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The Plurality Principle: How to Build and Maintain a Thriving Church Leadership Team
Building and Sustaining a Thriving Leadership Culture Essential to every healthy church is a biblical model of leadership. In the New Testament, church leadership is built around a team of elders working together, each bringing his own unique skills and gifts to the cause of shepherding the flock God entrusted to them. However, in many churches today the principle of plurality in leadership is often misunderstood, mistakenly applied, or completely ignored. Dave Harvey encourages church leaders to prioritize plurality for the surprising ways that it helps churches to flourish. This book not only builds a compelling case for churches to adopt and maintain biblical elder pluralities guided by solid leadership but also supplies practical tools to help elders work together for transformation. Download the free study guide.
192 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2021
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223 people want to read
About the author
Dave Harvey
76 books56 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Dave Harvey is senior pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church (Glen Mills, PA), part of a family of churches called Sovereign Grace Ministries. He received his Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care from Westminster Theological Seminary. Dave lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Kimm, and their four children.
Dave Harvey is senior pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church (Glen Mills, PA), part of a family of churches called Sovereign Grace Ministries. He received his Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care from Westminster Theological Seminary. Dave lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Kimm, and their four children.
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June 6, 2023
Read again with the CHC elders. Good study guide.
First review:
“The quality of your elder plurality determines the health of your church.”
That’s the principle that drives this book, written by a pastor and counselor. Harvey presents biblical arguments for a plurality of elders, a case for “first among equals,” and much wisdom on assessing the health of a plurality vs it’s counterfeits. This resource will be one I return to again.
Recommended.
First review:
“The quality of your elder plurality determines the health of your church.”
That’s the principle that drives this book, written by a pastor and counselor. Harvey presents biblical arguments for a plurality of elders, a case for “first among equals,” and much wisdom on assessing the health of a plurality vs it’s counterfeits. This resource will be one I return to again.
Recommended.
July 5, 2021
Ecclesiology is perhaps the subject closest to my heart, so I was delighted to receive a copy of Dave Harvey’s new book The Plurality Principle as part of the Crossway Blog Review program. I became convinced that the plurality model of church leadership is mandated by Scripture during my Bible college years; I am thankful for Harvey’s wise treatment of the practical matters involved in a plurality-of-elders model of church leadership, or “the plurality principle.” This is an important topic, and I recommend Harvey’s treatment of it. However, there are several points where I think his argument overtakes the biblical warrant, and perhaps unhelpfully so. In this review, I will first summarise Harvey’s approach and then engage with two of his contentions.
Summary
Harvey’s central claim in The Plurality Principle is that “the quality of your elder plurality determines the health of your church” (15). Harvey is a leader experienced in the ups and downs of eldership within a plurality; he proves to be a helpful guide in many issues surrounding the plurality principle. The Plurality Principle is divided into two parts; Part 1 considers building a plurality, part 2 thriving as such. Each part has four chapters. After introducing and briefly defending a plurality of elders from Scripture in Chapter 1, Harvey then addresses three aspects of building a plurality. In Chapter 2, he argues for the principle of “First among equals,” that is, having one elder (perhaps the single paid member) who is the leader among the leaders. In Chapter 3, Harvey then considers the role of the “senior pastor,” or first elder, from the perspective of five “hats” he wears (“Custodian of the Plurality”; “Catalyst of Progress”; “Curator of Culture”; “Captain of Communication”; and “Liaison for Partnership”). Chapters 2 and 3 say many helpful things, but Harvey’s insistence on a role of “first among equals” is the first contention I want to engage with further. Part 1 concludes in Chapter 4 by displaying several things that a healthy, biblical plurality is not, namely, 1) a group of people dependent on outside expertise (biblical scholars, counsellors, coaches, lawyers, etc.); experts are helpful but are intended to “supplement, not replace, local elder teams” (71). 2) A healthy plurality is not reluctant, passive and unwilling to engage in leading a church—perhaps willing to leave it all to the “senior pastor.” 3) A healthy plurality is not invisible; even the most gifted “senior pastor” does not make a plurality redundant. Each counterfeit identified by Harvey is an instance where the leadership of the plurality is diminished, either by giving all authority to the senior minister or by passing it off to external parties.
Part 2 of The Plurality Principle looks closer at the mechanics of a functioning plurality. Chapter 5 looks at the need for pastoral care and accountability between the members of a plurality. In Chapter 6, Harvey identifies the importance of recognising the sorts of power held by those in a leadership position and how this is best shared among the members of the plurality. Chapter 7 offers a fourfold diagnostic for evaluating the health of an existing plurality, walking through each with questions to guide the team in thoughtfully considering them. These diagnostics are agreement, trust, care, and fit (as in, “do we enjoy being with each other and know our place on the team?” 129). Chapter 8 concludes the book by reflecting on the great potential for joy that is found in a functioning biblical plurality.
There are also four appendices that address practical issues that may emerge for elders, for elders towards their senior pastor, the relationship between elders and their wives, salary, and term limits. In each of the areas Harvey discusses, he speaks from a wealth of experience and practical wisdom; his insights are invaluable. However, he makes two contentions, woven throughout the book, that I would like to interact with a bit. Harvey claims that a healthy plurality involves a single leader who is the first among equals and that an eldership team should involve unpaid members.
Evaluation
Should Pluralities Have First among Equals?
In The Plurality Principle, Harvey argues that an essential component of an eldership team is a leader. Harvey describes the relationship in this way, “pluralities are an assembly of coequal parties, yet each one decides to subordinate himself to a leader. Pluralities do this … because they believe the equals are most effective when they have a first to tend the team and move it forward” (42). Despite the importance given to this role, as evidenced by the two chapters Harvey dedicates to it (Chs. 1-2), he cannot marshal any explicit evidence in its favour—as he admits (40). Instead, he offers several examples of a leader-among-leaders model found in Scripture, and points to the incarnation submission of the Son to the Father and the order of headship in the family. He argues, “there is a broad pattern of order—a beautiful tapestry of leadership—that appears from the opening pages of Scripture to the final words in Revelation” (40). The problem with his argument is that not one of his examples comes near to approximating the biblical model of a plurality of elders, as he comes close to admitting on page 41. I believe there is a reason for this—but we will get to that shortly. After identifying general problems of plurality without leadership and leadership without plurality, he then gives several pragmatic arguments in favour of the first-among-equals model. First, a leaderless plurality tends to be better at preservation than expansion (44); second, without leadership, a plurality often descends into partisanship (44); third, without a role for a first, elders with a unique leadership gift are denied an avenue to express this gifting (45); fourth, without leadership, there may be a vacuum of care for the elders (45-46). Even if the pragmatic arguments were compelling (though I did not find them to be so), the lack of biblical warrant should raise significant questions. If having a first among equals is as important as having a plurality of elders, why does the New Testament ecclesiology give attention to the need for plurality and never to the internal hierarchy of that plurality?
Now, to be clear, I do not think that pure egalitarian models of leadership are helpful, and I think there is a clear pattern in Scripture of hierarchical structures (e.g. 1 Cor 11:2-3; Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18-20; 1 Pet 3:1-7; etc.). However, this raises a significant issue: if the pattern is consistently hierarchical, why is there this one exception? First, let’s establish that this is indeed the exception, then let’s consider why God might have a good purpose in it.
When we look closely at the examples Harvey gives, none are an example of a first among equals. He puts forth the example of the prophets, but there is no clear ecclesiological authority expressed by these prophets, nor is there a clear relationship delineated among them that would let us discern a pattern of “first among equals.” As for Moses, Moses is a single leader to whom many others are subordinated; Moses had an unparalleled role, with clear subordinates. This is far from a first-among-equals model. It is merely delegated authority. The examples of headship among the family and Christ’s submission to the Father are hardly examples of first-among-equals, for though husband and wife are clearly equal—as are the Father and Christ—the model of headship never applied to the relationship of some elders to others, as Harvey admits (41). Indeed, the model as it applies to churches is the submission of the flock to the plurality. The case of Peter and James is a difficult one; however, presuming that they did indeed express unique roles of preeminent leadership among their respective parts of the global church, it should be observed that this is not an adequate analogy of local church ministry. They exercised unique authority over church leaders that were, presumably, eldership pluralities. Their role is single leaders over other leaders, and even here, the Bible does not present their unique roles as enduring ones; they appear to be provisional for the establishment of the church. Though they come closest, James and Peter do not provide a sufficient analogy to justify the claim that eldership pluralities must have a single leader.
So, if the Bible consistently presents hierarchies, except in this case, is there perhaps a reason for this? The only reason I can think of (and I have thought much about this topic) is that the single leader of each local church is actually Christ, the head of the body, under whom the plurality of elders serve. Christ sets the vision of the church (Matt 28:18-20) and gives authoritative and sufficient guidance through the Bible so that the elders can work together to achieve that vision. In the New Testament, this unique leadership role was played by the Apostles, such as Peter, James, and Paul. With the closing of the canon, their writings function in this same role as the means by which Christ exerts his authority over the local congregation.
Are we then left with a bare egalitarianism, with which Harvey identifies many problems? I do not think so. Several issues arise not from structural problems but character problems; that is, the threat of partisanship is real, but it emerges when elders act in ways incompatible with their calling. Though no eldership body is perfect, so such problems will inevitably emerge, the potential for such problems reminds us of the importance of character in appointing church leaders. More importantly, rejecting a “first among equals” approach is not a rejection of all hierarchy and subordination—i.e., leadership—within a plurality, only an absolute form of it. That is, many of the hats Harvey identifies in Chapter 3 and aspects of senior pastor’s role unpacked across the book do not have to be the held by any one person. Indeed, they may be better performed when delegated. That is, among a team of four elders, it would not be unbiblical, and it would be wise, to have one leader primarily responsible for direction in preaching (though not perhaps preaching itself), one leader in charge of pastoral care, one leader in charge of eldership care, and another directing administration. To maintain true plurality, “primary” should not mean sole; they may take the lead, but a plurality is built on the collaboration of the whole team. Such a model of delegation within the plurality differs from a “first among equals” model because, I would argue, the Bible does not justify us in identifying any of these roles as first. Moreover, the Bible does not justify us assigning all of these “hats” to one man; indeed, that seems to defeat the purpose of a plurality of leaders. The preaching elder need not lead eldership meetings; this may be more appropriate for the administrative elder. And elder charged with leading in preaching should not be the only elder preaching; that all elders must be competent to teach (1 Tim 3:2) suggests that they are all to bear this responsibility. At this point, 1 Timothy 5:17 enters the picture, “The elders leading well are worthy of a two-fold honour, especially those who labour in word and teaching” (my translation). Several observations are pertinent: on the one hand, the “two-fold honour” depends on an elder leading well, which anticipates the coming instructions on discipline. Commentators are probably right when identifying “two-fold” as both respect or honour and remuneration, which the following verses focus on (5:18). We will address the “especially” below, but some elders are expected to spend more time with preaching (“in word”) and teaching. Even here, it is multiple elders who are said to have this role. Therefore, though all elders are able to teach, and will do so at different times, some elders are specifically responsible for this role. Given that what follows focuses on wage, I suspect the “especially” is not meant to indicate that the preaching-teaching role is worthy of more respect than mere leadership; instead, given its great labour intensity, this role requires more compensation than the other roles.
I am not convinced that the Bible mandates a first-among-equal model, nor that it is particularly helpful. However, it is necessary to assign different roles to different elders according to their gifting, so it is natural to assume that each elder in a team will lead the others in one area. However, we have no biblical warrant to assign one of these areas of leadership the title “first,” and with the ever-present temptation to pride among leaders, it would probably be unwise to do so.
Should Pluralities Have both Paid and Unpaid Members?
This brings us to the second concern, namely, payment. It is evident in the Bible that the leaders of a local church are worthy of compensation (e.g. 1 Tim 5:17-18), and the benefits of paid leadership are evident, namely, the freedom it gives them to focus on the needs of the church. Paul is an example of a leader who does not take a wage that he is entitled to (1 Cor 9), so there are instances where being unpaid may be appropriate (though Paul is not the exact equivalent of a local church elder, given his apostolic role). 1 Timothy 5:17-18 suggests that those who labour in preaching and teaching are especially worthy of remuneration and respect. Verse 17 indicates that all elders are worthy of this “two-fold honour,” so all elders are “worthy” of a wage. In some sense, those who are primarily responsible for teaching and preaching are in greater need. 1 Timothy 5:17 would seem to indicate that in the ideal circumstance, all elders would be paid. However, this will be difficult for small churches or those without many resources. In such a case, I take the “especially” to indicate that if anyone is able to be paid, it ought to be those who are engaged in the labour-heavy task of preaching and teaching. However, this is far from saying that it is ideal for a combination of paid and unpaid elders. Each plurality will be limited by the resources available to their church, but it is certainly possible that in some churches, all elders will receive a full living wage from their labours; in other churches, all elders may receive some remuneration, but only the preaching and teaching elders may receive a full living wage; in other churches, perhaps only the preaching and teaching elders will receive a wage—and this may not even be a living wage. However, the goal of remuneration should always be freeing up the eldership to perform its duties. Thus it will be variable not only on the church’s resources but also on an elder’s abilities. Some elders may be able to balance family, church ministry, and a job; others may be unable to balance the requirements of work and ministry. That an elder is worthy of a wage means that those who cannot balance both are not disqualified from ministry, but it is not an excuse for laziness among those who are competent. Certainly, working outside of the church may open opportunities for evangelism and outreach that would not be available to someone working solely in ministry, and it may also provide an alternate perspective. Still, it is not clear to me that only a mixture of paid and unpaid elders may provide this. An elder may be fully employed by a church but heavily engaged in volunteer and community work that opens the same doors as an unpaid elder. Regardless of the status of the elders’ wages, it would probably be wise to be in regular consultation with the congregation to better understand their perspective on things, so having no elder in the workforce does not necessarily estrange the eldership from the perspective of the congregation. The point is simple: it seems that in some cases, a mixture of paid and unpaid elders is desirable; in other situations, it is inevitable; in still others, having an entirely paid eldership would seem ideal. I am not convinced of the wisdom of the claim that a balance of unpaid and paid elders is ideal; I certainly do not see biblical warrant for the claim.
Conclusion
Nevertheless, though I think there are areas in The Plurality Principle where Harvey’s argument fails, I am thankful for the wisdom that permeates the book. There is much to learn about healthy church leadership and the dynamics of eldership from Harvey’s work. I highly recommend The Plurality Principle to those who are currently elders, whether they are part of a plurality or not, and those who aspire to be leaders.
Summary
Harvey’s central claim in The Plurality Principle is that “the quality of your elder plurality determines the health of your church” (15). Harvey is a leader experienced in the ups and downs of eldership within a plurality; he proves to be a helpful guide in many issues surrounding the plurality principle. The Plurality Principle is divided into two parts; Part 1 considers building a plurality, part 2 thriving as such. Each part has four chapters. After introducing and briefly defending a plurality of elders from Scripture in Chapter 1, Harvey then addresses three aspects of building a plurality. In Chapter 2, he argues for the principle of “First among equals,” that is, having one elder (perhaps the single paid member) who is the leader among the leaders. In Chapter 3, Harvey then considers the role of the “senior pastor,” or first elder, from the perspective of five “hats” he wears (“Custodian of the Plurality”; “Catalyst of Progress”; “Curator of Culture”; “Captain of Communication”; and “Liaison for Partnership”). Chapters 2 and 3 say many helpful things, but Harvey’s insistence on a role of “first among equals” is the first contention I want to engage with further. Part 1 concludes in Chapter 4 by displaying several things that a healthy, biblical plurality is not, namely, 1) a group of people dependent on outside expertise (biblical scholars, counsellors, coaches, lawyers, etc.); experts are helpful but are intended to “supplement, not replace, local elder teams” (71). 2) A healthy plurality is not reluctant, passive and unwilling to engage in leading a church—perhaps willing to leave it all to the “senior pastor.” 3) A healthy plurality is not invisible; even the most gifted “senior pastor” does not make a plurality redundant. Each counterfeit identified by Harvey is an instance where the leadership of the plurality is diminished, either by giving all authority to the senior minister or by passing it off to external parties.
Part 2 of The Plurality Principle looks closer at the mechanics of a functioning plurality. Chapter 5 looks at the need for pastoral care and accountability between the members of a plurality. In Chapter 6, Harvey identifies the importance of recognising the sorts of power held by those in a leadership position and how this is best shared among the members of the plurality. Chapter 7 offers a fourfold diagnostic for evaluating the health of an existing plurality, walking through each with questions to guide the team in thoughtfully considering them. These diagnostics are agreement, trust, care, and fit (as in, “do we enjoy being with each other and know our place on the team?” 129). Chapter 8 concludes the book by reflecting on the great potential for joy that is found in a functioning biblical plurality.
There are also four appendices that address practical issues that may emerge for elders, for elders towards their senior pastor, the relationship between elders and their wives, salary, and term limits. In each of the areas Harvey discusses, he speaks from a wealth of experience and practical wisdom; his insights are invaluable. However, he makes two contentions, woven throughout the book, that I would like to interact with a bit. Harvey claims that a healthy plurality involves a single leader who is the first among equals and that an eldership team should involve unpaid members.
Evaluation
Should Pluralities Have First among Equals?
In The Plurality Principle, Harvey argues that an essential component of an eldership team is a leader. Harvey describes the relationship in this way, “pluralities are an assembly of coequal parties, yet each one decides to subordinate himself to a leader. Pluralities do this … because they believe the equals are most effective when they have a first to tend the team and move it forward” (42). Despite the importance given to this role, as evidenced by the two chapters Harvey dedicates to it (Chs. 1-2), he cannot marshal any explicit evidence in its favour—as he admits (40). Instead, he offers several examples of a leader-among-leaders model found in Scripture, and points to the incarnation submission of the Son to the Father and the order of headship in the family. He argues, “there is a broad pattern of order—a beautiful tapestry of leadership—that appears from the opening pages of Scripture to the final words in Revelation” (40). The problem with his argument is that not one of his examples comes near to approximating the biblical model of a plurality of elders, as he comes close to admitting on page 41. I believe there is a reason for this—but we will get to that shortly. After identifying general problems of plurality without leadership and leadership without plurality, he then gives several pragmatic arguments in favour of the first-among-equals model. First, a leaderless plurality tends to be better at preservation than expansion (44); second, without leadership, a plurality often descends into partisanship (44); third, without a role for a first, elders with a unique leadership gift are denied an avenue to express this gifting (45); fourth, without leadership, there may be a vacuum of care for the elders (45-46). Even if the pragmatic arguments were compelling (though I did not find them to be so), the lack of biblical warrant should raise significant questions. If having a first among equals is as important as having a plurality of elders, why does the New Testament ecclesiology give attention to the need for plurality and never to the internal hierarchy of that plurality?
Now, to be clear, I do not think that pure egalitarian models of leadership are helpful, and I think there is a clear pattern in Scripture of hierarchical structures (e.g. 1 Cor 11:2-3; Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18-20; 1 Pet 3:1-7; etc.). However, this raises a significant issue: if the pattern is consistently hierarchical, why is there this one exception? First, let’s establish that this is indeed the exception, then let’s consider why God might have a good purpose in it.
When we look closely at the examples Harvey gives, none are an example of a first among equals. He puts forth the example of the prophets, but there is no clear ecclesiological authority expressed by these prophets, nor is there a clear relationship delineated among them that would let us discern a pattern of “first among equals.” As for Moses, Moses is a single leader to whom many others are subordinated; Moses had an unparalleled role, with clear subordinates. This is far from a first-among-equals model. It is merely delegated authority. The examples of headship among the family and Christ’s submission to the Father are hardly examples of first-among-equals, for though husband and wife are clearly equal—as are the Father and Christ—the model of headship never applied to the relationship of some elders to others, as Harvey admits (41). Indeed, the model as it applies to churches is the submission of the flock to the plurality. The case of Peter and James is a difficult one; however, presuming that they did indeed express unique roles of preeminent leadership among their respective parts of the global church, it should be observed that this is not an adequate analogy of local church ministry. They exercised unique authority over church leaders that were, presumably, eldership pluralities. Their role is single leaders over other leaders, and even here, the Bible does not present their unique roles as enduring ones; they appear to be provisional for the establishment of the church. Though they come closest, James and Peter do not provide a sufficient analogy to justify the claim that eldership pluralities must have a single leader.
So, if the Bible consistently presents hierarchies, except in this case, is there perhaps a reason for this? The only reason I can think of (and I have thought much about this topic) is that the single leader of each local church is actually Christ, the head of the body, under whom the plurality of elders serve. Christ sets the vision of the church (Matt 28:18-20) and gives authoritative and sufficient guidance through the Bible so that the elders can work together to achieve that vision. In the New Testament, this unique leadership role was played by the Apostles, such as Peter, James, and Paul. With the closing of the canon, their writings function in this same role as the means by which Christ exerts his authority over the local congregation.
Are we then left with a bare egalitarianism, with which Harvey identifies many problems? I do not think so. Several issues arise not from structural problems but character problems; that is, the threat of partisanship is real, but it emerges when elders act in ways incompatible with their calling. Though no eldership body is perfect, so such problems will inevitably emerge, the potential for such problems reminds us of the importance of character in appointing church leaders. More importantly, rejecting a “first among equals” approach is not a rejection of all hierarchy and subordination—i.e., leadership—within a plurality, only an absolute form of it. That is, many of the hats Harvey identifies in Chapter 3 and aspects of senior pastor’s role unpacked across the book do not have to be the held by any one person. Indeed, they may be better performed when delegated. That is, among a team of four elders, it would not be unbiblical, and it would be wise, to have one leader primarily responsible for direction in preaching (though not perhaps preaching itself), one leader in charge of pastoral care, one leader in charge of eldership care, and another directing administration. To maintain true plurality, “primary” should not mean sole; they may take the lead, but a plurality is built on the collaboration of the whole team. Such a model of delegation within the plurality differs from a “first among equals” model because, I would argue, the Bible does not justify us in identifying any of these roles as first. Moreover, the Bible does not justify us assigning all of these “hats” to one man; indeed, that seems to defeat the purpose of a plurality of leaders. The preaching elder need not lead eldership meetings; this may be more appropriate for the administrative elder. And elder charged with leading in preaching should not be the only elder preaching; that all elders must be competent to teach (1 Tim 3:2) suggests that they are all to bear this responsibility. At this point, 1 Timothy 5:17 enters the picture, “The elders leading well are worthy of a two-fold honour, especially those who labour in word and teaching” (my translation). Several observations are pertinent: on the one hand, the “two-fold honour” depends on an elder leading well, which anticipates the coming instructions on discipline. Commentators are probably right when identifying “two-fold” as both respect or honour and remuneration, which the following verses focus on (5:18). We will address the “especially” below, but some elders are expected to spend more time with preaching (“in word”) and teaching. Even here, it is multiple elders who are said to have this role. Therefore, though all elders are able to teach, and will do so at different times, some elders are specifically responsible for this role. Given that what follows focuses on wage, I suspect the “especially” is not meant to indicate that the preaching-teaching role is worthy of more respect than mere leadership; instead, given its great labour intensity, this role requires more compensation than the other roles.
I am not convinced that the Bible mandates a first-among-equal model, nor that it is particularly helpful. However, it is necessary to assign different roles to different elders according to their gifting, so it is natural to assume that each elder in a team will lead the others in one area. However, we have no biblical warrant to assign one of these areas of leadership the title “first,” and with the ever-present temptation to pride among leaders, it would probably be unwise to do so.
Should Pluralities Have both Paid and Unpaid Members?
This brings us to the second concern, namely, payment. It is evident in the Bible that the leaders of a local church are worthy of compensation (e.g. 1 Tim 5:17-18), and the benefits of paid leadership are evident, namely, the freedom it gives them to focus on the needs of the church. Paul is an example of a leader who does not take a wage that he is entitled to (1 Cor 9), so there are instances where being unpaid may be appropriate (though Paul is not the exact equivalent of a local church elder, given his apostolic role). 1 Timothy 5:17-18 suggests that those who labour in preaching and teaching are especially worthy of remuneration and respect. Verse 17 indicates that all elders are worthy of this “two-fold honour,” so all elders are “worthy” of a wage. In some sense, those who are primarily responsible for teaching and preaching are in greater need. 1 Timothy 5:17 would seem to indicate that in the ideal circumstance, all elders would be paid. However, this will be difficult for small churches or those without many resources. In such a case, I take the “especially” to indicate that if anyone is able to be paid, it ought to be those who are engaged in the labour-heavy task of preaching and teaching. However, this is far from saying that it is ideal for a combination of paid and unpaid elders. Each plurality will be limited by the resources available to their church, but it is certainly possible that in some churches, all elders will receive a full living wage from their labours; in other churches, all elders may receive some remuneration, but only the preaching and teaching elders may receive a full living wage; in other churches, perhaps only the preaching and teaching elders will receive a wage—and this may not even be a living wage. However, the goal of remuneration should always be freeing up the eldership to perform its duties. Thus it will be variable not only on the church’s resources but also on an elder’s abilities. Some elders may be able to balance family, church ministry, and a job; others may be unable to balance the requirements of work and ministry. That an elder is worthy of a wage means that those who cannot balance both are not disqualified from ministry, but it is not an excuse for laziness among those who are competent. Certainly, working outside of the church may open opportunities for evangelism and outreach that would not be available to someone working solely in ministry, and it may also provide an alternate perspective. Still, it is not clear to me that only a mixture of paid and unpaid elders may provide this. An elder may be fully employed by a church but heavily engaged in volunteer and community work that opens the same doors as an unpaid elder. Regardless of the status of the elders’ wages, it would probably be wise to be in regular consultation with the congregation to better understand their perspective on things, so having no elder in the workforce does not necessarily estrange the eldership from the perspective of the congregation. The point is simple: it seems that in some cases, a mixture of paid and unpaid elders is desirable; in other situations, it is inevitable; in still others, having an entirely paid eldership would seem ideal. I am not convinced of the wisdom of the claim that a balance of unpaid and paid elders is ideal; I certainly do not see biblical warrant for the claim.
Conclusion
Nevertheless, though I think there are areas in The Plurality Principle where Harvey’s argument fails, I am thankful for the wisdom that permeates the book. There is much to learn about healthy church leadership and the dynamics of eldership from Harvey’s work. I highly recommend The Plurality Principle to those who are currently elders, whether they are part of a plurality or not, and those who aspire to be leaders.
November 6, 2025
Great book. I’m not sold on his argument for “first among equals,” but his emphasis on plurality and team leadership is excellent. His repeated thesis is spot on: “The quality of your elder plurality determines the health of your church.”
February 1, 2025
Really enjoyed this. Very practically helpful. Would have liked a bit more biblical support in general but I think most of what he recommends is based off biblical principles. I loved his driving idea that the health of your elder team drives the health of your church.
January 30, 2023
Very American in its church model - I'm reviewing it according to the context it is written in and for. Its principles will have to be amended in other cultures.
Argues strongly and well for a plurality of elders ruling the church, and argues that it is a good and natural thing for one elder to be the "main pastor" who is particularly gifted and loved by the church. He will probably do most of the preaching, and will be the "main face" of the elders toward the church. Distinguishes between vocational and nonvocational elders, assumes a model in which churches put out wanted ads for pastors. But the core principles are universal: Elders need to be close with each other, hold each other accountable, correct and encourage each other. The main pastor has to represent the council as a whole, even when he disagrees on minor issues. He speaks very well and very practically about difficulties that most elders deal with - pride, focus on outward things, discouragement, time constraints, disagrements with co-elders, etc. Helpful book for the reader that can distinguish between what is cultural and what is universal.
Argues strongly and well for a plurality of elders ruling the church, and argues that it is a good and natural thing for one elder to be the "main pastor" who is particularly gifted and loved by the church. He will probably do most of the preaching, and will be the "main face" of the elders toward the church. Distinguishes between vocational and nonvocational elders, assumes a model in which churches put out wanted ads for pastors. But the core principles are universal: Elders need to be close with each other, hold each other accountable, correct and encourage each other. The main pastor has to represent the council as a whole, even when he disagrees on minor issues. He speaks very well and very practically about difficulties that most elders deal with - pride, focus on outward things, discouragement, time constraints, disagrements with co-elders, etc. Helpful book for the reader that can distinguish between what is cultural and what is universal.
January 4, 2023
Harvey does an excellent job at focusing on the team aspect of eldership. There are many books out there unpacking the qualifications of an elder (looking at Acts 20; 1 Tim 3; Tit 1). This is not Harvey’s focus. He zooms in on the topic of an elder team functioning together, disagreeing healthily, fostering unity, acknowledging and sharing power, as well as tackling practical question such as how much an elder shares with his wife and care for the lead pastor. On some levels this book was hard to read because it revealed some of my own weaknesses as an elder in a way other books on eldership haven’t, and I will be a better elder because of it. I am going to have my elder team read this.
June 10, 2022
This is a really great book on plurality in eldership. Much of my reading on the topic has come from 9Marks so it was refreshing to be exposed to another voice who draws on the 9Marks vision for ministry but isn’t exclusively coming from that perspective.
November 3, 2022
Great foundational principles for eldership within the context of American churches. I would love to hear Dave’s perspective on plurality within different church models or contexts. How would this work in a house church model in China? Or how could it adapt to fit the culture and context of different people groups?
April 13, 2023
A good foundation or refresher on healthy leadership
There are a decent number of examples from Dave’s ministry and others, which is helpful. His structure was well thought out and kept each chapter focused and concise. As a pastor who serves on an elder board overseas, I found this book to be a necessary addition to my biblical leadership library.
There are a decent number of examples from Dave’s ministry and others, which is helpful. His structure was well thought out and kept each chapter focused and concise. As a pastor who serves on an elder board overseas, I found this book to be a necessary addition to my biblical leadership library.
February 9, 2021
“The quality of your elder plurality determines the health of your church.” This is the premise that undergirds Dave Harvey’s new offering, The Plurality Principle. The subtitle, How to Build and Maintain a Thriving Church Leadership Team nicely summarizes the essence of this practical volume.
Harvey prepares readers for this thought-provoking journey by providing a short roadmap. Five observations will keep leadership teams on track and moving in a Godward direction:
How healthy pluralities offer authentic community that is characterized by vulnerability, honesty, and growth through self-disclosure.
In what follows, the author presents the biblical case for a plurality of elders in the local church. He adds, “A plural-leadership model is foundational for the local church. Plurality not only reflects the co-equality, unity, and community expressed by the Trinity (2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Pet. 1:2; Jude 20-21). It serves the church in at least six other ways.”
1. Plurality embodies and expresses the NT principle of interdependence and the diversity of gifts among members of Christ's body (Rom. 14:4-6; 1 Cor. 12).
2. Plurality acknowledges human limitations by recognizing that no one elder or bishop can possess the full complement of gifts God intends to use to bless and build the church (1 Cor. 12:21).
3. Plurality creates a leadership structure where men must model the unity to which God calls the whole church (John 17:23; Rom. 15:5; Eph. 4:3; Col. 3:14.
4. Plurality creates a community of care, support, and accountability that guards the calling, life, and doctrine of the leaders (1 Tim. 4:14, 16; Titus 1:6-9).
5. Plurality provides a mechanism to deal wisely and collaboratively with the institutional necessities of the local church.
6. Plurality contradicts the idea of a singular genius and replaces it with what the Bible calls an "abundance of counselors" (Prov. 11:14; 24:6) who collaborate, lead, and guide the church together.
Additionally, Harvey builds a case for the “first among equals” and offers practical advice for senior pastors. Building a culture of care and accountability is at the heart of the book.
Throughout, the author ably defends the original theme of the “plurality principle.” His book is a helpful addition to a growing body of books that address biblical eldership.
Highly recommended.
Harvey prepares readers for this thought-provoking journey by providing a short roadmap. Five observations will keep leadership teams on track and moving in a Godward direction:
How healthy pluralities keep the church moving forward.
How healthy plurals can be designed to work.
How healthy pluralities create a context for elder care.
How healthy pluralities offer authentic community that is characterized by vulnerability, honesty, and growth through self-disclosure.
In what follows, the author presents the biblical case for a plurality of elders in the local church. He adds, “A plural-leadership model is foundational for the local church. Plurality not only reflects the co-equality, unity, and community expressed by the Trinity (2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Pet. 1:2; Jude 20-21). It serves the church in at least six other ways.”
1. Plurality embodies and expresses the NT principle of interdependence and the diversity of gifts among members of Christ's body (Rom. 14:4-6; 1 Cor. 12).
2. Plurality acknowledges human limitations by recognizing that no one elder or bishop can possess the full complement of gifts God intends to use to bless and build the church (1 Cor. 12:21).
3. Plurality creates a leadership structure where men must model the unity to which God calls the whole church (John 17:23; Rom. 15:5; Eph. 4:3; Col. 3:14.
4. Plurality creates a community of care, support, and accountability that guards the calling, life, and doctrine of the leaders (1 Tim. 4:14, 16; Titus 1:6-9).
5. Plurality provides a mechanism to deal wisely and collaboratively with the institutional necessities of the local church.
6. Plurality contradicts the idea of a singular genius and replaces it with what the Bible calls an "abundance of counselors" (Prov. 11:14; 24:6) who collaborate, lead, and guide the church together.
Additionally, Harvey builds a case for the “first among equals” and offers practical advice for senior pastors. Building a culture of care and accountability is at the heart of the book.
Throughout, the author ably defends the original theme of the “plurality principle.” His book is a helpful addition to a growing body of books that address biblical eldership.
Highly recommended.
July 2, 2025
Just read this book again. I highly recommend it.
December 16, 2022
Off-putting tone, but some practical help.
Harvey lays out his appeal to the mainstream broadly evangelical church to move from the more common sole-pastor-model to a plurality of elders as we see in the New Testament. He then spends the rest of the book laying out this vision. He starts with an appeal for a having a first among equals, to be the shepherd of the shepherds, and to cast a broader vision for the church. He then identifies issues that may arise, and how he and other senior pastors have dealt with them. He strongly maintains that pastor ought to have an elder board with real power. He teaches that various jobs in the church should be delegated to them (for example, he said that one of them could moderate the session meetings, he wouldn’t have to do that). Also, that they should be able to be real and able to rebuke the senior pastor. Also, that he should defer to them if he is out voted. He also explained that he should go to them for advice and help, and not seek outside consultants. He then has a series of appendices for various practical matters that he hadn’t yet covered, such as how much you should be willing to tell you wife from what was discussed at elders’ meetings.
Overall, I found myself mostly agreeing with the content, but I also went into the book believing firmly in a plurality of elders. I appreciated the section about wives, that was helpful. I appreciated his bit about not shying away from the idea of power. I also appreciated his bit about not seeking “experts” but relying on the men on the session. As for my critiques, I found his overall tone was off-putting, it smelled of corporate-y culture, assuming pastors have the personality type of a CEO/intense businessman. For example, he talked about struggling with worldly ambition being common for pastors to struggle with (which I have not necessarily found). Or he ought to financially successful enough to have a car made in the 21st century (ho ho ho). Also, a complete lack the Scriptural elder qualifications was a huge oversight, and quite biblically irresponsible, especially when he’s assuming a worldly architype for the “type” who’d be a pastor. He also does not use masculine pronouns when talking about elders, he just speaks of them generically as “leaders,” I found this off-putting, like he didn’t want to offend someone who didn’t believe the clear Scriptural teaching that all church rulers must be men. Despite the criticisms I had, I found the book overall largely true and unobjectionable. However, most of the stuff I had heard already.
Harvey lays out his appeal to the mainstream broadly evangelical church to move from the more common sole-pastor-model to a plurality of elders as we see in the New Testament. He then spends the rest of the book laying out this vision. He starts with an appeal for a having a first among equals, to be the shepherd of the shepherds, and to cast a broader vision for the church. He then identifies issues that may arise, and how he and other senior pastors have dealt with them. He strongly maintains that pastor ought to have an elder board with real power. He teaches that various jobs in the church should be delegated to them (for example, he said that one of them could moderate the session meetings, he wouldn’t have to do that). Also, that they should be able to be real and able to rebuke the senior pastor. Also, that he should defer to them if he is out voted. He also explained that he should go to them for advice and help, and not seek outside consultants. He then has a series of appendices for various practical matters that he hadn’t yet covered, such as how much you should be willing to tell you wife from what was discussed at elders’ meetings.
Overall, I found myself mostly agreeing with the content, but I also went into the book believing firmly in a plurality of elders. I appreciated the section about wives, that was helpful. I appreciated his bit about not shying away from the idea of power. I also appreciated his bit about not seeking “experts” but relying on the men on the session. As for my critiques, I found his overall tone was off-putting, it smelled of corporate-y culture, assuming pastors have the personality type of a CEO/intense businessman. For example, he talked about struggling with worldly ambition being common for pastors to struggle with (which I have not necessarily found). Or he ought to financially successful enough to have a car made in the 21st century (ho ho ho). Also, a complete lack the Scriptural elder qualifications was a huge oversight, and quite biblically irresponsible, especially when he’s assuming a worldly architype for the “type” who’d be a pastor. He also does not use masculine pronouns when talking about elders, he just speaks of them generically as “leaders,” I found this off-putting, like he didn’t want to offend someone who didn’t believe the clear Scriptural teaching that all church rulers must be men. Despite the criticisms I had, I found the book overall largely true and unobjectionable. However, most of the stuff I had heard already.
July 3, 2021
“The Plurality Principle: How to Build and Maintain a Thriving Church Leadership” by Dave Harvey goes beyond many of the books that are written in defense of the plurality of elders argument. Though it does that too. While this book did not meet ALL of my expectations, it was helpful in some of them.
The most helpful part of the book was Part 1. It is made up of four chapters, including the defense of elders, but also reasons for have a first among equals and what that senior/lead pastor’s role ought to include as it relates to the other elders. That chapter on the lead pastor’s role was convicting to me and since having read it a few weeks ago, I am using it in an effort to better myself. The fourth chapter was about counterfeit pluralities that disguise themselves as a genuine plurality.
I was hoping that Part 2 would get into the nitty-gritty details of how to delegate certain areas to certain elders/pastors. Because of those expectations I was disappointed. There was very little of that going on. That is not to say that these four chapters within this part were not helpful. They certainly were, just in a different way than I had expected. These four chapters dealt with the personal side of eldership. Growing together, sharing responsibility and care together, how to be sure the elders are moving forward together, and rejoicing together as pastors over the same flock. All of these chapters are crucial to have a thriving elder team and a healthy church leadership in general.
There are some appendices at the end. I found the one detailing how much to tell your wife as to all the goings on of church/pastor-life to be helpful.
“The Plurality Principle” is certainly worth the read. At only 169 pages, it is a quick enough read for every pastor to read and everything within its pages is implementable even from the moment you read it. It just takes the will to do it. I give the book 4 out of 5 stars only because Harvey never dealt with how to determine what to delegate. As a lead pastor, it would be so helpful to get some leading on that.
The most helpful part of the book was Part 1. It is made up of four chapters, including the defense of elders, but also reasons for have a first among equals and what that senior/lead pastor’s role ought to include as it relates to the other elders. That chapter on the lead pastor’s role was convicting to me and since having read it a few weeks ago, I am using it in an effort to better myself. The fourth chapter was about counterfeit pluralities that disguise themselves as a genuine plurality.
I was hoping that Part 2 would get into the nitty-gritty details of how to delegate certain areas to certain elders/pastors. Because of those expectations I was disappointed. There was very little of that going on. That is not to say that these four chapters within this part were not helpful. They certainly were, just in a different way than I had expected. These four chapters dealt with the personal side of eldership. Growing together, sharing responsibility and care together, how to be sure the elders are moving forward together, and rejoicing together as pastors over the same flock. All of these chapters are crucial to have a thriving elder team and a healthy church leadership in general.
There are some appendices at the end. I found the one detailing how much to tell your wife as to all the goings on of church/pastor-life to be helpful.
“The Plurality Principle” is certainly worth the read. At only 169 pages, it is a quick enough read for every pastor to read and everything within its pages is implementable even from the moment you read it. It just takes the will to do it. I give the book 4 out of 5 stars only because Harvey never dealt with how to determine what to delegate. As a lead pastor, it would be so helpful to get some leading on that.
April 29, 2021
Dave Harvey has roughly three decades of experience in pastoral ministry and he reflects on those experiences often throughout his book. Dave communicates well and I found his book is highly accessible. He structured the book in two parts (Part 1: Building a Plurality & Part 2: Thriving as a Plurality) and stated his premise very clearly in the introduction: "The quality of your elder plurality determines the health of your church."
If you've read any articles or books on eldership or plurality then I'm not sure you'll uncover any revolutionary contributions from this book. Dave provides a more practical approach based on personal ministry experience rather than a deep theological study (he mentions there is no Scripture to support role of senior pastor before he proceeds to make his case for such). However, if you do want to read an argument for a senior pastor then you may find it here. In fact, this might be one of my biggest frustrations with the book. While Dave stresses the importance of plural eldership, he spends a large percentage of his book making a case for a senior pastor (half the chapters in the first part "building a plurality" are about the senior pastor). Dave also says he has no problem with a distinction between pastor/elder (see footnote on page 27). In the end, I think there is still great value in Dave's contribution here - especially because, as Dave writes, someone still needs to lead.
A better title for this book might well be "The Senior Pastor & the Elders"
If you've read any articles or books on eldership or plurality then I'm not sure you'll uncover any revolutionary contributions from this book. Dave provides a more practical approach based on personal ministry experience rather than a deep theological study (he mentions there is no Scripture to support role of senior pastor before he proceeds to make his case for such). However, if you do want to read an argument for a senior pastor then you may find it here. In fact, this might be one of my biggest frustrations with the book. While Dave stresses the importance of plural eldership, he spends a large percentage of his book making a case for a senior pastor (half the chapters in the first part "building a plurality" are about the senior pastor). Dave also says he has no problem with a distinction between pastor/elder (see footnote on page 27). In the end, I think there is still great value in Dave's contribution here - especially because, as Dave writes, someone still needs to lead.
A better title for this book might well be "The Senior Pastor & the Elders"
January 8, 2022
Overall, the book is a good introduction for those exploring the idea of primus inter pares (first among equals), hence the title. The book is a collection of some of the author's articles on gospelcoalition.com as evidenced in the endnotes of links to websites and articles to The Gospel Coalition.
It is an easy read coming from a Presbyterian background wherein the denomination has been practicing the principle of plurality since its conception. The target audience of the books is more for new to the principle of plurality, coming from independent and nondenominational churches and perhaps those from Episcopalian background since both sides only have primus (the first)
His historical research, though it is not the intention of the book is not present. The concept of primus inter pares existed early in the life of the church, which slowly evolved to a hierarchical or Episcopal structure.
Appendix four is disappointing since it seem to advocate term eldership even though he argues scripture is silent (though it can be inferred that Scripture is against term eldership). The author could have added an appendix five that argues against term eldership by John Murray to provide an adequate balance.
It is an easy read coming from a Presbyterian background wherein the denomination has been practicing the principle of plurality since its conception. The target audience of the books is more for new to the principle of plurality, coming from independent and nondenominational churches and perhaps those from Episcopalian background since both sides only have primus (the first)
His historical research, though it is not the intention of the book is not present. The concept of primus inter pares existed early in the life of the church, which slowly evolved to a hierarchical or Episcopal structure.
Appendix four is disappointing since it seem to advocate term eldership even though he argues scripture is silent (though it can be inferred that Scripture is against term eldership). The author could have added an appendix five that argues against term eldership by John Murray to provide an adequate balance.
June 15, 2024
Dave provides excellent, easily accessible biblical support for church government by a plurality of elders. It’s gold and worth the price alone, but there is much more to be appreciated. He gives wise counsel in building and maintaining healthy teams. His positioning of the senior/lead pastor as the first among equals is very helpful. Dave walks the line between the extremes of a model where the senior pastor is THE pastor who the other pastors serve and a team with no defined leader.
Dave strongly advocates for lay elders, but uses the logic of needing representatives of the church to balance the staff elders, which I wonder about conceptually.
Two sections appendices, imo, are less helpful. Is my wife my plurality has so many caveats I couldn’t decide what he was affirming. In Term Limits for pastors Dave imagines a two tiered elders - staff and lay, which seems in line with 9 Marks. Again, seems like a two tiered system - the real elders are on staff.
Dave strongly advocates for lay elders, but uses the logic of needing representatives of the church to balance the staff elders, which I wonder about conceptually.
Two sections appendices, imo, are less helpful. Is my wife my plurality has so many caveats I couldn’t decide what he was affirming. In Term Limits for pastors Dave imagines a two tiered elders - staff and lay, which seems in line with 9 Marks. Again, seems like a two tiered system - the real elders are on staff.
October 7, 2021
I read this book because I'm interested in church team-leadership approaches. I'm not sure how the "first among equals" approach is all that different from a senior pastor with a board, but I'll keep asking questions and talking to people who understand their approach to ministry to be in line with this structure.
The book was simple, easy to read, and I was able skim parts of it. It didn't rock my world but it gave a helpful base to form questions about what the questions I really want to be asking.
This is a TCG book so it obviously rules out the possibility of women serving as either pastors or elders. I'm getting tired of reading around complementarian crap in books to get to the information/principles that I'm looking for. I kind of hate that I financially supported TCG to buy this book.
The book was simple, easy to read, and I was able skim parts of it. It didn't rock my world but it gave a helpful base to form questions about what the questions I really want to be asking.
This is a TCG book so it obviously rules out the possibility of women serving as either pastors or elders. I'm getting tired of reading around complementarian crap in books to get to the information/principles that I'm looking for. I kind of hate that I financially supported TCG to buy this book.
July 18, 2024
I really like his book on marriage (When Sinners Say 'I Do'), so when I saw that he had written a book on plurality of leadership/elders in the church I was very eager to read it. Sad to say I didn't love it (although I appreciated some of it). At times it seemed to be aimed specifically at large churches, which I did not find very helpful, as I pastor a rather small church. And he doesn't really seem to have a Presbyterian polity in mind (which is literally that the church is governed by a plurality of elders). Perhaps my expectations should have been different. It was worth reading, but I found myself skimming over parts by the time I got to the end. One thing worthy of note which was emphasized throughout the book is that the quality of the plurality of elders determines the spiritual health of a church. That was a helpful (and always timely) reminder for any pastor or elder to read.
July 26, 2021
Dave Harvey does a phenomenal job painting a beautiful picture of the "why" behind plurality. He is practical, but the purpose of the book isn't to be a "how-to" book on eldership but to paint a picture of biblical plurality. However, it is intensely practical. He gives his opinion when it's needed. He gives clarity where it's needed. But more than anything, he exposes what Scripture says about Church leadership plurality. The Church was birthed by Christ and He is the Head, therefore, we should structure it as He has commanded. As a result, it will paint a picture of the Gospel that will reflect the beauty and glory of Jesus and minister to His people that are under our care. This will be my go-to book on plural leadership both to read and to recommend.
December 1, 2021
Excellent instruction with a thorough understanding of Scripture… lacking one appendix
While this book didn’t have what I was looking for in particular, it contained exactly what I needed: a well-informed explanation of elder-plurality and the inspirational joys that come when it’s implemented. The only thing I wish this contained (what I was looking for) was an appendix of a sample document of organizational rules and procedures for churches to implement and maintain an elder/oversight team, something that could take all of this and land it on the ground. Overall, this reminded me of the joy waiting for me at the end of the hard work of creating an oversight team in the church I pastor. Thank you Dave Harvey!
While this book didn’t have what I was looking for in particular, it contained exactly what I needed: a well-informed explanation of elder-plurality and the inspirational joys that come when it’s implemented. The only thing I wish this contained (what I was looking for) was an appendix of a sample document of organizational rules and procedures for churches to implement and maintain an elder/oversight team, something that could take all of this and land it on the ground. Overall, this reminded me of the joy waiting for me at the end of the hard work of creating an oversight team in the church I pastor. Thank you Dave Harvey!
November 12, 2021
I just finished “The Plurality Principle” by @revdaveharvey … This book was a great overview of the importance of establishing a healthy leadership culture in your church and the joy offered in leading in community vs isolation. Dave gives a balanced presentation of the importance of the role of the Senior Pastor, and also the importance of the leadership community pastors/elders. I would recommend every church leader to get there hands on this timely resource. It’s an easy read, and I think it will encourage and challenge you towards leading the Bride of Christ as the NT authors and Jesus himself intended.
November 7, 2021
Read this as part of a class I'm taking through my church- at first I didn't think this would be very applicable to me (it's about Biblical church structure leadership specifically eldership), however, it was really good and applicable to working on any team or being a leader in any capacity. Short read. Very practical. Gave me a lot of confidence and appreciation for both the Biblical definition of the church leadership structure and why a Plurality of leaders with a lead pastor ("the first among equals") is so important and is used for the sanctification of the entire church body.
January 30, 2023
This concise understanding and argument for a plurality of elders was really helpful for my own understanding of the Biblical model of church leadership. The best part of this book is that it is very practical and focuses a lot on the authors experiences with many types of church leadership teams. However, this is also the worst part of the book as it really doesn’t have a lot of Scriptural focus. The book is very pragmatic and helpful in that way, but lacking in Biblical basis for a lot of points. Overall a good read and worthy of going through.
January 20, 2022
The overall premise I actually disagreed with. I felt he spoke a lot of things from more of a “gospel truth” than opinion without doing a good job of biblically backing his points. I felt his defense of first among many was weak and more descriptive than prescriptive, but the strengths for me and where I took many notes came through the overall process of examination on aspects of setting up eldership, and the appendices alone bumped this up a star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2023
Wonderfully Practical
I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time. Most books on elder ship (there aren’t many) are good at looking at biblical texts and explaining the “what” but are not very helpful in the practical stuff.
Harvey is. He brings decades of experience into this conversation and gives some very helpful and practical reasons for why a plural elder ship is important and how it can practically work.
I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time. Most books on elder ship (there aren’t many) are good at looking at biblical texts and explaining the “what” but are not very helpful in the practical stuff.
Harvey is. He brings decades of experience into this conversation and gives some very helpful and practical reasons for why a plural elder ship is important and how it can practically work.
October 29, 2024
3.5 - if I was going purely off of my enjoyment I would probably put this at a 3 but if I was going purely off of usefulness to this specific area of ministry I would give it a 4. Hence the 3.5! This book was decently entertaining and really really helpful. I had only seen elder pluralities done from afar so it was helpful to look into the fine tunings of how to operate as an elder team. Thankful for this book.
October 31, 2021
I really like what this book had to say, but I think the points were a bit to general to be applicable. It is a convincing argument for plurality, but I came in convinced and wanting more helpful application points.
The points that are there are very helpful, especially questions to ask of yourself and the plurality as a whole.
The points that are there are very helpful, especially questions to ask of yourself and the plurality as a whole.
November 9, 2021
Chapter 2, The Case for “First Among Equals” is worth the price of the book. I also benefited richly from Chapter 4, “Counterfeit Pluralities”.
If you’re in pastoral ministry, planting a church, serving as an elder, or aspiring to serve as an elder, I’d highly recommend this brief, accessible book.
If you’re in pastoral ministry, planting a church, serving as an elder, or aspiring to serve as an elder, I’d highly recommend this brief, accessible book.
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April 8, 2022An excellent book (4.3 or so) on how the leadership of a local church can and should be lead by a plurality of elders. While still leaving room for a senior leader, Harvey makes a compelling biblical and practical case for the need for an active community of elders to work together in leading a local church. I highly recommend this for church leaders.
August 1, 2022
This book found its way to my shelves as our body is making a move to a plurality of elders. It was helpful in that process as it provided yet another perspective with a focus on the "first among equals" principle. While it would have been nice to have seen more of the "nuts and bolts" of how that concept works, it was a good book in expressing the heart that should be behind the concept.
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