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Polity: Biblical Arguments on How to Conduct Church Life
A collection of ten documents, stretching over a period of almost 200 years, on what the Bible teaches about the church, and how that should be practically worked out.
586 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2001
14 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Mark Dever
127 books330 followersMark E. Dever serves as the senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC. Since his ordination to the ministry in 1985, Dr. Dever has served on the pastoral staffs of four churches, the second being a church he planted in Massachusetts. Prior to moving to Washington in 1994, Dr. Dever taught for the faculty of Divinity at Cambridge University while serving two years as an associate pastor of Eden Baptist Church.
In an effort to build biblically faithful churches in America, Dr. Dever serves as the executive director for 9Marks (formerly The Center for Church Reform, CCR) in Washington, D.C. 9Marks encourages pastors of local churches look to the Bible for instruction on how to organize and lead their churches. Dr. Dever also teaches periodically at various conferences, speaking everywhere from South Africa to Brazil to the United Kingdom to Alabama. Feeling a deep burden for student ministry, Dr. Dever often addresses student ministry groups at campuses throughout the country. He has also taught at a number of seminaries, including Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, AL, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. Dr. Dever’s scholarly interests include Puritanism and ecclesiology.
Dr. Dever currently serves as a trustee of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; he also serves as a member of the board, vice-chairman, and chairman of the Forum for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. From 1995 until 2001, he served on the steering committee for Founders Ministries, a pastoral movement for biblical teaching and healthy church life within the Southern Baptist Convention. As Guest Senate Chaplain for two weeks in 1995, Dr. Dever opened the daily sessions of the United States Senate in prayer. He is a member of the American Society of Church History and the Tyndale Fellowship. He also held the J.B. Lightfoot Scholarship at Cambridge University from 1989 to 1991.
In an effort to build biblically faithful churches in America, Dr. Dever serves as the executive director for 9Marks (formerly The Center for Church Reform, CCR) in Washington, D.C. 9Marks encourages pastors of local churches look to the Bible for instruction on how to organize and lead their churches. Dr. Dever also teaches periodically at various conferences, speaking everywhere from South Africa to Brazil to the United Kingdom to Alabama. Feeling a deep burden for student ministry, Dr. Dever often addresses student ministry groups at campuses throughout the country. He has also taught at a number of seminaries, including Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, AL, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. Dr. Dever’s scholarly interests include Puritanism and ecclesiology.
Dr. Dever currently serves as a trustee of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; he also serves as a member of the board, vice-chairman, and chairman of the Forum for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. From 1995 until 2001, he served on the steering committee for Founders Ministries, a pastoral movement for biblical teaching and healthy church life within the Southern Baptist Convention. As Guest Senate Chaplain for two weeks in 1995, Dr. Dever opened the daily sessions of the United States Senate in prayer. He is a member of the American Society of Church History and the Tyndale Fellowship. He also held the J.B. Lightfoot Scholarship at Cambridge University from 1989 to 1991.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 2, 2021
Collection d'écrits d'auteurs baptistes du 18e-19e siècle, qui souhaitaient creuser ce que la Bible enseigne concernant la manière dont l'Eglise doit fonctionner et être gouvernée. Ce n'est pas une lecture facile, mais c'est une lecture qui vaut la peine. J'ai particulièrement apprécié Reynolds et Savage.
September 10, 2017
At some point in your life, you've probably heard the famous Sir Francis Bacon quote "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention." The nice thing about Polity, as an anthology of essays and historical documents, is that it lends itself to all those different kinds of reading. I myself chose to read everything in the book and focus on the "big picture" of Baptist church polity through the centuries.
Although this is not the easiest book in the world to read, it is interesting and enlightening. I found the sections on church discipline especially helpful since church discipline is practically a foreign entity in many congregations today. I also noticed a gravity and respect toward the church that is just naturally woven through everything the authors had to say. In light of those observations, I can't help but wonder: if these men were alive today, what would they think of many of our Baptist churches and of the attitude many Christians have toward the church? A sobering consideration.
(Read for the 2017 Tim Challies Christian Reading Challenge: A book about the church)
Although this is not the easiest book in the world to read, it is interesting and enlightening. I found the sections on church discipline especially helpful since church discipline is practically a foreign entity in many congregations today. I also noticed a gravity and respect toward the church that is just naturally woven through everything the authors had to say. In light of those observations, I can't help but wonder: if these men were alive today, what would they think of many of our Baptist churches and of the attitude many Christians have toward the church? A sobering consideration.
(Read for the 2017 Tim Challies Christian Reading Challenge: A book about the church)
September 28, 2023
It took a while for this book to show up on Amazon I even inquired if there would be a reprint. I never heard back so I waited and then one it showed up and of course I bought it. I am Baptist through and through and so anything Baptist catches my attention as far as church history is concerned. This book didn't disappoint.
The overall theme was church discipline. I must admit after reading how the 18th and 19th century churches handled their affairs, I would say the modern Baptist church and other denominations have departed from this biblical practice. There is a right and a wrong way as well. The various pastors represented were in agreement, that church discipline is meant to restore/recover one from their sin.
Another interesting nugget in this book was the name drops. Some of the preachers mentioned I have never heard of before, like Samuel Jones (1798), W.B. Johnson (1846), Joseph Baker (1847), Eleazer Savage (1863). Many of them introduced by a short bio from William Cathcart Baptist historian.
While the overall theme was church discipline honorable mentions and arguments were given for the ordinances and how they were to be conducted. Baptist and the Lord's Table being the old two. I thought the different preachers represented the Baptist position well and gave historical support particularly for Believer's Baptism by full immersion.
The book was 550 pages long with an extensive index which included a name index, subject index, and scriptural. These are a must particularly for those who like to do a lot of research.
This book is a reminder why church polity is essential to having a church that does all things decently and in order. Would definitely recommend.
The overall theme was church discipline. I must admit after reading how the 18th and 19th century churches handled their affairs, I would say the modern Baptist church and other denominations have departed from this biblical practice. There is a right and a wrong way as well. The various pastors represented were in agreement, that church discipline is meant to restore/recover one from their sin.
Another interesting nugget in this book was the name drops. Some of the preachers mentioned I have never heard of before, like Samuel Jones (1798), W.B. Johnson (1846), Joseph Baker (1847), Eleazer Savage (1863). Many of them introduced by a short bio from William Cathcart Baptist historian.
While the overall theme was church discipline honorable mentions and arguments were given for the ordinances and how they were to be conducted. Baptist and the Lord's Table being the old two. I thought the different preachers represented the Baptist position well and gave historical support particularly for Believer's Baptism by full immersion.
The book was 550 pages long with an extensive index which included a name index, subject index, and scriptural. These are a must particularly for those who like to do a lot of research.
This book is a reminder why church polity is essential to having a church that does all things decently and in order. Would definitely recommend.
December 1, 2020
If you are the sort of person who would choose to pick up a collection of 19th century Baptist writings on the formative and corrective disciplines of the church, then you are the sort of person who will be well-rewarded in your reading of Polity. I found this collection of primary historical Baptist documents instructive, enlightening, and lively. These men didn't mess around when it came to the church—we have a lot to learn from their example.
January 2, 2025
This has quickly become one of my favorite books of the year. It's an essential read for those considering Baptist church polity and provides a helpful collection of historic Baptist documents on ecclesiology.
Currently reading
October 9, 2023This book is currently out of print but I understand that they are working on an updated edition. You can get a digital copy from the 9marks website, which is the version I am reading.
November 2, 2023
Long, could use an update, but extremely helpful, could benefit from selected readings from the sources cited.
April 21, 2015
“Church Polity has become the absorbing topic of the Christian world.” So begins a work on baptist church polity from the mid 1800's.
Except for a few introductory chapters, this book is a collection of historic baptist documents describing each author's understanding of the church. In each document, the authors affirm their belief that God has given us instructions for matters relating to church government and church life in his word. Some of the documents are more practical, some are more theological. Some go too far on certain matters, some don't go far enough in other matters. However, what is clear is that all believe Scripture is not silent on church polity.
This perspective, which from them was foundational, is refreshing in our own day since many structure and conduct church government and life based more on pragmatic concerns. Though the readings can be dry, the documents are useful in combating the assumption that the Bible has given us freedom in determining how we govern and conduct church.
These authors weren't always right in the specifics, but their discussions had a common starting point that I believe is successfully proved in these documents: the Bible gives a consistent and prescriptive picture of church government.
I am grateful for this work and I am thankful that someone made me read it. I believe I will think more carefully and biblically having read this work.
Except for a few introductory chapters, this book is a collection of historic baptist documents describing each author's understanding of the church. In each document, the authors affirm their belief that God has given us instructions for matters relating to church government and church life in his word. Some of the documents are more practical, some are more theological. Some go too far on certain matters, some don't go far enough in other matters. However, what is clear is that all believe Scripture is not silent on church polity.
This perspective, which from them was foundational, is refreshing in our own day since many structure and conduct church government and life based more on pragmatic concerns. Though the readings can be dry, the documents are useful in combating the assumption that the Bible has given us freedom in determining how we govern and conduct church.
These authors weren't always right in the specifics, but their discussions had a common starting point that I believe is successfully proved in these documents: the Bible gives a consistent and prescriptive picture of church government.
I am grateful for this work and I am thankful that someone made me read it. I believe I will think more carefully and biblically having read this work.
Currently reading
August 28, 2010Great so far!
June 15, 2017
This is a more technical work on Baptist polity, but it's so helpful, instructive, and encouraging to those desiring to implement a Baptist vision for the church.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews