Five Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them: Help for Frustrated Pastors--Including New Research From the Barna Group [Hardcover]

Charles Stone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2010

Before pastors reach burnout and leave the ministry, they experience frustration and disappointment in ministry. Charles Stone, a veteran pastor, helps his fellow pastors understand and meet the challenges, regaining hope and energy to continue in their calling. Based on new information from The Barna Group and additional research, Stone shows readers what pastors are saying about ministry and how to overcome the obstacles, rebuild community within the congregation, and persevere with joy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A delightful guide to anyone in ministry...Get it, read it, enjoy it, and then learn." --Elmer Towns, co-founder of Liberty University, Dean, School of Religion

"Five Ministry Killers should be required reading for everyone involved in ministry--pastors, other church leaders, and seminary students alike." --ForeWord Magazine

From the Inside Flap

What Frustrates You in Ministry? You probably began your ministry believing you'd make a kingdom difference. That dream may now seem elusive. Perhaps your journey has brought more frustration than happiness, and you wonder if it's time to move on, or out. Have you searched the Web for openings in other churches recently? Thought about selling insurance? Getting your Realtor's license? Every church is different, and the situations you face are unique to your setting, but common threads are found in many churches. Using customized, commissioned research from the Barna Group and others, veteran pastor Charles Stone points to five potent killers in pastors' lives: 1. A head-in-the-sand mentality that denies problems 2. Emotional investment in the wrong issues 3. Unhealthy responses to ministry frustrations 4. A Lone Ranger attitude that says "God and I can handle this" 5. Attitudes and actions that lead to lonely, hurting spouses Stone then uses his thirty years of pastoral experience to unpack these problems so you can regain real hope and energy to continue in your calling. No unrealistic advice or simplistic solutions. Just hard questions and straight answers that will lead to healing and restoration for you and your congregation.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House (May 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764207059
• ISBN-13: 978-0764207051
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #640,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm an author and a pastor. I serve as the senior pastor of Ginger Creek Community Church, a church of over 1,200 attendees in the Chicago suburbs.

I love dogs, popcorn, pizza, watching movies with my wife, reading, and riding my recumbent bike.

I've written several articles and two books (the first won a writers conference award). I'm working on another one on leadership with a psychologist.

I've travelled to Nicaragua several times on mission trips, the most recent helping train several hundred pastors and their wives.

You can learn more about me on my website, charlesstone.net.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How do you really feel?, April 27, 2010

By 

Zachary Montroy "Zach Montroy" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Five Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them: Help for Frustrated Pastors--Including New Research From the Barna Group (Hardcover)

5 Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them is an incredible resource for anyone who's in full or part time ministry. In essence, the book is what life is like in ministry, it takes an authentic look at what get's us going and what brings us down. I appreciated the "real" research from Barna that was included in the book, it wasn't filled with anecdotal statements, Charles really looked at what we perceive failure to look like and what our congregation believes failure is... It's a real life look at ministry and how we can get better at it. I appreciate the time and effort that was put into making us ordinary pastors feel like we have a real resource we can go to and make us better at what God has called us to do.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Avoid pastoral burnout, May 23, 2010

By 

Wyn (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Five Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them: Help for Frustrated Pastors--Including New Research From the Barna Group (Hardcover)

Although I am not a pastor I gained quite an insight into their problems. This book would be of benefit to members of the congregation as well as ministers. The book is divided into common problem areas and contains many different solutions to the problems but always suggestions on ways in which to recognize the situations before they develop into problems. There is also an excellent area on problems encountered by a pastor's wife. Dr. Stone has used extensive research data and has ripped apart the veil of "everythings just fine thank you" that covers a multitude of burnout and disappointment in the life of a pastor. Excellent reading for everyone involved in churches.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource for Everyone in the Church Family, May 24, 2010

By 

IE Mommy "Christine" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Five Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them: Help for Frustrated Pastors--Including New Research From the Barna Group (Hardcover)

Pastor Stone has been a pastor for 30 years and has seen other pastors and ministers....crash and burn...in their ministries. Pastor Stone points to the five potent killers in pastor's lives as:

1. A head-in-the-sand mentality that denies problems
2. Emotional investment in the wrong issues
3. Unhealthy responses to ministry frustrations
4. A Lone Ranger attitude that says "God and I can handle this"
5. Attitudes and actions that lead to lonely, hurting spouses.

Praise God for Pastor Stone's enlightenment and very open view of how Pastors and those in ministry can defeat the attacks we may encounter. I love my church family and love the fact that there are so many that consistently check on each other. "Burn Out" is something we are always making sure the other doesn't feel.

Chapter 7 -Open Up with Vulnerability (Do You have a safe confidant?) spoke to me. It reminded me of a quote "Loneliness is not the absence of people but the absence of connection".

I am proud of my church and my church family...but I am glad to find a book that will enable us, as body of Christ and family, to care for each other better.