Using illustrations from everyday church life and decades of ministry experience, David Rohrer carefully crafts a lively and realistic pastoral theology for ministry in the sacred wilderness. If you are a new pastor you have a sure guide here. If you are a veteran preacher you'll find just the refresher course you need to envigorate your ministry.
Themelios is an international, evangelical, peer-reviewed theological journal that expounds and defends the historic Christian faith. Themelios is published three times a year online at The Gospel Coalition (http://thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/) and in print by Wipf and Stock. Its primary audience is theological students and pastors, though scholars read it as well. Themelios began in 1975 and was operated by RTSF/UCCF in the UK, and it became a digital journal operated by The Gospel Coalition in 2008. The editorial team draws participants from across the globe as editors, essayists, and reviewers. General Editor: D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Managing Editor: Brian Tabb, Bethlehem College and Seminary Consulting Editor: Michael J. Ovey, Oak Hill Theological College Administrator: Andrew David Naselli, Bethlehem College and Seminary Book Review Editors: Jerry Hwang, Singapore Bible College; Alan Thompson, Sydney Missionary & Bible College; Nathan A. Finn, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Hans Madueme, Covenant College; Dane Ortlund, Crossway; Jason Sexton, Golden Gate Baptist Seminary Editorial Board: Gerald Bray, Beeson Divinity School Lee Gatiss, Wales Evangelical School of Theology Paul Helseth, University of Northwestern, St. Paul Paul House, Beeson Divinity School Ken Magnuson, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Jonathan Pennington, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary James Robson, Wycliffe Hall Mark D. Thompson, Moore Theological College Paul Williamson, Moore Theological College Stephen Witmer, Pepperell Christian Fellowship Robert Yarbrough, Covenant Seminary
Charles Stone's research on thousands of pastors and ministry leaders demonstrates the dangers of approval-motivated leadership. Bringing together biblical insights and neuroscience findings, Stone shows why we fall into people-pleasing patterns and what we can do to overcome these tendencies for more effective ministry.
The effort of the author is lauded for bringing the conversation of faithful church administration to the context of churches in South East Asia in general and in particular in Indian sub-continent. Church administration marked with integrity and truthfulness is a witness to Christ. And, this book provides ample examples of Christ-centered leadership in the Church. Dr. Atola Longkumar Theological Education Consultant. I am deeply impressed by the book ‘Insights of the Local Church Administration’ written by Rev Dr. Koningthung Ngoru Moyon which can be used as reference book by all Pastors and church leaders in their administration. Unlike any other secular administration, Church administration is very complexed. Dr Ngoru has carefully balanced in his writings, I highly recommended this book for pastors, church elders and theological students. Rev Dr. Jolly Rimai Director Harvest Network Ministry-South East Asia. Physicians have Patients who schedule of appointments for physical check-up. Likewise Pastors or Christian ministers have congregation. Effective preaching, teaching and good administration is equally important and is a paramount task in the local churches. In this book, ‘Insights of the local church administration’, the author, Rev Dr. Koningthung Ngoru Moyon, has written for christian ministers and pastors or those who are planning to be at church ministry. Moreover, the book gathers up the information found in a broad overview of the Pastoral Ministry and Church administration and funnels it into practical area of services. The book is simple but well organized and excellently written and would be usable in the everyday experience of Pastoral ministry and administration. Besides, the author provides a comprehensive and good compilation of materials to enlarge one’s ministry concerning local church administration. This book will also be benefited to research students in the field of Christian ministry. Rev. Zuankamang Daimai Pastor Manipur Baptist Center Church, Imphal (MBCCCI)
Self-care and soul care are trending topics in Christian leadership circles because ministry leaders know they cannot care for their people unless they care for themselves. Pastors who are mothers know this too, and yet it can feel like just one more task to manage among the many they carry on their schedules and in their hearts. The biblical truth is that spiritual rest is a gift from God, not an achievement, a refreshing reminder for women who hold the dual roles of mom and minister. This book invites women leading in these spaces to remember that the God of the Old and New Testaments, the one who pours out replenishment for weary hearts, is a God who is Mother as well as Father, and mothers them with tenderness and strength. Starting here, in the arms of a mothering God who whispers “beloved,” changes the tone of spiritual care for her from a chore to an oasis of replenishment that grounds her in her identity in Christ as a daughter of Creator God.
Equips Christian counselors and therapists to confidently use mindfulness techniques with their clients in a way that is both practical and biblical. Accessing mindfulness is a therapeutic touchstone for a range of emotional issues, from mild distress to the treatment of trauma, but the term mindfulness has often left Christians wary. Stripped of Christlike spirituality, it sounds self-focused at best, and at worst like a fusion with modern pop-religions of the day. But the quality of mindfulness—of being fully present, aware of ourselves and our situation so that we can better respond to the chaos around us—is a profoundly biblical concept. And it can be used effectively by Christian counselors and healing practitioners. In A Counselor's Guide to Christian Mindfulness, Regina Chow Trammel (a clinical social worker) and John Trent (a marriage and family therapist) team up to offer training in mindfulness skills used in evidence-based practices, such as dialectical behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. These therapies have been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of many mental health issues, blending elements of neuroscience, social science, and religious training. This book is the ideal resource to equip those in the helping professions to faithfully use mindfulness interventions both professionally and personally and includes: A historical and theoretical overview of Christian mindfulness and how it contrasts with other mindfulness-based practices. A practical guide for how to use mindfulness skills in counseling and therapeutic practice. A section addressing specific challenges or situations that your clients face. Dialogue scripts and contemplation exercises to adapt for your own work. The practice of Christian mindfulness can be effective in helping clients manage their intrusive and stressful thoughts, emotions, relationships, and challenges. This book fills a gap for Christian counselors and therapists who are eager for a resource that teaches mindfulness skills from a Christian and biblical perspective.
Some pastors preach boring sermons. Some church music is dull. But here’s the thing: If Jesus had been boring, the disciples wouldn’t have followed him and the Pharisees wouldn’t have killed him. So if you’re bored, don’t waste another minute. If your church service feels like a failed pep rally that never leads to the actual game, then it’s time for you to follow Jesus onto the field where the opposition is real and the stakes are extraordinary. It will get messy. It won’t always be comfortable. But you’ll make a difference. And you’ll discover that nobody’s bored out there. Nobody.
The last forty years have seen transitions in mainline churches that feel, for many, like a journey into the wilderness. Yet God is calling us in this moment, not to grieve over the changes we have experienced but to hear the call to a new mission, and a new faithfulness. In Journey in the Wilderness, Gil Rendle draws on decades as a pastor and church consultant to point a way into a hopeful future. The key to embracing the wilderness is to learn new skills in leading change, to reach beyond a position of privilege and power to become churches that serve God’s hurting people.
Yes, there is a way to experience joy in ministry again. Sixteen hundred ministers are either terminated or leave the pulpit every month. Alienation and isolation afflict ministers who now sojourn in spiritually dry places. You might be one of the statistics, wondering if you will ever be able to escape the wilderness and be useful to God again. In For Those in Dry Places, William Phares presents a personal and biblical understanding of how spiritual dry places occur in the lives of ministers and how to avoid them. For those already there, he shares the way to move back into Gods call and experience a second opportunity. A seasoned pastor and evangelist, Phares explores personal and biblical principles, offering ways to recognize the road signs warning of approaching wilderness; avoid becoming the scapegoat for congregational dysfunction; find hope when experiencing the Silence of God; hear Gods voice of guidance again; enjoying the ministry the second time around. I highly recommend For Those in Dry Places, which comes to us in absolutely supreme timing. Many pastors today are going through dry, tough times and can hardly see light at the end of the tunnel. Dr. Phares addresses what to do when you are in this positionhow to deal with your thoughts and what to do, day after day, to get out of your current difficult situation and stay out. Dr. Mark T. Barclay, Mark Barclay Ministries
Sometimes you find yourself in a place in life that is less than ideal. Maybe you are like Joseph and feel there's no chance for promotion. Or you're like David and are just trying to survive. Perhaps you feel like Paul, who labored away in obscurity and lost it all. For whatever reason you feel as though you are in a wilderness and you can't seem to escape. At times like this, panic can set in and lead to choices that are less than what God has planned for your life. How do you avoid this? How do you endure? In The Wilderness, author and pastor Mary McLain looks to the examples of three men in the Bible--Joseph, David, and Paul--who had to wait years to be able to do what God called them to do. Marty also speaks to his own past experiences in the ministry and his years spent in a spiritual wilderness. He shares how he struggled to endure in the season of life that seemed to bear no fruit--but he shows that with perseverance and trust in God, he was able to hold on and discover the path to fulfillment. If you've ever struggled with the wait or found yourself lost in the wilderness, unsure of where to go next, God's command is to endure. Be comforted to know that you are not alone, and some of the most powerful testimonies in the Bible came after a long period of waiting. You have not been forgotten.
