Meetings That Work: A Guide to Effective Elders' Meetings by Alexander Strauch is a practical, biblically grounded handbook designed to help church elders lead meetings that are productive, edifying, and spiritually focused. Drawing from decades of experience in church leadership and elder team ministry, Strauch addresses a topic often overlooked in church governancethe importance of well-led, well-structured, and spiritually mature elders' meetings.
Strauch begins with the premise that elders' meetings are not just business gatherings but spiritual events where Gods people come together to shepherd His flock. He emphasizes that the tone and quality of these meetings significantly affect the health of the church. When handled with wisdom, unity, and humility, elder meetings can serve as a source of strength, clarity, and vision for the congregation.
The book outlines key principles for effective meetings, including the importance of preparation, prayer, teamwork, mutual respect, and clear agendas. Strauch offers advice on handling conflict graciously, making decisions collectively, and maintaining a spiritual atmosphere even when addressing administrative issues. He challenges elders to see their meetings as opportunities for pastoral care, not just planningwhere shepherding, teaching, and encouragement should be present alongside practical discussions.
Meetings That Work also includes helpful checklists, case studies, and examples of real-world challenges elders facesuch as dealing with difficult topics, ensuring every voice is heard, and avoiding leadership burnout. Strauchs writing is direct but pastoral, offering wisdom not just for logistics but also for building trust, fostering love among team members, and keeping Christ at the center of leadership.
A notable strength of the book is its call to humility and servant leadership. Strauch underscores that elders are not corporate executives but shepherds called to model Christlike character and collaborative service. He cautions against authoritarianism, spiritual apathy, and the drift toward mere efficiency, reminding readers that godly leadership is measured not just by results, but by how leaders love and serve one another.
Ideal for church leadership teams, elder boards, pastors, and ministry facilitators, Meetings That Work is more than a how-to manualits a call to reimagine leadership meetings as spiritually significant gatherings that reflect the unity, wisdom, and mission of the early church. Its a concise, essential resource for anyone who wants to lead or participate in elder meetings that truly honor Christ and serve His people well.
