Shifting Polity: A Blueprint for Helping "Traditional" Churches Embrace the Tradition of Elder Polity - Paperback

by Zachary T. Kilpatrick (Author), Phil A. Newton (Foreword by)

Every day, pastors are asked to make impossible choices: Visit a sick member or prepare to preach? Counsel a struggling marriage or guide an uncertain committee? These men are stretched too thin by having to shepherd alone. The result is burned-out pastors and neglected congregations.



Scripture offers a better way. The biblical model of plural elder leadership is rooted in God's word and proven in the real world. This book offers a comprehensive blueprint on how to guide a traditional, established church to adopt a plural elder polity, one proven in multiple churches, including a 198-year-old church. It includes how to assess a church's readiness, how to educate a congregation about biblical leadership, how to cast a compelling vision, how to build a coalition of trusted voices, and how to implement this model.



Whether a weary pastor in a rural church or a leader who simply desires more for the congregation they serve, this model offers readers the comprehensive care they need. Healthier and more joyful leadership is possible. This book will help show how to get there.

Author Biography

Zach Kilpatrick is the Senior Pastor at Mt Zion Baptist Church in Brookhaven, MS, where he resides with his wife and their five children.



He holds a Doctorate of Educational Ministry in Christian Leadership from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Zach is passionate about ecclesiology, and his other interests include running, watching sports (especially Mississippi State), assisting others in becoming financially literate, and caring for his dog, River.