David Rohrer, The Sacred Wilderness of Pastoral Ministry: Preparing a People for the Presence of the Lord. IVP Books, 2012. Referenced in: Pastoral Theology LifeandLeadership.com Summary Rohrer does an excellent job elevating the central place of preaching in the pastoral role. He illustrates this powerfully through the ministry of John the Baptist. His special concern
John Piper and D. A. Carson, The Pastor as Scholar and the Scholar as Pastor: Reflections on Life in Ministry. Crossway, 2011. Referenced in: Pastoral Theology LifeandLeadership.com Summary Piper, a practitioner-scholar, and Carson, a scholar-practitioner, team to encourage those in both callings to embrace the balance of mind and heart, scholarship and practice. They express
Neil Cole, Journeys to Significance: Charting a Leadership Course from the Life of Paul (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series). Jossey-Bass, 2011. Referenced in: Leadership Development, Clinton Emergence Theory Leadership Development through Life Experiences Pastoral Theology LifeandLeadership.com Summary This book describes Paul as an example of how to lead “throughout a lifetime, increasing significance all along so
Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Thomas Nelson, 2003. Referenced in: Missional Lifestyle, Discipleship, Spirituality – Spirituality of Life Calling LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is recognized as the modern classic on the subject of discerning and living out God’s call for one’s life. From the Publisher The Call continues
Miroslav Volf, A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve Common Good. Brazos Press, 2011. Referenced in: Evangelism in Contemporary Culture – Special Challenges LifeandLeadership.com Summary Volf offers a theological perspective on how Christians may interact in a pluralistic society (religious, political, philosophical, ethnic, etc.) by civil discussion and cooperative action for the public
William H. Willimon, Calling and Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life. Abingdon Press, 2000. Reference in: Ministry Ethics LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is by the same author as the modern classic, Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry. Chapter 12 of that book, “The Pastor as Character: Clergy Ethics” (pp. 299-314) is in some ways
Michael R. Milco, Ethical Dilemmas in Church Leadership: Case Studies in Biblical Decision Making. Kregel Academic and Professional, 1997. Reference in: Ministry Ethics LifeandLeadership.com Summary Milco provides theological and philosophical foundations for ethics, as well as an understanding of how one’s personality, church tradition, and cultural and congregational contexts interrelate. One special feature is the
James F. Keenan, S.J. and Joseph Kotva, Jr., Practice What You Preach: Virtues, Ethics, and Power in the Lives of Pastoral Ministers and Their Congregations. Sheed and Ward, 1999. Referenced in: Ministry Ethics LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is an interesting anthology of articles written by an ecumenical community of twenty-two pastoral theologians and ethicists, though it
Joe E. Trull and James E. Carter, Ministerial Ethics: Moral Formation for Church Leaders. Second Edition. Baker Academic, 2004. Referenced in: Ministry Ethics LifeandLeadership.com Summary This is the standard text on ministerial ethics, now in its second edition since the first in 1993. The purpose of the book is twofold: 1) to teach Christian ministry
Joseph E. Bush, Gentle Shepherding: Pastoral Ethics and Leadership. Chalice Press, 2006. Referenced in: Ministry Ethics LifeandLeadership.com Summary Most materials on ministerial ethics focus on character or virtue ethics, emphasizing the person of the minister, and how that plays into decisions that are made on various issues. Joseph Bush incorporates these emphasis as well, but
