Essential Resources
Foundational biblical eldership training from hard-won experience - learn what works, what doesn't, and what it costs to pursue accountability
Your Journey to Biblical Leadership
These four foundational resources represent 23+ years of lay elder experience – including the painful lessons learned from being removed from leadership in violation of Scripture and local church bylaws for pursuing biblical accountability. Each piece builds on the others to give you both theological grounding and practical wisdom.
Recommended Learning Path
- Learn Practical Realities – Discover what to expect before your first elder meeting
- Start with Biblical Foundation – Understand why God established eldership and what Scripture actually teaches
- Recognize Warning Signs – Identify and respond to leadership abuse biblically
- Implement Solutions – Build accountability systems that actually work
What I Wish I'd Known Before My First Elder Meeting
📋 Practical Guide | ⏱️ 15 min read | 🎯 First-Time Elders
The unwritten rules, political realities, and essential preparation most churches never provide. Learn from my mistakes and walk into your first elder meeting prepared for what you’ll actually encounter.
What You’ll Discover:
- The unwritten rules of elder board dynamics
- Why meetings rarely match your expectations
- How to read the room and navigate church politics
- Common mistakes new elders make
- Your first 90 days strategy for success
The Biblical Foundation Every Lay Elder Must Understand
Essential theological grounding for non-seminary trained leaders. Discover what Scripture actually teaches about eldership, why God established this leadership model, and how the biblical terms shape modern church governance.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why God established elders from Old Testament to today
- How elder, overseer, and pastor describe the same office
- The four biblical responsibilities every elder must embrace
- Key passages that define eldership (1 Tim 3, Titus 1, Acts 20)
- Common misinterpretations that cause church problems
When Elders Become Tyrants: Biblical Solutions to Leadership Abuse
How to recognize, respond to, and prevent leadership abuse. Written from the perspective of someone who was removed from leadership for pursuing biblical accountability, this series provides both warning signs and biblical solutions.
What You’ll Learn:
- Red flags of elder tyranny and spiritual manipulation
- Biblical responses to leadership failures (Matthew 18, 1 Tim 5)
- When to stay and fight vs. when to leave for your family’s health
- How to protect others while pursuing accountability
- Prevention strategies that actually work
