving leaders in Christ’s church for the next generation!”
—Tom Steller, Pastor for Leadership Development, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Dean, Bethlehem College and Seminary
“How do we identify, pick, and train the leaders we so desperately need? Pastor Thabiti has written a very practical and theologically faithful book that addresses this critical issue, leaving no stone left unturned. Thabiti’s questions on each and every quality are some of the best I have seen. It is the kind of book you will want to keep on hand and refer to as you consider potential deacons and elders for the ministry. The book is down to earth, relevant, and very thought provoking.”
—Dave Kraft, pastor, Mars Hill Church; author, Leaders Who Last
“This is a great book. On the surface, it’s an extended meditation on the biblical qualities of elders and deacons that causes you to think carefully about what God intends for his leaders. What should churches look for? Are you that kind of person? But underneath, it’s a radical reorientation of what leadership in the church is. Church leadership does not depend on academic or professional success, but on godliness. This book will help change the way church members and leaders think of leadership, what we value, what we cultivate. Leaders and members both will benefit.”
—Jonathan Leeman, Editorial Director, 9Marks; author, Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love and Reverberation