Samuel D. Proctor and Gardiner C. Taylor respond to the question "What does it mean to be a pastor today?" The authors explore what it means for a pastor to have integrity today as well as how he functions as intercessor, teacher, counselor, and administrator.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Thought Provoking Primer on Pastoral Ministry,
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This review is from: We Have This Ministry: The Heart of the Pastor's Vocation (Paperback)
This little book is all about what it means to be a pastor, and it is written by two men who have over 60 years of combined experienced in pastoral ministry.
There is a chapter on the pastor's commission, where Gardner Taylor suggests that men and women can be called into ministry through a variety of means: personal crisis, growing personal conviction that one has been chosen to speak God's message, or perhaps because one has been groomed for ministry by a caring parent. Taylor adds his own testimony of God's call on his life while a law school student. In the chapter on the pastor as teacher, Samuel Proctor states that the pastor should not only have a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, but should also be prepared to teach more mundane matters such as money management and personal health care and a proper exercise and restraint of our "glandular urges." In short, nearly every opportunity in the lives of pastor and people are open doors for some kind of teaching. The role of the pastor as an intercessor is discussed as well, referring to his call to guide people toward a closer walk with God and to a greater appreciation of the One who not only set the stars in the sky, but who took the initiative to come down to this world in the person of Jesus Christ. There is also a chapter about the pastor as administrator, where red flags are raised about the church relying too heavily on contemporary business models. and the pastor as counselor, where proper warnings about the danger of getting too personally involved are stressed. There is also a section where the pastor is said to be responsible to teach people about the importance of diversity where the pastor is said to be responsible to show how to love the least, the last and the left behind. The concluding raises the specter of the pastor and the political scene, and that the pastor will not be able to avoid grappling with the issues of the day. On the whole, I found the book to be stimulating and thought provoking about the role of the minister. By way of friendly criticism, I would have wished for a greater stress on the importance of the pastor as biblical expositor and the pastor as an evangelist, and less stress on the pastor's involvement with poitics and with the issues of the day. Yet I understand where Taylor and Proctor are coming from. They have a great passion for liberty and justice for all, and they feel very strongly that the pastor can lend a powerful moral voice. Yet the danger is that we can get so earthly minded that we neglect our primary duties as heralds of the eternal gospel. Taylor even acknowledges that there was a time in his life when his wife told him that his preaching was starting to wear thin on account of being too heavily involved in the political process. On the other hand, it must also be mentioned that the African-American community has experienced decade after decade of racial injustice, and many people enter the pastorate so that they can not only win people to Christ,but so that they can influence the culture so that there can be justice and peace for all. I can respect this perspective very much. These pastors are excellent writers, and this book is worth reading and pondering carefully.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The real work of a pastor revealed by experienced Giants,
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This review is from: We Have This Ministry: The Heart of the Pastor's Vocation (Paperback)
Are you called to be a pastor? not sure what it all entails, well get ready because this book will get you right on track, with two of the worlds giants in the field of pastoring the people of God. this book is a must for every pastor, it will encourage and renew your passion to preach.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Necessity for Clergymen,
This review is from: We Have This Ministry: The Heart of the Pastor's Vocation (Paperback)
Every clergyman of God needs this in their library. Dr. Proctor and Dr. Taylor are the greatest.
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