Merkle, Why Elders?

Benjamin L. Merkle, Why Elders? A Biblical and Practical Guide for Church Members. Kregel Academic and Professional, 2009.

Prequels:

• Merkle, The Elder and Overseer (2003)
• Merkle, 40 Questions About Elders and Deacons (2007)

Referenced in: Plural-Elder Congregational Leadership

LifeandLeadership.com Summary

The foundation of this book is Merkle’s doctoral research that culminated in the scholarly work, The Elder and Overseer. It also emerges out of Merkle’s experience as an intern during at a church led by a plurality of elders, whom he observed and came to respect highly for their work. His experience moved him to investigate the scriptures for a biblical pattern on church polity, which led to the belief that the terms for elder and overseer in the New Testament refer to the same role, that they indeed designate an “office” and not just a function, and that congregations should be led by a plurality of men who serve in that office. He followed this book with 40 Questions About Elders and Deacons (2007), which put the material into a more accessible question-answer format for busy church leaders. He also adds a section on the issue of deacons and their relationship to elders. This work, Why Elders (2009), is actually a condensed version of 40 Questions designed for wider congregational use, with emphasis on why each church should have elders.

Merkle is a Southern Baptist, and operates from the same philosophy as Mark Dever and Paul Alexander in The Deliberate Church, and Phil Newton, Elders in Congregational Life. The differences are that Dever writes out of practical concerns as the pastor of a large metropolitan church, Newton ties his observations to Baptist polity and denominational history, and Merkle brings his strength of biblical scholarship. Each represents a conservative, evangelical approach to the issue that leans toward an authoritarian philosophy of eldering.

From the Publisher

Why Elders? A Biblical and Practical Guide for Church Members is a straightforward and readable guide concerning the bibical role of elders and deacons. Each of the four major chapters answers the question as to why elders are crucial in the church today. The elder model of church leadership is important because

1. It is the pattern of the New Testament Church.
2. It provides help and accountablity for a pastor.
3. It produces a healthier church.
4. It promotes the biblical role of deacons.

About the Author

Benjamin L. Merkle is Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of numerous articles, which have appeared in journals such as JETS, Westminster Theological Journal, Bibliotheca Sacra, and Trinity Journal. He earned his Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he wrote his dissertation on elders and overseers.

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