# The Good Elder



## SEAGOON (Dec 11, 2007)

Hey, before I post a link to an article I just published on what makes for a good elder, can I ask if there shouldn't be a separate "Pastoral Theology" sub-forum?

Anyway, here's a consideration of the nature of the "Good Elder" from an Old School Presbyterian point of view:
What Makes a Good Elder « Building Old School Churches


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## lwadkins (Dec 12, 2007)

Thanks Andy!


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## Semper Fidelis (Dec 12, 2007)

There is a Pastoral Concerns forum and an Elders Only forum. Both are members only so I would recommend Ecclesiology for something like this. We have quite a variety of choices and one would think the proliferation of the fora is useful but a preponderance of the posts are all in a handful of them.


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## SEAGOON (Dec 12, 2007)

Thanks Rich,

I'm never quite sure which forum posts regarding church planting & ecclesiology would be best in, is theology appropriate or would you recommend another? I have a post coming up today on using tracts for instance....


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## wsw201 (Dec 12, 2007)

Very good article. Well done. I also thought that the comment left by Joe was also very thought provoking. As an RE, many of the things he said ring true.


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## Semper Fidelis (Dec 12, 2007)

SEAGOON said:


> Thanks Rich,
> 
> I'm never quite sure which forum posts regarding church planting & ecclesiology would be best in, is theology appropriate or would you recommend another? I have a post coming up today on using tracts for instance....



You know, I think a wise man once said: "Just listen to your heart. That's what I always do."

Church planting probably belongs in evangelism and missions but now that you're pressing me on this you're reminding me I don't like the organization of the board and how that falls under Christian Walk while it properly belongs under something dealing with the Church.

I wonder if I should have a major forum called the Church where I could put some of the more practical theological issues. Let me give it some thought. I know you need to post it now. If I need to move it later then don't worry because those threads end up having a redirect feature once I move them.

Thanks again for participating here and actually reminding me I probably need to clean up our forum organization a bit.


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## Semper Fidelis (Dec 13, 2007)

Andy,

You're the plankholder for the Church Office forum of the new category I've created called "The Church". I think I have a pretty good collection of fora underneath The Church that makes a bit more sense than before. Let me know if you think I could add some more but I think any articles you want to post about Church planting could go into the Evangelism forum.

Any articles you want to post about practical Church Order issues (discipline, admin of Sacraments, etc) would go into the Church Order forum.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Dec 13, 2007)

Is Samuel Miller's book on Eldership on-line anywhere?


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## wsw201 (Dec 13, 2007)

Andy,

I read your comments about the RE and what should be done. I think your approach to the RE would take a denominational shift in its view of the RE (and as far as Deacons are concerned, forget about it). I would hazard to guess that the extent of the RE training in the majority of PCA as well as OPC churches is 6 weeks or less, which would include going through the Standards and describing the office. 

Good to hear that there are competent RE's at Providence.


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## Semper Fidelis (Dec 13, 2007)

Yeah, I've gone through elder training in both the OPC and PCA - local level obviously. In the former we spent a little more time developing knowledge - reading about the Reformed Elder, the Christian Sabbath, Which is the Apostolic Church, etc. In the latter, we literally had just enough time in the WCF for the Pastor to read the WCF to the men with very little interaction. He really could have practically had us read the Standards and ask us if we understood them.


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## Theoretical (Dec 14, 2007)

wsw201 said:


> Andy,
> 
> I read your comments about the RE and what should be done. I think your approach to the RE would take a denominational shift in its view of the RE (and as far as Deacons are concerned, forget about it). I would hazard to guess that the extent of the RE training in the majority of PCA as well as OPC churches is 6 weeks or less, which would include going through the Standards and describing the office.
> 
> Good to hear that there are competent RE's at Providence.


6 weeks? 

Yikes, that is a scarily short amount of time for preparation for such an important office. I'd not even consider the office until I was far better grounded in both the Scriptures and my confession, yet it sounds like I would be better prepared for the office now within the denomination than many of those nominated to become elders.


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## raekwon (Dec 14, 2007)

Theoretical said:


> wsw201 said:
> 
> 
> > Andy,
> ...





Our training process lasted *a year and a half* and I STILL felt like I could've used more time before examination (all turned out well, of course).


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