Philip Yancey, The Church, Why Bother? Zondervan, 2001. Companion volume: Yancey, Soul Survivor Referenced in: Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.com Summary Philip Yancey journals his personal pilgrimage from skepticism and disillusionment about the church back to enthusiastic participation. He is painfully honest about the church’s imperfections, but is equally vindicating regarding her strengths
Thom Bandy, Why Should I Believe You: Rediscovering Clergy Credibility. Abingdon Press, 2007. Referenced in: Pastoral Theology Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.com Summary Though the title would have you believe this book is about ministerial ethics or credibility. It is more accurately about restoring a biblical sense of the ministry role. The book
Bill Easum, Put On Your Oxygen Mask First: Rediscovering Ministry. Abingdon Press, 2004. Referenced in: Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.com Summary Bill Easum is not necessarily the best choice if you want pastoral sensitivity, but if you are in a period of ministry doldrums and are ready to be challenged into renewing your
Eugene H. Peterson, Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness. Eerdmans, 1994. Referenced in: Pastoral Theology Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.com Summary This was the third of Eugene Peterson’s work on pastoral theology. It was preceded by Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work (1980), Working the Angles (1987), and The Contemplative Pastor
J. LeBron McBride, Living Faithfully With Disappointment in the Church. Haworth Pastoral Press, 2005. Referenced in: Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.Com Summary McBride is Director of Behavioral Medicine at Floyd Medical Center and Senior Minister of the First Christian Church in Rome, Georgia. He is also a medical educator at Mercer University School
H. B. London and Neil B. Wiseman, The Heart of a Great Pastor: How To Grow Stronger and Thrive Wherever God Has Planted You. Regal Books, 2006. Referenced in: Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.com Summary London and Wiseman inspire the new generation of ministers as well as experienced servants to embrace the unique
Craig Brian Larson and David L. Goetz, Pastoral Grit: The Strength to Stand and Stay. Bethany House, 1998. Referenced in: Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.com Summary Ministers enter ministry with sincere motivations and high hopes, but then feel overwhelmed by many of the realities. For some, it is the daily monotony that may
Lynn Anderson, If I Really Do Believe, Why Do I Have All These Doubts? Simon and Schuster, 2000. Referenced in: Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.com Summary I have recommended this book to no less than 100 people personally, and have mentioned it frequently in my teaching and speaking. Lee Strobel also highly recommends
Blaine Allen, Before You Quit – When Ministry is Not What You Thought. Kregel Academic and Professional, 2001. Referenced in: Ministry Transitions and Interim Ministry Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.com Summary This volume emerged out of Allen’s experience of wanting to quit but feeling compelled to stick it out. He is both sensitive
Jeff Iorg, The Painful Side of Leadership: Moving Forward Even When It Hurts. B and H Books, 2009. Referenced in: Strengthening and Renewing the Ministry Call LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is not a book on conflict, change, or ministerial burnout specifically. Instead, it is a collection of hard-earned pastoral wisdom on how to deal with the
