“Brothers, if you do not learn how to bear the burdens of others, and if you do not seek out the help from others regarding your own burdens, you do not know what the Body is, nor can you have coordination in the work.”
– an excerpt from the book
ARPress is honored to publish “The Elders’ Book of Cherishing: Coming Back to the Vision at the Beginning of the Lord’s Recovery” by Stephen Isitt. This book is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the ARPress website.
“The Elders’ Book of Cherishing: Coming Back to the Vision at the Beginning of the Lord’s Recovery” by Stephen Isitt is a spiritual guidebook that calls church elders back to the vision of shepherding laid out at the beginning of the Lord’s recovery. Drawing from Scripture and the ministry of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee, the book emphasizes that the health of a church depends largely on the quality of its eldership. Cherishing, which goes beyond mere nourishment, is presented as a tender, motherly care that touches not only the spirit but also the soul of the believers. This book is not just instructional but deeply pastoral—it seeks to reignite the love, patience, and personal contact that true shepherding requires.
The book is built around the idea that elders are called to bear burdens, touch souls, and shepherd the saints with both warmth and consistency. It warns against leadership that focuses only on meetings or administration while neglecting personal contact and care. Instead, elders are encouraged to visit homes, pray with individuals, and minister to saints one-on-one. In this way, the church is built up through relationships, not programs. The recurring image is that of Paul in Acts—teaching both publicly and from house to house, admonishing each one with tears.
Throughout its chapters, the book confronts common pitfalls such as coldness, over-reliance on rebuke, or the temptation to measure spirituality by the absence of problems. Instead, it reframes the reality: a spiritual church is not without problems but knows how to address them with love and wisdom. The text weaves together practical ministry excerpts, anecdotes, and exhortations, all pointing toward a model of eldership that is tender, approachable, and rooted in Christ’s own cherishing nature.
Key themes in the book include cherishing and nourishing, the importance of personal shepherding, and the necessity of bearing one another’s burdens. It emphasizes that elders must move beyond formal duties to touch the souls of believers with genuine care. Another strong theme is the rejection of rebuke as the primary tool of correction—instead, love, tears, patience, and continual contact are presented as the true path to building up the church. The book also underscores inclusivity, reminding elders that every member of the Body, even the weakest, is indispensable.
This book is compelling because it provides a clear, practical, and heartfelt call to action for anyone serving as a leader in the church. Rather than offering abstract theology, it grounds its teaching in real ministry practices—visiting homes, praying with individuals, and learning to love like a parent. Its message is both sobering and hopeful: the future of the church depends on elders who are willing to shepherd with warmth, patience, and faithfulness.
For elders, co-workers, and even ordinary believers who desire to understand biblical shepherding more deeply, The Elders’ Book of Cherishing offers both guidance and inspiration. It reminds us that the church is not built by systems or programs but by love expressed in daily, personal care.
“The Elders’ Book of Cherishing: Coming Back to the Vision at the Beginning of the Lord’s Recovery” by Stephen Isitt is now available for purchase via ARPress Bookstore: