Who Runs the Church?, Zondervan
Who Runs the Church?, Zondervan
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Who Runs the Church?
4 Views on Church Government

Author: Zondervan

Narrator: Jonathan Petersen, Jonathan Peterson

Unabridged: 11 hr 11 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 07/28/2009

Synopsis

Churches have split and denominations have formed over the issue of church government. While many Christians can explain their church's form of rule or defend it because of its "tried and true" traditions, few people understand their church's administrative customs from a biblical perspective.Who Runs the Church? explores questions such as: What model for governing the church does the Bible provide, and is such a model given for practical or spiritual reasons? Is there room for different methods within Christianity? Or is there a right way of "doing church"? And, finally, how (and by whom) should the church be governed?Four predominant approaches to church government are presented by respected proponents: Episcopalianism - represented by Peter ToonPresbyterianism - represented by L. Roy TaylorSingle-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Paige PattersonPlural-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Samuel E. Waldron As in other Counterpoints books, each view is followed by critiques from the other contributors, and its advocate then responds.

About Paul E. Engle

Paul E. Engle, series editor for Counterpoints Church Life, is an ordained minister who served for twenty-two years in pastoral ministry in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Illinois, and Michigan. He is an adjunct teacher in several seminaries in this country and internationally. He serves as associate publisher and executive editor in the Church, Academic, and Ministry Resources team at Zondervan. He and his wife Margie, live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

About Steven B. Cowan

Steven B. Cowan (M.Div.; Ph.D.) is associate professor of Philosophy and Apologetics at Southeastern Bible College in Birmingham, AL.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Mitchell

To summarize candidly: Toon is rhetorically gifted. On many accounts, his persuasive ability was impressive, to say the least. I also deeply admire his reverence for Church History and the *visible* unity of the Church. His fatal flaw, in my view, is also his greatest strength. He stretches so far in......more

Goodreads review by Ginger

I've had this on my list to read for ages, and as I continue to refine my thinking on what form of church polity is most biblical, this was a helpful read. One I will likely revisit time and again. The contributors to this counterpoints volume all made various good points, and I learned from each of......more

Goodreads review by Andy

This book delivers exactly what it promises - four different views on church government, explained and defended by representatives of each view. While each view is well explained, it’s dry reading. Likewise, when each author defends their position from the criticisms of the other authors, the most c......more

Goodreads review by Melvin

A helpful framework for and against church leadership paradigms: Episcopalian/Anglican bishopric, Presbyterian (teaching and ruling elders), single-elder led congregationalism, and plural-elder led congregationalism. Although I liked elements of each and was also annoyed by each, I ended up agreeing......more

Goodreads review by Luke

This iteration of the Counterpoints series covers four views on church government: episcopalianism (bishop rule, Anglican), presbyterianism (PCA), single-elder congregationalism (SBC), and plural-elder congregationalism (1689). The discussion and debate was insightful to the key issues and theologic......more

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