Mike Payne
Puritan Board Freshman
Hello, I am looking for a book recommendation for a man who holds to Anabaptist ideas about elders.
I have been talking to a young man who holds to most reformed doctrines, but believes the reformed view of elders is a hold over from popish traditions. He believes that any heretic should be able to run around the church, and the only thing the elders can do is to instruct the flock and/or try to convince him, and let the chips fall where they may. However, they have no authority to stop his speaking, run him out as this would be, in his eyes "Lording it over the flock". To stop him or run him out is tyranny in his eyes. He sees his plight as being under tyranny since this is where he finds himself - restrained after a few month long bout of arguing with the elders. It went to Mat 18:16, he said he would submit, so he is still in that church, but his attitude is that he is under tyranny, but he needs to learn to bare it and suffer, to learn patience. As a result, his attitude toward the elders is not good I can tell from my discussions with him.
I discussed the authority of an elder and that it is a real thing. He attends a reformed church, and used to be hostile to creeds until he studied it out. So, he does have some teachability and asked me what was the best book he could read or sermon series that would correct him if he is wrong.
I did call Reformation Heritage Books today and the gentleman I spoke to recommended two books they carry:
An abridged booklet by Samuel Miller: The Ruling Elder
A book by Thomas Withrow: The Apostolic Church, Which Is It?
I then realized, I have google Puritan Board a few hundred times with questions in my mind over the years, so I signed up today, to ask you for recommendations? He will read it, so this is a good opportunity to help a brother.
I think his intelligence level is best served by an easy read. He is not unintelligent, but some books are written at a very high and academic level for learned men, that I would wish to avoid such books.
I really appreciate your advice.
-Mike
I have been talking to a young man who holds to most reformed doctrines, but believes the reformed view of elders is a hold over from popish traditions. He believes that any heretic should be able to run around the church, and the only thing the elders can do is to instruct the flock and/or try to convince him, and let the chips fall where they may. However, they have no authority to stop his speaking, run him out as this would be, in his eyes "Lording it over the flock". To stop him or run him out is tyranny in his eyes. He sees his plight as being under tyranny since this is where he finds himself - restrained after a few month long bout of arguing with the elders. It went to Mat 18:16, he said he would submit, so he is still in that church, but his attitude is that he is under tyranny, but he needs to learn to bare it and suffer, to learn patience. As a result, his attitude toward the elders is not good I can tell from my discussions with him.
I discussed the authority of an elder and that it is a real thing. He attends a reformed church, and used to be hostile to creeds until he studied it out. So, he does have some teachability and asked me what was the best book he could read or sermon series that would correct him if he is wrong.
I did call Reformation Heritage Books today and the gentleman I spoke to recommended two books they carry:
An abridged booklet by Samuel Miller: The Ruling Elder
A book by Thomas Withrow: The Apostolic Church, Which Is It?
I then realized, I have google Puritan Board a few hundred times with questions in my mind over the years, so I signed up today, to ask you for recommendations? He will read it, so this is a good opportunity to help a brother.
I think his intelligence level is best served by an easy read. He is not unintelligent, but some books are written at a very high and academic level for learned men, that I would wish to avoid such books.
I really appreciate your advice.
-Mike