One way or another, leaders emerge in the life of every church. Most pastors want to be intentional about developing and shaping those leaders themselves, but they rarely have the time and resources to do it. So leaders spring up, often without deep roots in the gospel, and they struggle to guide the church towards proper Christian ideologies. The biblical task of leading a church requires more than good management principles or sound theology. If the gospel truly is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16) and is constantly bearing fruit and growing within us (Colossians 1:6), then each elder must be strong in the gospel. That's the vision and the goal behind Gospel Eldership . Gospel Eldership combines theological training with spiritual formation in order to shape future (and current) Christian church leaders at the heart level. It walks future leaders through the biblical concept of servant leadership and the primacy of character before looking at the specific duties of church elders. Gospel Eldership helps develop men who know their own heart idolatry and how the good news of the gospel applies to it and who have a sense of gospel fluency so that they can swiftly, effectively, and clearly apply the gospel to others. Gospel Eldership is designed to intentionally raise up the type of men who can and should lead God's church. Gospel Eldership treats the role of elder carefully and biblically and is written from a theologically complementarian viewpoint. With practical exercises to help put Christian concepts to work in real-life situations, Gospel Eldership can be used in one-on-one discipleship or in a small group setting and is appropriate for use in any Christian church from the smallest church plant to the largest church-planting church. “Absolutely nothing is more important in a church family than the DNA of the leadership culture. The healthiest churches I know are those that are led by pastors and elders who are captured by the gospel, smitten with Jesus, and transformed by God’s grace. Bob Thune’s new book, Gospel Eldership , presents a vision and roadmap for cultivating this kind of leadership culture.” Scotty Ward Smith, Teacher in Residence, West End Community Church, Nashville, TN “I’ve lost count of the number of times that pastors, church plant­ers, and seminary students have asked me for a practical, hands-on, gospel-centered, and challenging resource for elders-in-training and current elders in churches. The book you have in your hands is that resource—finally! Gospel Eldership provides much-needed and long-awaited formation for servant leadership in our churches!” Gregg R. Allison, Professor, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; pastor, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, KY; Secretary, Evangelical Theological Society; author of Historical Theology , Sojourners and Strangers , and Roman Catholic Theology and Practice “This material shaped me as a leader when I was new to pastoral min­istry, and this is what we use to train our elders. Bob is a gifted pastor, and this is what he does best: holistic development of church leaders. In this book, you will find sound theology, gospel-centrality, and wise insight from the heart of a leader. The personal and practical applica­tion is what makes this resource a game-changer.” Will Walker, Pastor, Providence Church, Austin, TX; coauthor of The Gospel-Centered Life “Thune understands that when elders apply the gospel, the church thrives. His material is fresh, sharp, and drenched in gospel claims. If you love elders, train elders, support elders, serve as an elder, or even aspire to eldership, Gospel Eldership is a must-buy, must-read, must-discuss, must-apply!” Dave Harvey, Executive Director, Sojourn Network; founder of AmICalled.com; author of When Sinners Say I Do “Bob Thune is a rising star in the evangelical church today, and his Gospel Eldership: Equipping a New Generation of Servant Leaders reveals why. He is a careful thinker, robustly biblical, and fiercely articulate. All of that, and so much more, comes through in Gospel Eldership . I am grateful to God for Bob Thune and for his significant contribution in this most worthwhile book.” Jason K. Allen, President, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Layflat binding Robert H. Thune, MA, is founding and lead pastor of Coram Deo Church in Omaha, Nebraska. He is the author of Gospel Training for Deacons , the coauthor of The Gospel-Centered Life and The Gospel-Centered Community , and the creator of the Daily Liturgy Podcast . In addition to his work as a pastor and writer, he helps to lead a classical Christian school, coaches and trains church leaders, and serves on the Council of The Gospel Coalition. Bob and his wife, Leigh, have four children.