Steve R. Bierly, How to Thrive as a Small-Church Pastor. Zondervan, 1998.
Referenced in: Small Church Leadership
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
Few authors are able to make the kind of deep emotional connection with small church leaders than Bierly. His passion for small church ministry bleeds into this volume that is designed to help small church ministers maintain spiritual and emotional well-being amid with the demands of leading their congregations. Always with a great sense of humor, he weaves his wisdom through example after example from his own experience.
Bierly knows first-hand the unique struggles of small church ministry – the sense of isolation, the tendency toward self-pity, the feeling of being drained by the same group of people who receive ministry with no noticeable change, etc. He reminds them to be faithful co-laborers with God who trust Him to accomplish transformation in others, and to be encouraged that he indeed uses them as agents in that transformation. Small church ministers often to not have the luxury of secretaries and staffs to fulfill tasks that allow one to schedule visits, study time, etc. Instead, their schedules often come upon them through drop-in counselees, unplanned hospital visits, etc. This often makes the minister feel as if the work really never gets done. Bierly reframes this by suggesting the minister keep record of these events and look back cumulatively over a day or week and see just how much they have accomplished, even if in a less structured way than they would prefer. He offers realistic advice about how to blend personal spiritual formation and sermon preparation. He talks about how to lead a balanced life that tends to family, friends, diet, exercise, hobbies, etc. The result is a sensitive, reality-tested guide to restore meaning and vitality to small church ministers who feel discouraged and overworked.
Publisher’s Product Description
Steve Bierly knows firsthand the needs and concerns of small-church pastors. He also knows how to meet the needs, handle the concerns, and thrive as a pastor with a congregation of 150 or less. Drawing on his twelve years of small-church experience, Bierly helps pastors reframe their perspective of God, ministry, relationships, their own needs, and more. He offers seasoned, fatherly counsel – assurance to small-church pastors that they’re not alone; a fresh outlook on the successes of their ministries; and an upbeat, practical approach to spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. Filled with good humor, here is help for small-church pastors to face the rigors of their vocation realistically and reclaim their first love of ministry.
From the Back Cover
Pastoring a small church is no small job. It can be physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting. Read this book for a reliefÉand a turning point. Steve R. Bierly offers the seasoned reassurance of one who has been in the trenches of small-church pastoring. He understands your unique needs and problems not just as a pastor, but as a person. And he shows that, by God’s grace, you can fulfill your calling and thrive in the face of its challenges. With humor and fatherly wisdom, Bierly helps you reframe your perspectives on God, your ministry, your relationships, your personal needsÉand more. Drawing on years of experience, he offers assurance that you’re not alone, a fresh outlook on the successes of your ministry, and an upbeat, practical approach to spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. How to Thrive as a Small-Church Pastor will help you face realistically the rigors of your vocation …and reclaim your first love of ministry.
About the Author
Steve R. Bierly is the pastor of the Cobblestone Church in Schenectady, New York. He is the author of Help for the Small-Church Pastor, which has received strong praise in reviews and periodicals.
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