Elders and Term Limits

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).