Reflections on the Eldership Based on Acts 20:28

By Dennis Prutow

When electing a pastor or elders in a particular congregation, there is a need for confidence that the individuals concerned and the church have God's leading. Acts 20:28 lays the groundwork for experiencing such confidence. When the church follows specific guidelines, and the persons involved also do, the outcome can be that the Holy Spirit has indeed given the church its pastor and elders. This little pamphlet points potential pastors and elders and electing congregations in the direction of this assurance. Chapter titles are Shepherd Leaders, Two Offices or One, Exemplary Christian Living, Watch Yourselves, Affectionate Shepherds, Affection for All,
Servants of the Spirit, Prerequisite Godliness, Holy Spirit Selection, Holy Spirit Appointment, and Unity, Love, Witness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dennis Prutow
• Release date: Feb 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781945305245

Dennis Prutow

Denny Prutow was born in 1939 in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended the US Military Academy at West Point (1959-1963), Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California (1965-1968), and Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida (1995-1998). Denny was an Army Chaplain, a pastor in both the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, and the Professor of Homiletics and Pastoral Theology at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA. He developed Westminster Evangelistic Ministries and remains its administratior. Denny retired in 2013 after forty-five years of active ministry and is now RPTS Professor Emeritus of Homiletics. His books include So Pastor, What's Your Point?, Joyful Voices, Public Worship 101, The Visions of Revelation, You Cannot Escape from God, Biblical Baptism, and What is Saving Faith? He and his wife, Erma, live in Indianapolis, IN. They have three grown daughters and eleven grandchildren.

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Reflections on the Eldership

Based on Acts 20:28

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Dennis J. Prutow

Copyright © 2020 by Dennis J. Prutow

All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted the Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a ?retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, ?electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.

Ebook formatting and cover design by ebooklaunch.com

ISBN 978-1-945305-22-1 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-945305-24-5 (ePub)

ISBN 978-1-945305-23-8 (kindle)

Westminster Evangelistic Ministries

Indianapolis, Indiana

Contents

Introduction

Shepherd Leaders

Two Offices or One

Exemplary Christian Living

Watch Yourselves

Affectionate Shepherds

Affection for All

Servants of the Spirit

Prerequisite Godliness

Holy Spirit Selection

Holy Spirit Appointment

Unity, Love, Witness

Bibliography

Introduction

On February 15, 2009, it was my privilege to preach a sermon on Acts 20:28 at First Reformed Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Penn Hill, a borough of the city of Pittsburgh. You can listen here to this sermon, Blood Bought, Spirit Appointed. In God’s providence, I had been supplying the pulpit for this congregation while they were without a pastor. Now, the Session wanted me to offer some guidance as the congregation began in earnest to hear candidates. Acts 20:28 provided the text for this advice and counsel.

For some time, possibly two decades, I was also writing a monthly column for our denominational magazine, the Reformed Presbyterian Witness. The study for this sermon also provided ideas for this column, called Learn and Live. And so, I developed a series of articles based upon my Acts 20:28 sermon. I present these articles as Reflections on the Eldership. These reflections are not comprehensive but suggestive. The experience of four decades of ministry stands behind them. I hope that elders, young and old, and pastors will benefit from them. And that as a result,