The Order of Elders

God asks a lot of all of us.

But in calling you through your congregation to ministry as an elder, God has asked even more of you.

• Do you trust in Jesus Christ your Savior, acknowledge him Lord of all and Head of the Church, and through him believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
• Do you accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be, by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God’s Word to you?
• Do you sincerely receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in the confessions of our church as authentic and reliable expositions of what Scripture leads us to believe and do, and will you be instructed and led by those confessions as you lead the people of God?
• Will you fulfill your office in obedience to Jesus Christ, under the authority of Scripture, and be continually guided by our confessions?
• Will you be governed by our church’s polity, and will you abide by its discipline? Will you be a friend among your colleagues in ministry, working with them, subject to the ordering of God’s Word and Spirit?
• Will you in your own life seek to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, love your neighbors, and work for the reconciliation of the world?
• Do you promise to further the peace, unity, and purity of the church?
• Will you seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love?
• Will you be a faithful elder, watching over the people, providing for their worship, nurture, and service? Will you share in government and discipline, serving in governing bodies of the church, and in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?

Book of Order W-4.4003

Discover the resources that will help you live out your calling.

Faithful elders want to…

Discover the Scriptures as “the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ.”

Explore the confessions of our church, to better instruct and be led by those confessions in leading the people of God, and by doing so, be friends among colleagues in ministry while serving with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love.

Believe that the office and ministry of being an elder will help to form them into a more faithful Christian.

In response to this desire to serve as faithful elders, the Office of Theology and Worship has created The Order of Elders. Similar to The Company of Pastors, this program is meant especially for you, the elder who wants to know God more clearly, love God more dearly, and follow God more nearly, day by day.

The Order of Elders is open to all elders, whether you are currently serving on session or resting between terms. Those who join The Order of Elders commit themselves to daily disciplines of prayer, reading of Scripture and The Book of Confessions. Members also agree to be part of a book subscription program through which they will, three times a year, buy and read selected books of significance for church leaders and faithful Christians. The books will be sent out automatically.

The Covenant of The Order

When you and/or your session join The Order of Elders, you will have a new way of living those promises you made upon your ordination, most particularly being a friend to those with whom you serve. But this is a friendship strengthened by the practice of common spiritual, intellectual, and vocational disciplines:

• Daily reading of Scripture based on the Sunday lectionary readings, including the Psalms, to help till the soil during the week to better receive God’s Word each Lord’s Day.
• Daily prayer for your colleagues, congregation, the denomination, and the church.
• Daily reflection of an assigned portion of one of the church’s confessions.
• Reading of assigned books concerning issues of faith and life that are central to Christian living and ministry. The books will be sent out automatically.

There will also be a luncheon at the General Assembly for members of The Order of Elders (and those interested in the program), in conjunction with The Company of Pastors. Speakers have included William Placher, Cynthia Campbell, Thomas Long, Leanne Van Dyk, Richard Mouw, and Eugene Peterson.

How It Works

Upon joining The Order of Elders you will receive the following:

• Access to a member-only Web site with
  • a list of resources, including electronic access to many of the daily readings
  • a roster of members
  • a discussion forum to communicate with other members
  • reports on regional gatherings, and suggestions for planning one in your area
• A schedule of readings and a suggested order for prayer.
• A stoneware paperweight/coaster with the logo of The Order of Elders, as a visible reminder of your covenant with your colleagues
• Publications from the Office of Theology and Worship, as well as a subscription to the Office of Spiritual Formation’s quarterly periodical, Hungryhearts.
• A copy of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s annual Mission Yearbook.

As part of this common discipline, you will also agree to be listed with our book subscription service through Presbyterian Distribution Services (PDS), which will automatically ship and bill the book selections, two times per year. These books are discounted and may be paid by credit card (Mastercard, VISA, American Express, or Discover) or check. You will need a copy of The Book of Confessions, which is also available through PDS by calling (800) 524-2612.

Cost of Membership

• Individual Members: $30 first year ($25 renewal)
• Institutional Memberships: $25 first year ($20 renewal)

Churches might consider having interested elders pay their own fees, subsidizing the elders’ expense, or covering the cost of the entire session or that of persons unable to afford the annual fee. With institutional orders, we do request that only one payment be made for all of the members, whether check or credit card. Institutional orders will be sent in one package to the church address, in care of the clerk of session.

To join The Order of Elders, please see the different opportunities available on the Joining The Order page.