Hyatt and Briggs are like chiropractors for the church. They describe eldership as the church's 'bone structure,' which today is often in sore need of alignment and adjustment. They align the fundamental value of eldership by affirming its biblical purpose and the elders' commitment to God's mission in ordinary, everyday lives. Then they offer adjustments by unpacking in very practical and relevant ways what mission-minded elders look like, what derails them, how they create healthy culture, and then how elders manage the challenges that come, ultimately addressing the question of women elders. I found this book very helpful, and recommend it as an important resource for every church that wants a healthier, more active leadership structure.
-MaryKate Morse,
professor of leadership and spiritual formation, George Fox Evangelical Seminary
The church has been in need of an updated understanding of eldership. With seasoned wisdom and theological rigor, Hyatt and Briggs team up to shift the role of elders from being a domesticated business board that focuses on maintenance, to a daring community of servant leaders who equip the whole church to join God's mission in the world. This is the best book I've read on eldership.
-JR Woodward,
national director, The V3 Movement; author of Creating a Missional Culture
If your church's eldership basically operates like the board of directors of a small religious enterprise, get them to read this book. Quick. J.R. Briggs and Bob Hyatt not only outline the biblical functions of eldership but they do so through the missional prism that the original biblical writers used. For them, eldership is missional insofar as elders are called to not only equip the church for mission but to eliminate as many factors as possible that could derail the missional orientation of the church. Biblical, practical, warm and inspiring.
-Michael Frost,
Morling College, Sydney
Intensely practical, thoroughly rich in wisdom, Eldership and the Mission of God is a book on church leadership that defies its stereotype. As well-honed practitioners and careful thinkers, Briggs and Hyatt recast everything about elder work for its call to mission. I wish I'd had this book twenty years ago.
-David Fitch,
Betty R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology, Northern Seminary
The missional church can often overlook the importance of eldership and governance. Hyatt and Briggs show us how vital these questions are in order for outward mission to be sustained. They provide a biblically rooted and mission-centered vision for eldership. The parts about the character, qualifications, and selection of elders were particularly helpful for me as a pastor.
-Aaron Graham,
lead pastor, The District Church
