House Church Talk - Alexander Strauch on Biblical Eldership

[David Anderson]

>Has anyone read Alexander Strauch on Biblical Eldership? I'd be interested
>in any other takes on the book, which so far I have found a refreshing
>change from past efforts on the subject.

    Hi Gary,

I have read and distributed a number of copies of this book as I feel it 
represents an important step in our thinking - namely moving from "a 
pastor" to "several pastors" per church.

Strauch fully address the eldership parity issue but... not the eldership 
identity issue. In other words: Who were they and why after thousands of 
years has the term for older ones come to be applied to younger ones? 

Me, I was ordained an elder in my early twenties. :-)

Isn't it interesting, for example, that in the story of the prodigal son, 
the jealous older brother is called by the same word (elder) that is 
assumed to be a church official in the later NT occurrences?

Let's look for truth wherever it may be. It will all lead back around to 
Him who is Truth. 

   David Anderson