Ruling Elder Keith LeMahieu talks about term eldership. Keith is a ruling elder in Bethel OPC, Oostburg, WI. He serves on the GA Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension, and the Committee on Coordination. Many of the listeners will know him from his work on planned giving.

The Form of Government of the OPC puts the matter of elder's tenure into the hands of local congregations. Fg. XXV. 2. “Each congregation shall determine, by vote of communicant members in good and regular standing, to choose elders or deacons for either lifetime service or limited terms of service on the session or board of deacons.”

Further Reading

Ordained Servant

• “Some Thoughts on Term Eldership.” (John R. Sittema) 13:1 (Jan. 2004): 14-16. Available here.

The Presbyterian Guardian

• John Murray, The Ordination of Elders: Some Arguments against Term Eldership. The Presbyterian Guardian, Vol 24. No. 2, (Feb. 15, 1955), pp. 23-25. Available here. An expanded edition of this article was published in the Collected Writings of John Murray, Vol. 2, pp. 351-356
• Ned B Stonehouse, May We Prohibit Term Eldership? The Presbyterian Guardian, Vol. 24, No. 5, (May 16, 1955), pp. 75-77. Available here.

Keith’s Recommended Books

• Martin Bucer, Concerning the True Care of Souls (Banner of Truth).
• David Dickson, The Elder and His Work (P&R Publishing).
• William Boekestein and Steven Swets (Editors) Faithful and Fruitful: Essays for Elders and Deacons (Reformed Fellowship).

The Ruling Elder Podcast speaks to Drew Gordon about his book 'The Elders of the People: Leadership in Christ’s Church' (Grassmarket Press, Pittsburgh, PA, 2025).

Drew is a ruling elder in the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America, serving in Covenant Fellowship RP church in Pittsburgh PA, and is publications director for Crown and Covenant Publications.

Other books in the series mentioned in the podcast;

• Written on the Heart: The Law of God by Stephen Steele
• Remember the Poor: Cultivating a Heart of Generosity by Peter Smith
• Worship, Feasting, Rest, Mercy: The Christian Sabbath by Daniel Howe
• Together: Why We Need the Local Church by Gabriel and Isaac Wingfield

Other books in the series can be found at Grassmarket Press

Drew’s recommended books.

• Timothy Z. Witmer, The Shepherd Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in Your Church (P&R Publishing, 2010)
• Lawrence R. Eyres, The Elders of the Church, (P&R Publishing, 1975)
• Leonard Stob, Mission Directed: Governing your Christian School with Purpose (Kindle Ebook)

Archibald Allison’s OS article on Biblical Qualifications for Elders can be found here. (Ordained Servant — Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 80-96)

Rev. Brett McNeill and ruling elder Steve Ethridge of Reformation Presbyterian Church, Olympia, WA, talk about the work of ruling elders before, during, and after a pastor’s sabbatical.

Information on the Committee on Ministerial Care’s grant can be found here, and their policy example (Appendix A) can be found here.

Brett’s reflections on his sabbatical can be found here.
The CMC’s video is available here.

Brett’s recommended books.

• Paul Tripp, Awe: Why It Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do (Crossway, 2015, 2025).
• Gerhard Forde, On Being a Theologian of the Cross: Reflections on Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, 1518 (Eerdmans, 1997).
• Zach Eswine, Sensing Jesus: Life and Ministry as a Human Being (Crossway: 2013) or The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus (Crossway, 2015)

Steve’s recommended books

• Steve Baugh, The Majesty on High: Introduction to the Kingdom of God in the New Testament (2017)
• Octavius Winslow. Any title by Winslow.