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This book challenges pastors to step down from their exalted position and return to the New Testament form of local church leadership by a council of elders-men whose character, not their gifts or degrees, qualify them to lead God's family on earth. It takes a tortured twisting of the words of Jesus and his disciples to defend the professional positions of today's clergy. The division between the clergy and the laity violates the teachings of Jesus and the practice of the apostles. Jesus did not appoint one of his disciples over the others. After his resurrection, none claimed such a role. Neither Jesus nor his disciples was a member of the religious hierarchy or a trained scholar. Yet he entrusted to them the mission of carrying the good news to the whole world. America needs a family, yet our churches look like any other corporate organization or political government. In The Pastors' Club, author Paul S. Lyon provides an analysis of the teachings of Jesus and his disciples demonstrating that only elders are called to collectively pastor and oversee the local church. A single local leader-pastor, bishop, priest, or even chief elder-has no basis in scripture.
Michele Andrea Bowen made a name for herself years ago during the African-American inspirational fiction craze. Now, in Pastor Needs a Boo, she's back with an amazing journey of faith, drama, and love. It was a regular New Jerusalem Gospel United Church work day for Reverend Denzelle Flowers when Veronica Washington, Keisha Jackson, and Marsha Metcalf showed up after losing their jobs on the same day, same morning, and almost at the same time. Denzelle struggled to solve that first problem. The other problem—the lovely Marsha—would be much harder to solve. Denzelle didn't even know how to fight wanting to turn in the playah's card and getting "booed" up with the poster girl for "church girls." Marsha Metcalf and her fellow unemployed church members aren't Denzelle's biggest problem, though. He is running for bishop, and his enemies—a more ruthless consortium of corrupted clergy—want power badly enough to go to rather extreme lengths for it because the stakes are just that high. Now, his ex-wife was back and sleeping with the enemy, digging for dirt. Reverend Denzelle can't fight this battle alone. This pastor needs a ‘boo' who will stand by his side. Before the dust settles, both Marsha and Denzelle's faith and love will be put to the ultimate test.
The Pastors’ Diaries was written to help pastors recognize that some of their most private and convicting thoughts and challenging circumstances are not unique to them. It’s designed to help pastors navigate these overwhelming situations with the resource of actual lived experiences that have led to massive failures or amazing triumphs. Throughout the book you will read detailed accounts as communicated by the pastors sharing intimate details of their pastoral journey, much of which has never been shared in a public format. Real people and real stories fill these pages, some of them are unbelievable and hilarious while others may leave you in tears heartbroken and bewildered at how the body of Christ could survive this long with this much dysfunction. With the increasing suicide rate of pastors, the mass exodus of pastors from the pastorate, the porn addiction of pastors and the shear depression of pastors being so alarming, something must be said and done to challenge the trajectory of this epidemic. I pray that this book will validate the Pressure, Pain, Pride, Power, Passion, and Pedestal a Pastor experiences and also give them the freedom to take the steps necessary to respond to these situations and Persevere from them in healthy ways. Another goal of this book is to help the church member have a better understanding of the person that sits in that middle chair and stand behind that sacred podium so they can have realistic expectations of the human they’ve empowered to shepherd them and as a result, learn how to love them appropriately. Coincidentally, they will discover that no one in all of church has experienced more offenses than the ones called to lead and yet they have in most cases remained faithful and in place until God decided to move them.
This lively narrative presents some provocative thinking about the role of religion in society. Looking back from nowadays, the minister, Robert Staten, tells the story of his own struggle with the question while he was working in a southern parish in the nineteen-fifties. His stance is that of a progressive, who nevertheless grew up in fundamentalist pietism. Pastor, like the Church-of-England based novels of Susan Howatch, is both sympathetic and realistic. The first-person narratives by the minister and others important to the story draw you right into their skin. Hence, the book is somewhat like Marilynne Robinson's Gilead. The impacts of Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, Jr. and other religious leaders are not neglected in chapters like "Vocation" and "Religion on the Midway". The narrative gets to the heart of social and religious issues that are very much with us today. The young minister is a WWII air force veteran, and his wife is a former social studies teacher from upstate New York.. They work together to help make the church succeed. All the while, the protagonist is being urged by his 'big brother' friend, Charles, to kick the traces and change his vocation. The antagonist friend represents about every negative criticism of organized religion one can imagine. The book vividly describes various aspects of parish life as the conscientious pastor goes about his duties, which include counseling and consoling, marrying and burying. All the while he is wrestling with his own misgivings about his role and his faith. Then, suddenly, catastrophe hits in the form of a mysterious church fire. This and other revealing episodes broaden his understanding of religion in our pluralistic world.
There is no question that pastors are under great stress today. Difficulties tear at the heart of the pastor but are often hidden from the view of the congregation. Kenneth Swetland presents a compelling look at this hidden world through true stories from pastors of different ages and from different parts of the country, various denominations, and diverse backgrounds. Meet Pete, Dirk, Norm, Ted, and others who face such problems as depression, sexual sin, family concerns, friction in staff relationships, gender and leadership conflicts, debt, and divorce. The thirteen case studies can be read alone or used by groups of pastors and/or students for discussion. Reading and discussing the case studies will give insight into the pastor's own problems. Having worked through their own concerns, they will be better equipped to minister to others. Laypeople would also benefit from reading the cases to gain deeper understanding of the world of pastoring and to learn when to offer support and counsel to their own pastors. 'The Hidden World of the Pastor' includes bibliographic entries as well as an appendix on how to teach a case study.