Pastoral Ministry

“We asked pastors around the world a simple question: what books did you read in 2024 that helped you be a better pastor? We’ve curated their responses below.” - 9 Marks

“Where congregants once began with ‘My grandmother always said …’ they now regularly begin with ‘I was listening to this podcast …’ or ‘I saw on YouTube …’” - TGC

“Smile on face. Energy in eyes. Hair in place. Face of happiness … something I had refined over many years. Heart wounded. Mind and body tired. Soul empty.” - CPost

“[T]he Lawson case reveals that the problem was deeper. Steve Lawson was not actually the pastor of the church where he was the lead preacher. He was not an elder at Trinity or even a member of the church!” - P&D

“The church must avoid assigning the pastor’s wife to ministry roles God may not have called her to, gifted her for, or directed her to do.” - Lifeway

“I realize that each firing has its unique characteristics. What you will read is a typical pattern, not a fixed sequence of events for every dismissal of a pastor.” - Thom Rainer

“I just would love to explore for a few minutes some of the joys of ministry, because I think it’s easy, amid the hardships, to lose sight of the joys.” - TGC

“When I do church consulting, I often encounter pastors who are just worn out… I usually learn that the battle had been ongoing long before I arrived to consult. Indeed, some of the following signs seem to be recurrent among wearying shepherds.” - Chuck Lawless

“These are all reasonable motivations, but how can a man know if/when it’s time to make a change? If God called you to the pastorate at Church A, how could you know if he is now calling you to Church B?” - London Lyceum

“Here is what, as a pastor, I want our church members to know. 1. It is an incredible privilege to be entrusted with this job….2. I love the local church and hope you do too…” - Lifeway