Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

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.

Being a Pastor is very rewarding, but can also be very frustrating. Many Pastors are overloaded with responsibilities etc. and can feel overwhelmed. Dr. Charles Stone has written a book that will help them work through the "ministry killers" that pastors deal with. My brother in law is a pastor and I know at times he struggles. I think this book would be a great help to him and to other pastors who need guidance in coming though the trials they face.

*Thanks to Rebeca and Glass Road PR for this review copy*

Jerrie Barber reviewed this book in his monthly publication. I am thankful that he did. This was an excellent book for ministers. This book really hits at some of the issues that ministers deal with in churches. It goes to the heart on most of the issues. These types of books are helpful because one can relate to the author. He deals with struggles, because all ministers deal with issues. The complexity of the life of the minister can be difficult to understand at times. There is this odd dynamic that happens. The book deals with some of the common frustrations that ministers have. The number one frustration is lack of commitment from members in the congregation. This is interesting, it seems that ministers care more about the organization of the church, than personal discipleship. The reason that ministers care about the numbers and the size so much is because these are tied to the ego of the preacher. Preachers have fragile egos because on one side the preacher is praised a lot, and on the other the preachers are attacked a lot. You are always being built up and torn down on a weekly basis. If the numbers are up, this in some way times us that we are doing good. In a position in which one really never knows, this is all we have to operate on. The last part of the book is excellent because he talks about what a preacher can do to be healthy. He provides a few habits that can help. He mentions open up, own up, show up, and speak up. Reading these are great for reflection and being healthy as a preacher. I really believe that this is one of the must reads for ministers in the church. After reading this book, I feel that I am healthier and better off as a preacher of the Gospel.

This is a great read and resource for anyone in ministry or going into the ministry. From start to finish here is a closer look at what some might say is the dark side of ministry. Authentic, with qualified research to back it up and stories that draw you in and inspire you to take up the cross and get the joy that God intended for those of you who He called to be ministers of the Gospel. Truly an awesome book by my great friend and former pastor Charles Stone.

Pastor Charles book "5 Ministry Killers," is an excellent book. It provides a transparent, straightforward look at issues people involved in minstry experience. Charles, I believe has a shepherd's heart and it comes through in his writings. It was encouraging because I read it at a time when I was experiencing some burnout. It also gave me a fresh desire to re-focus and seek God's will for my own attitudes towards ministry. Good book!

I just finished Charles Stone's most recent work 5 MINISTRY KILLERS AND HOW TO DEFEAT THEM. What struck me as particularly refreshing was the fact that Stone did not use this work as a medium to vent his frustrations. No, instead the author seeks to be a blessing (go figure) and help move disgruntled or struggling co-shepherds to a place where they can be effective.

He covers everything from passive-aggressive behavior from shepherds who are hurting, to bullies who try to run the church from the pews. It seems that the struggles and trials pastors go through are pretty similar across the board, albeit the intensity of the struggles vary. So... what are the FIVE MINISTRY KILLERS?

1. Head-in-the-sand mentality. (ignoring the struggle you face)

2. Misdirected emotional investment. (focusing our energy and investing emotional capital on issues that the Bible does not place high value on)

3. Unhealthy responses to ministry killers. (we must learn to respond to struggles in a healthy way)

4. An attitude that "God and I can handle this." (not relying on the Word of God or the God of the Word)

5. Lonely, hurting wives. (your marriage is not something the Lord delights in you sacrificing for ministry)

Stone offers some sage advice... which, of course, you will have to read for yourself.

I recommend this book to ALL pastors and those members/attenders of churches that want their pastor to thrive in ministry.

Be blessed y'all... be a blessing.

Pastor CBJ
Portland, OR

As director of Barnabas Ministries, I work primarily with hurting, wounded, troubled, burned out or burning out, sinning, and even blessed but tired pastors and their families. As a 'gatekeeper', I also accumulate resources for those in church leadership. This would include retreats, counseling centers, intercessors, vacation getaways, books, CD's, DVD's, and the like.
Charles Stone, in his book "Five Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them" is currently high on my list of reading resources as an eye opener to those in church leadership. Pastoral care is not what it used to be. Frustrations are pushing many to the brink of burnout, as pastors stress out in tryinig to meet enormous expectations. These come from their congregations, or from themselves. Their family and spiritual relationship with the Lord suffer, as these men and women are robbed of times of refreshments and renewal.
The writer has summarized these in a readable but challenging way. His charts are revealing. His insigts into problems and their solutions are biblical and helpful. I've used many of them in my own presentations. I found chapters 7 through 10 especially useful; all check marks in dealing with the pressures fostered upon by those with God's call on their lives. The need for an 'accountability partner' is paramount.
I likewise appreciated the seeds planted in his chapter on "Spouse Killers", which may warrant a future book by Dr. Stone.
Finally, the Church needs to recognize that a 'shepherd' is paid for two things in his relationship to the flock the Lord has assigned to him. Acts 6:4 tells us that we are to "give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." (NKJV) In short, a pastor is to pray for his people and feed his people. All other demands by the flock are a bonus to them. It would do well for elders and deacons to acquaint themselves with this book.
Thank you for the opportunity to review it.

Five Minstry Killers and How to Defeat Them is a must-read for anyone on a church staff. After 40 years serving churches of every size, I've seen just about every book and article imaginable to address church/staff issues. Serving a church staff is incredibly unique. A church is a ministry; a family; and a business. The issues are unique. Charles Stone nails the issues and why they seem to defeat so many. The chapter on the staff spouse is one of the best I've EVER read. This summer's staff retreat will deal with the issues raised in this really fine work. Thanks Charles, for your investment in us all.