Thomas White is vice president of student services and communications as well as associate professor of Systematic Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mark Dever is senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC and president of 9Marks. He holds degrees from Duke University (B.A.), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Theol.), and Cambridge University (PH.D.). Shawn Wright is assistant professor of Church History at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and also serves as one of the pastors at Clifton Baptist Church. Wright and his wife have five sons. Jonathan Leeman (Ph.D., Wales) is an elder at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC and the editorial director for 9Marks. He edits the 9Marks series of books as well as the 9Marks Journal. He is also the author of several books on the church, including The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love. Jonathan lives with his wife and four daughters in suburban Washington. John S. Hammett (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of Systematic Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Michael A. G. Haykin is professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Benjamin L. Merkle (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Thomas R. Schreiner is the James Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He has also taught New Testament at Azusa Pacific University and Bethel Theological Seminary. He received a B.S. from Western Oregon University, a M.Div. and Th.M. from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, and a Ph.D. in New Testament from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has published a number of articles and book reviews in scholarly journals. His published books include: Interpreting the Pauline Epistles, The Law and Its Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law; Romans; Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:9-15, co-edited with H. S. Baldwin and A. Kostenberger; Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives on Election, Foreknowledge, and Grace , co-edited with B. A. Ware; The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance , co-authored with Ardel Caneday, Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Chri

• Foreword, James Leo Garrett Introduction Part 1: Congregationalism 1. Some Historical Roots of Congregationalism, Michael Haykin 2. The Biblical and Theological Case for Congregationalism, Stephen Wellum and Kirk Wellum Part 2: The Ordinances 3. Five Preliminary Issues for Understanding the Ordinances, Shawn Wright 4. Baptism in the Bible, Thomas Schreiner 5. Baptism in History, Theology, and the Church, Shawn Wright 6. The Lord's Supper in the Bible, Thomas Schreiner 7. The Lord's Supper in History, Theology, and the Church, Shawn Wright Part 3: Church Membership and Discipline 8. The Why and Who of Church Membership, John Hammett 9. The What and How of Church Membership, John Hammett 10. The Why, How, and When of Church Discipline, Thomas White Part 4: Elders and Deacons 11. Elders and Deacons in History, Mark Dever 12. The Scriptural Basis for Elders, Ben Merkle 13. The Biblical Qualifications for Elders, Ben Merkle 14. The Biblical Role of Elders, Ben Merkle 15. Practical Issues in Elder Ministry, Andrew Davis 16. The Biblical Basis, Qualifications, and Role of Deacons, Ben Merkle 17. Practical Issues in Deacon Ministry, Andrew Davis Part 5: The Church and Churches 18. A Congregational Approach to Unity, Holiness, and Apostolicity, Jonathan Leeman 19. Independence and Interdependence, Jonathan Leeman

Thomas White is vice president of student services and communications as well as associate professor of Systematic Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mark Dever is senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC and president of 9Marks. He holds degrees from Duke University (B.A.), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Theol.), and Cambridge University (PH.D.). Shawn Wright is assistant professor of Church History at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and also serves as one of the pastors at Clifton Baptist Church. Wright and his wife have five sons. Jonathan Leeman (Ph.D., Wales) is an elder at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC and the editorial director for 9Marks. He edits the 9Marks series of books as well as the 9Marks Journal. He is also the author of several books on the church, including The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love. Jonathan lives with his wife and four daughters in suburban Washington. John S. Hammett (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of Systematic Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Michael A. G. Haykin is professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Benjamin L. Merkle (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Thomas R. Schreiner is the James Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He has also taught New Testament at Azusa Pacific University and Bethel Theological Seminary. He received a B.S. from Western Oregon University, a M.Div. and Th.M. from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, and a Ph.D. in New Testament from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has published a number of articles and book reviews in scholarly journals. His published books include: Interpreting the Pauline Epistles, The Law and Its Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law; Romans; Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:9-15, co-edited with H. S. Baldwin and A. Kostenberger; Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives on Election, Foreknowledge, and Grace , co-edited with B. A. Ware; The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance , co-authored with Ardel Caneday, Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Chri

• Foreword, James Leo Garrett Introduction Part 1: Congregationalism 1. Some Historical Roots of Congregationalism, Michael Haykin 2. The Biblical and Theological Case for Congregationalism, Stephen Wellum and Kirk Wellum Part 2: The Ordinances 3. Five Preliminary Issues for Understanding the Ordinances, Shawn Wright 4. Baptism in the Bible, Thomas Schreiner 5. Baptism in History, Theology, and the Church, Shawn Wright 6. The Lord's Supper in the Bible, Thomas Schreiner 7. The Lord's Supper in History, Theology, and the Church, Shawn Wright Part 3: Church Membership and Discipline 8. The Why and Who of Church Membership, John Hammett 9. The What and How of Church Membership, John Hammett 10. The Why, How, and When of Church Discipline, Thomas White Part 4: Elders and Deacons 11. Elders and Deacons in History, Mark Dever 12. The Scriptural Basis for Elders, Ben Merkle 13. The Biblical Qualifications for Elders, Ben Merkle 14. The Biblical Role of Elders, Ben Merkle 15. Practical Issues in Elder Ministry, Andrew Davis 16. The Biblical Basis, Qualifications, and Role of Deacons, Ben Merkle 17. Practical Issues in Deacon Ministry, Andrew Davis Part 5: The Church and Churches 18. A Congregational Approach to Unity, Holiness, and Apostolicity, Jonathan Leeman 19. Independence and Interdependence, Jonathan Leeman