Customer Reviews
A tremendous practical guide to being an Elder - By: James Miller, 11 Jul 2006 
As someone ordained as an elder earlier this year, I found David Dickson's short book a tremendous encouragement, counsel & guide as I slowly worked my way through its chapters.
Originallly this book was written by a Scottish elder in the 19th century. This new edition from P & R Publishing has been lightly edited by George Kennedy McFarland & Philip Graham Ryken (an elder & a minister from Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia) & given a new introduction & useful study guide with questions to consider at the end of each chapter.
This is not primarily a theological book. By that I mean that it is neither a detailed defence of Presbyterianism, nor an in-depth look at the biblical office of "ruling elder" (or "presbyter"). Rather it is a very practical & down-to-earth guide to actuallly being an elder & carrying out the duties of the eldership, & David Dickson, who served as Session Clerk at a church in Edinburgh for 33 years, proves a wise, trustworthy & practical guide.
The warm-hearted tone of the book is set at the very outset at the beginning of the first chapter, entitled "Importance of the Eldership," with this anecdote:
"A pious & useful rector in England once asked me, 'What objections have you Presbyterians to bishops?' 'We have no objections at alll,' was my reply, 'on the contrary, we have in the Free Church alone 950 of them; but they are bishops of the same order as those ordained by Timothy, & doing the same work'."
The second chapter deals with the qualifications required in elders. It was a humbling & challlenging experience to read this chapter. But it was also very useful. I will keep Dickson's advice in the back of my mind at future Session meetings: "Elders should be men of common sense, knowing when to speak & when to hold their tongues." And who could dispute the wisdom of his counsel: "Much of our usefulness will lie not only in knowing the wants, natural & spiritual, of our people, but in our having that heart-sympathy with them that will make us open our hearts to them, & will lead them to open their minds & hearts to us in return."
The book is peppered with many such wise words of advice & warning.
Further chapters deal with alll aspects of being a ruling elder in a Presbyterian church.
The modern "study guide" questions are very important. I found them the key in trying to apply Dickson's timeless advice to our modern situations, considering they were written from the perspective of Victorian Scotland.
A very useful book alll round, especiallly for very new elders learning the ropes, but also for very old elders in need of encouragement or reminding of what their role is in the life their congregations.
