"Evangelical Idolatry" (Jeff Mikels)

TITLE: Evangelical Idolatry: How Pastors Like Me Have Failed the People of God
AUTHOR: Jeff Mikels
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2025, (256 pages).
 

Why are there so many people who were baptized but not growing as Christians in daily life? Why are Church people ready to discuss love but not demonstrate it on social media? Why do people trust Fox News more than the words of Jesus? If Christians preach love thy neighbour, why is it not seen more frequently in daily interactions? From social media to politics, pastor Jeff Mikels shares three events that led to personal changes from hope to disappointment:  Donald Trump's impeachment trial, the pandemic, and the murder of George Floyd. All three events touch on the sensitivities surrounding politics, race, and religion. He encounters deeper discouragement and disillusion as he tries to change his messaging to adapt to the changing environment. Dealing with cultures, and increasingly subcultures are damaging to Church health. As a pastor, and now an ex-pastor, Mikels feels he failed at several levels. Even as he tries to find out the reasons behind the disappointments, he attempts to expose false teachings and presumptions both personal and external. This book is about that journey of exposing personal weaknesses and worldly idolatry. Beginning with "Evangelicalism has idols," Mikels attempts to uncover false beliefs happening within the Church, especially the American evangelical Church. His main target: Idolatry within evangelicalism. Writing as a former pastor, he begins with his personal disillusionment and disappointment with the Church. 

"I Have My Doubts" (Philip Ryken)

TITLE: I Have My Doubts: How God Can Use Your Uncertainty to Reawaken Your Faith
AUTHOR: Philip Ryken
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024, (192 pages).
 

Faith and doubt are part and parcel of what it means to be human. Honest doubt can lead to deeper insights about Truth. Sarcasm or superficial faith can lead one away from Truth. In a world that is infatuated with certainty, doubts can sometimes be perceived negatively. Humanly speaking, doubt gives us a weirdness that cannot be easily dispensed with. Instead of letting doubt scrape away our layers of faith, why not let these doubts point us to deeper levels of faith and understanding? The central message in this book is to "retain the courage of one's doubts as well as one's convictions." Using ten challenging stories from the Bible that deal with the interplays of faith and doubt, author-professor Philip Ryken shows us to be bold with our doubts and how we can grow in our faith. The ten stories cover several pertinent concerns about Christian living and faith.

"Wounded Pastors" (Carol Howard Merritt and James Fenimore)

TITLE: Wounded Pastors: Navigating Burnout, Finding Healing, and Discerning the Future of Your Ministry
AUTHOR: Carol Howard Merritt and James Fenimore
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (190 pages).

Saying pastoral ministry is not easy is an understatement. Many enter the call to full-time ministry at some level of social and economic disadvantage. Well-remunerated pastors are few. Many struggle even to make ends meet. Having written about wounded Christians in all walks of life, there is one group of people that the authors have left out: The clergy. This book is the answer to the many criticisms about excluding the clergy in the woundedness category. From burnout to blatant hurts, healing is a necessary process, and some of us might say, even more so for the clerical vocation. Frequently, those in the ministry of helping others need help themselves. It is widely expected that pastors have to comfort others in their times of grief. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said the other way around. Who comforts them when they are grieved? In some congregations, expectations of pastoral perfection can even lead to unrealistic assumptions that pastors with special calling will automatically experience God's comfort. What if God is using ordinary people to help the hurting pastors? What if we recognize that not everyone is like the Bible heroes of old, like Moses, Joshua, David, etc, where God was their personal Comforter, Deliverer, and Saviour? God can use supernatural means to help, but we should not restrict God from using ordinary people via ordinary means. This book is one ordinary way in which pastors can find a way to heal from their wounds. Written in three parts, authors James Fenimore and Carol Howard write about this process.

"Pastoral Identity: True Shepherds in the Household of Faith" (Douglas D. Webster)

TITLE: Pastoral Identity: True Shepherds in the Household of Faith
AUTHOR: Douglas D. Webster
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Ministry, 2023, (192 pages).
 

According to Barna research, the percentage of pastors considering quitting full-time ministry hovers around 42 percent. The pandemic only made it worse. Whatever the numbers, the trend is a worrying one. With enrolment at theological institutions down, and the rising attrition of pastors, churches continue to have a hard time hiring pastors. Perhaps, this is a symptom of a deeper problem, that the expectations of both churches and pastors are both misaligned. Author Douglas Webster recognizes the different expectations not only in the modern era but also through the ages. The one thing that is fundamentally important is the issue of identity. How do we understand the way pastoral leadership has changed? What kind of pastoral care is needed in a culture of nominal Christians? What if the gifts of the pastor do not match  the Church's expectations? 

In this book, Webster helps us wrestle with the differences of pastoral identity across two eras: Christendom and the modern household of faith. Thr former is based on religious tradition or Church denominational history (time-limited) while the latter on followers of Jesus who reflect the values of the gospel (timeless). Change has been happening even in the modern era. The challenge is to try to adapting gospel approaches to changing culture.

"Church Revitalization: A Pastoral Guide to Church Renewal" (Russell N. Small)

TITLE: Church Revitalization: A Pastoral Guide to Church Renewal
AUTHOR: Russell N. Small
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Ministry, 2023, (232 pages).
 

Like it or not, every organization will need to be refreshed or revitalized every now and then. Existing members age or move on to "greener" pastures. New people move in and form new relationships. As dynamics shift from year to year, organizational structures can sometimes become archaic and inflexible to changes. Pastoral transitions also play a part in the range of changes. If these changes are to be expected, it makes perfect sense to prepare for them. This book shows us the way. The first five chapters present some theories to know and assess "critical areas" in such revitalization efforts. The following five chapters present the practical steps to put them into action. The primary purpose of the book is to recognize Church Revitalization as a calling and to help do our part to renew the Church over and over again. Chapter One sets the stage to bring us back to the fundamental convictions of a Church. Questions are asked pertaining to the definition of a Church, what it stands for, and the types of churches we are talking about. Not all churches are the same doctrinally, traditionally, and structurally. Not a problem. The point is not about the differences but to recognize our own church's conviction, mission, and vision. Chapter 3 deals with the history of the Church so as to establish a pattern of thought. This includes the assessment of past pastorates, reviewing Church records, major decisions made, spiritual successes, and listening carefully to members and the community. Chapter 4 deals with demographic concerns both inside the Church and outside in the neighborhood. On the inside, we look at factors such as generational differences and on the outside, to learn awareness about the cultural, social, and political climate. Chapter 5 looks at the spiritual health of the pastor. There are various personality tests for pastors to take to better self-understanding. There are also tips of pastoral wellness and emotional health. An important point to note is the danger of burnout and blowout! There is also a section on digital wellness which is increasingly relevant. From chapter 6 onward, the author brings in several strategies to help us plan toward Church revitalization. It is crucial that we do not skip the first few chapters about Chruch and leadership personal evaluation, lest we put the cart before the horse.

"Youth Ministry as Mission" (Brian Hull & Patrick Mays)

TITLE: Youth Ministry as Mission: A Conversation About Theology and Culture
AUTHOR: Brian Hull & Patrick Mays
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Ministry, 2022, (264 pages).
 

Mention the word "Youth Ministry" and one might conjure up images of fun and games, or various activities associated with trying to be relevant to the needs of young people. Others might think about summer camps, retreats, Bible camps, sleepovers, and all kinds of fun outings for youths. As churches all over the nation age, the focus on youth ministry becomes more urgent. They would hire youth pastors, children's workers, and various support staff to attract young people to their churches and also parents of young children. However, youth ministries, and in particular, young people are going through massive changes in their offerings and expectations respectively.  In many cases, youth ministry strategies are not adapting quick enough to monumental changes in society and especially among young people. Having observed the Youth Ministry situation in many churches, authors Brian Hull and Patrick Mays have combined their knowledge and experience to point us to a crucial way of thinking about Youth Ministry: See YM as a mission field and Youth Ministry workers as missionaries. Like like conventional missionaries who study the history and work of missions, YM workers need to study the history and work of youth ministry. Missionaries begin by learning about the different cultures and contexts. YM workers too need to learn about the different cultures and contexts of young people today. Hull and Mays lead us through their reasoning via several detailed descriptions and applications of missiology for youth ministries. They answer basic questions like:

"Celebrities for Jesus" (Katelyn Beaty)

TITLE: Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church
AUTHOR: Katelyn Beaty
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022, (208 pages).
 

How do celebrities for Jesus hurt the Church? Is it not a good thing to use celebrity pastors, preachers, and professors to draw in the crowds in order to listen to the gospel preached to the masses? Didn't Paul say in 1 Corinthians 9:22 that he would "become all things to all people" that people might be saved through the gospel? Well, the arguments are compelling that God could use anyone, especially flawed individuals to draw people to Him. That said, would God approve of the Church copying the ways of the world in the name of ministry? Does the ends justify the means? It all depends on motives. It also depends on which is the greater influence: Culture or Christlikeness? In this book that reflects on the virtues and vices of fame and celebrity-style ministries, we reflect on the root values that are driving people to do what they do. Three dangerous temptations lie at the root of the worldly celebrity mindset. The first temptation is the unholy use of Power. Beaty names how the famous (or infamous) Ravi Zacharias was able to captivate large audiences with his persona and persuasive words in public. Yet, his private life is filled with shameful abuse of power. Before his death, he was accused of sexual impropriety. After his death, his organization broke down after in-depth investigations exposed a history of cover-ups and multiple abuses of positions and power. Other celebrities include Mark Driscoll, whose charismatic preaching drowns out other accusations of abuse. Another charming celebrity involved in sexual scandals is the lead pastor of the famous Hillsong Church, Carl Lentz, who deceived not only his congregation but also his own family. Prosperity gospel preachers often gravitate toward the rich and the influential at the expense of the poor and needy. Their motive is the very thing they often preach about: Health and Wealth. Beaty reminds us that celebrity not only deceives people, it shields one from being investigated, and eventually isolates themselves from people. 

"Professional Christian" (Sarah Bereza)

TITLE: Professional Christian: Being Fully Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry
AUTHOR: Sarah Bereza
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2022, (198 pages).

Are Christian ministers more "play-actors," mere "professionals," or "authentic persons?" With sky-high expectations from the public, the temptation is to become something less of ourselves. As the famous Shakespeare phrase says, "All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players." With a keen understanding of the human psyche, Shakespeare's comedy, "As You Like It," reminds us of the way we all tend to behave in front of other people. Like the professionals in a commercial on TV, people get paid to put on a facade by exaggerating the quality of a particular product or service. In fact, anyone in a public-facing environment would be tempted toward becoming something that they are not. Those of us in public ministries are not exempted from such temptations. We prefer praises rather than criticisms. If acting a little bit unlike ourselves would win more applause, many would. If doing something authentic invites vicious criticism, most dare not. This book casts a spotlight on situations where ministry personnel become professionals to look good in front of people rather than humble servants faithful to God's calling in Jesus. The thesis of this book is that the more we are in Christ, the more ourselves we become which in turn improves our authenticity in ministry. What does it mean to be fully ourselves? This is the key question that the author, Sarah Bereza will address. She adds that the closer we are to God's glorious light, the truer our colours will shine. Before one could deal with authentic ministering in love, there are seven barriers to overcome. These are:

"A Contemporary Handbook for Weddings & Funerals and Other Occasions" (Aubrey Malphurs, Keith Willhite, and Dennis Hillman)

TITLE: A Contemporary Handbook for Weddings & Funerals and Other Occasions: Revised and Updated
AUTHOR: Aubrey Malphurs, Keith Willhite, and Dennis Hillman
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Ministry, 2022, (456 pages).
 

Pastors play a key role in any Church. They are frequently called to initiate, implement, and innovate on Church programs. Members of the Church rely on them for the smooth running of the Church. From Sunday services to weekly Church visitations, they are expected to meet the needs of the congregation members. Amid these weekly routines, there are happy events like weddings and baptisms, or sad events like illnesses and funerals. Then there are the seasons of the Church calendar such as Lent, Easter, Christmas, and others. This handbook covers a lot about these events, with a particular focus on weddings and funerals. Part One looks at a typical wedding service, providing sample service outlines, messages, and other relevant resources pertaining to the nature and meaning of marriages. 

Part Two follows the same framework as weddings above. Written with great sensitivity to the families of the bereaved, the chapters contain eulogy outlines, graveside instructions, memorial services, comforting messages, and sermons of hope. There are even outlines for pastors to provide for family members wanting to give memorial messages. Also included are resources that share some different perspectives of death and dying.

"Following" (Jason Byassee and Andria Irwin)

TITLE: Following (Pastoring for Life: Theological Wisdom for Ministering Well)
AUTHOR: Jason Byassee and Andria Irwin
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (208 pages).
 

Even with technological advances, there is almost always a constant divide between two poles. There are the Technological Luddites and the Technophiles. There are the modernists and the mystics. In a digital age, there are digital immigrants and digital natives. These are some of the distinctions between the old and the new forms of thinking. In a book written by a digital immigrant (Byassee) and a digital native (Irwin), we get a fascinating conversation about what discipleship means in a digital age. While getting online is easy, discerning what is going on is not so straightforward. In the area of discipleship, learning how to discern is increasingly important as many Christians go online and interact more on the Internet. Theologically, one of the biggest heresies throughout history was Gnosticism. This heresy is basically about dualistic views of life, seeing earthly things as evil and heavenly things as good. Salvation is thus a matter of running away from this world into the real good one. It is still occurring today to fuel any inclination toward escapism especially in times of trouble. Closely related to Gnosticism is Manicheism, something that had influenced St Augustine in his earlier days. This heresy is not as extreme as Gnosticism but still retains semblances of Gnostic beliefs into seeing some things as good and some things as evil. The Truth is, God has created creation as good, and right theology needs to discern what is good and fallen, against what the heresies claimed as inherently or naturally evil. The authors here seek to find a balance between the two heresies so as to make sense of what is theologically true and coherent with the human experience. In an age where the online environment is threatening to pull people toward any heretical extremes, they urge readers to learn to refrain, to restrain, and to rest from constant online engagement, without jettisoning the usefulness of technology. They also show us how to discern what are the things that can and cannot be done online. One of the key questions posed is:  "How might we use technology, perhaps despite its intentions, to trick ourselves into a more embodied life of discipleship?"

"Elements of Biblical Exegesis" (Michael J. Gorman)

TITLE: Elements of Biblical Exegesis
AUTHOR: Michael J. Gorman
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020, (352 Pages).

One of the first things I learned in Bible School is the danger of reading our thoughts into the text, a process called eisegesis. The solution: Exegesis. This is about reading the Bible for what it is, reading in the context of the passages concerned, and appreciating the original cultural and historical contexts. In many seminaries, bible exegesis is a core curriculum for all students. By helping students engage the text for what it says instead of reverting to what we feel or want it to say, we will be better expositors and teachers of the Bible. Books like this form an important part of the learning of exegesis. In this third edition, the author has included a new emphasis on interpretation from present social and ecclesiastical contexts, especially from the indigenous and Majority World. He provides additional material from both the interpreter's as well as the text's canonical contexts.  Part One of the book sets the stage by explaining to readers the basics and tools of exegesis. Gorman explains that exegesis is essentially an investigation or scholarly reading. This process includes examining the text for authorial intent, for contextual meaning, for genre awareness, and for details on meaning. It is also an opportunity for conversation. This reminder is important so that students will not see the study of the Bible too individualistically, but to be aware that the Holy Spirit illuminates God's Word in more ways than one. Exegesis is also more an art rather than mere science. That is because while we can learn of all the methodologies, content, and techniques, it takes art to put them all together. Gorman is also convinced that any exegesis needs to consider the readers' context too. That is why this third edition includes additional material on the four contexts: historical, literary, theological, and contemporary. He also helps us look at exegesis from diachronic and more so on synchronic approaches. The former examines the world behind the text while the latter on the world within the text. Gorman does a good job in describing many of the basic terms which makes this book not only a primer but a refresher for those who had previously done exegesis. Some of the key features here are:

"Sermons That Sing" (Noel A. Snyder)

TITLE: Sermons That Sing: Music and the Practice of Preaching (Dynamics of Christian Worship)
AUTHOR: Noel A. Snyder
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (208 pages).
 

For many preachers, giving a sermon is often done as a solo effort. Yet, some of the most powerful preaching are done through a team effort. There is the pair comprising of D.L. Moody and Ira D. Sankey, and through their teamwork, they have touched many lives in ways that no single person could have done. Even the televangelist like Benny Hinn at the height of his popularity, has his worship leader such as Terry MacAlmon to thank. Some people might say that the preacher gives the food for the mind, the worship leader provides fodder for the emotion, and the Spirit uses them to minister to the hungry soul. Whatever it is, I believe that worship with Scripture and song is powerful beyond measure. Yet, there is a cautionary note that if we are not careful, one might manipulate the other subconsciously. Knowing the balance is tricky and the author Noel Snyder knows it full well. As a musician as well as a preacher, he understands the uniqueness from both angles and is well suited to demonstrate to us sermons musically and music in accordance to Scripture. It reminds me also of Jeremy Begbie's amazing lectures on how music and Scripture could work together hand in hand. it is apt to see Professor Begbie giving an eloquent foreword to this book that emphasizes that point. The key thesis of this book is to utilize the unique qualities of music to guide and enhance the message at the pulpit. By marrying the art of music into the homiletical practice of preaching, it is hoped that congregations would hear more "sermons that sing."

"The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narratives" (Steven D. Mathewson)

TITLE: The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative
AUTHOR: Steven D. Mathewson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (288 pages).

In many Sunday School classes, teachers would use Old Testament stories to teach Bible lessons. There is the Great Flood in Genesis; how the Israelites escaped Egyptian slavery in Exodus; the story of Gideon in Judges; how David defeated Goliath in 1 Samuel; and many more. For adults, sometimes we make it sound a little more sophisticated by substituting "stories" with "narratives." So, what Sunday School teachers call stories, adults would call them narratives. While it is relatively easy to summarize and tell simple stories like how Noah built the ark and invited cute animals into it, it is quite a challenge altogether to ponder upon God's message and the theme behind it all. For preachers, not only must they understand the stories per se, they need to figure out the big idea behind the narratives, and to deliver them clearly and faithfully. They need to distinguish between literary style against literal interpretation. They need to be curious like a child and be diligent as an adult. Written in 2002, this book is now in its second edition. Inspired by Robert Alter's "The Art of Biblical Narrative," author and pastor Steven Mathewson began learning about the nature of Old Testament narratives and eventually wrote a thesis on preaching OT Literature under the mentorship of the late Dr. Haddon Robinson. He incorporated a lot of his knowledge and wisdom in this book. In the first edition, he incorporated basic approaches in interpreting this genre, how to preach on it, as well as five sample sermon manuscripts. In the second edition, recognizing the wide availability of "sample sermons" on the Internet, he has reduced the sample sermons to just one, and added in an additional chapter entitled, "The Christ-Centered Preaching Debate." The three parts of this book are as follows:

"40 Questions about Pastoral Ministry" (Phil A. Newton)

TITLE: 40 Questions About Pastoral Ministry (40 Questions Series)
AUTHOR: Phil A. Newton
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2021, (336 pages).

What is a pastor? What do pastors do? What does it take to remain spiritually healthy? How could pastors lead the Church? How do pastors handle conflict? What do pastors do when expectations clash? What about discouragement? How do pastors conduct marriages, funerals, and other landmark rituals? Why should pastors aim for long pastorates? These questions and many more are covered in this comprehensive volume of advice for pastors present and future, young and old. Written in an easy to reference Question-and-Answer format, author and pastor Phil Newton shares from his over 40 years of pastoral experience about what a pastor is, what it takes to develop a pastor's health, some key practices, the ministry of preaching, Church leadership, and many more matters related to the pastoral ministry. Burdened for the pastoral ministry, Newton shares his conviction that any pastoral ministry must stem from the foundation of God's Word, with appropriate reflection theologically, and applied contextually to the modern Church environment. He writes this book even as he deals with chemotherapy challenges. The questions mainly provide a framework for issues commonly faced by pastors. In five sections, he gives answers to 40 of the most important questions with regard to pastoral ministry.

"The Congregation in a Secular Age" (Andrew Root)

TITLE: Congregation in a Secular Age (Ministry in a Secular Age)
AUTHOR: Andrew Root
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (288 pages).

What time is it? It's secular time! In a three-part volume about Christian life in a secular age, author, and professor Andrew Root paints for us the challenges surrounding youth ministry; pastoral ministry; and ministry to the congregation. The first volume deals with the reasons why young people's faith had flipped from a culture of "difficult not to believe" to "difficult to believe" within 500 years. The key is to move away from talking about faith to practicing faith in love to the young ones. Root looked at the state of authenticity and how it interacts with duty-bound individuals. The second volume looks at the challenges of pastoral ministry in a secular age where the challenge is for pastors to communicate hope even to people who refuse to see any hope. Thus, the second volume aims to encourage pastors with hope through historical examples and that ministry unveils God's presence to people by helping them recognize and perceive "divine action" in their midst. From youth ministry to pastoral ministry, now author Andrew Root helps us look at congregational ministry in an age of secularism. His key thesis is this: Congregations are unable to keep up with the changing tide of cultural changes leading to burnout, depression, and a shift from sacred living to frantic behaving, from faithfulness to a "drive for vitality." The solution is to go back to the fundamentals of ecclesiology and to help local congregations do the same. 

"The Big Idea Companion for Preaching and Teaching" (Matthew D. Kim and Scott M. Gibson)

TITLE: The Big Idea Companion for Preaching and Teaching: A Guide from Genesis to Revelation
AUTHOR: Matthew D. Kim and Scott M. Gibson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (640 pages).
 

One of the most popular and powerful methods for preaching is the late Dr. Haddon Robinson's "Big Idea Preaching." It is simple in its basic concept and widely applicable in communications, especially in the area of preaching and teaching. This book essentially applies the Big Idea to the whole Bible. Most of the contributors, if not all of them, have benefitted from Robinson's teachings and have applied to all 66 books of the Bible. It can be the preaching version of the abridged commentary of the whole Bible. Taking each biblical book, contributors worked through chapters, pericopes, and selected segments to give us the key exegetical idea, the subject, and the complement for each of them. On top of that, each book would come with:

1. An introduction to the major idea of the whole book
2. Tips on how to divide the segments
3. Guidance through difficult passages
4. Cultural contexts
5. Recommended resources

"A Burning in My Bones" (Winn Collier)

TITLE: A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene Peterson, Translator of The Message
AUTHOR: Winn Collier
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Waterbrook, 2020, (368 pages).

This is a biography of one of evangelicalism's best known authors, Eugene Peterson. For his beloved Church, he will always be their beloved pastor. For Regent College students, he will be remembered as a quiet, patient, and wise teacher. In the literature world, he is respected for his ability to weave words into meaning and nuance the words into spectrum of meanings. For many leaders and professors, he is an authority in spiritual theology. For the rest of the world, he is the translator of the popular paraphrase of the Bible: THE MESSAGE. Before his death in 2018, author Winn Collier was given permission to write an authorized biography about Eugene Peterson. Given free access to Peterson's journals, papers, letters, manuscripts, as well as personal interviews, Collier had unprecedented insight into the personal life of Eugene. Most of all, it was the way that he knew God so personally that we would want to learn about. 

The book is written in three parts. Part One describes the early years of Eugene's Norwegian grandparents, Andre and Juditta Odegard Hoiland moving to America in 1902. Flathead Valley in Montana was where they eventually moved to. It was where Eugene was born to Evelyn and Don. His creativity and imagination were credit to his mother. If Eugene had learned about creativity and contemplation from his mother, he learned about companionship and community from his father. He experienced what it meant to lose a family member at a tender young age when his 2-year old sister Lois died of pneumonia. Knowing the deeper connections to Eugene's family helps us appreciate his background and how it shapes his spirituality. Then there was his time in Seattle Pacific University where he rubbed shoulders with people of different denominational backgrounds. He learned the importance of manageable size from his early experience as President of a student body. Hence, he developed this principle of not pastoring a church larger than 300 people. He refuses to put himself up on a pedestal, but chooses the humble path by identifying himself with the rest of us, that he too like many have lived haphazard lives of discovery rather than a clearly defined path. Sometimes, the discovery has to do with what one does not want to do instead of one wants to do. This was Eugene's posture when he opts for ministry instead of getting involved in the Korean war. He shares about what it meant to be a butcher's son and subsequently a butcher's life. It was not to be as his direction shifts again after much rejection from existing Church denominations. He went to Bible School hoping to do some teaching after that. Gradually, the Bible became less of a book to be studied but an invitation to a conversation with God. He learned ministry from George Buttrick, philosophy from Soren Kierkegaard, prayer from his Pentecostal roots, and theology from Karl Barth. He eventually became ordained in the Presbyterian Church USA. He studied at New York Theological Seminary and continued with a doctoral program at John Hopkins University, focusing on semitic languages. He was blessed to study under the supervision of Bill Albright. However, he did not complete his dissertation as he decided to go into full time pastoral work instead. 

"Always a Guest" (Barbara Brown Taylor)

TITLE: Always a Guest: Speaking of Faith Far from Home
AUTHOR: Barbara Brown Taylor
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2020, (256 pages).

Many churches invite guest preachers to their Sunday pulpit time for different reasons. It could be giving the regular pastor a break. It could also be due to a specialized topic that the congregation needed to hear in a specific moment of time. Sometimes, a famous preacher might be in town also available. Many churches would pounce on the opportunity to listen to experienced clergy and well-known preachers. Barbara Brown Taylor is one such person that I find churches should not miss out. As an Episcopal priest who had stepped down from her Church in order to teach, while she may not be preaching at her regular Church, she has been guest preaching in other places like seminaries, colleges, community groups, as well as churches from different denominations. In this book, Taylor shares her thoughts and experiences about what it means to be doing guest preaching and hones her literary creativity in a constantly changing congregational environment. This collection of sermons is a gift to the rest of the world. Not only does Taylor stay faithful to the Scripture, she expounds it in a way that is very much herself. On her website, she calls herself as one who dares to say things that most of us are not "supposed to say." Things like learning to see the ordinary as beautiful. The world famously glorifies the pretty aesthetics but fails to see from God's perspective, that all of God's creation is good. Our problem is sin, which has marred the way we see the world. She looks at political anxiety in society and carefully redirects the problem back to the nature of human unneighborliness.

"Part-Time is Plenty" (G. Jeffrey MacDonald)

TITLE: Part-Time is Plenty: Thriving without Full-Time Clergy
AUTHOR: G. Jeffrey MacDonald
PUBLISHER: Louisville, LY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2020, (180 pages).

For many churches, pastors are hard to find. More specifically, finding the right fit between pastor and church is even more difficult, if not impossible. The need will always be there, but pastors will come and go. If one casually checks the websites of various churches, one would quickly realize how many churches need to hire clergy for their various ministries. The signs are not encouraging. With more seminaries shutting down or downsizing due to declining student enrollment, this impacts the pool of new qualified graduates available for churches. Financial challenges are plenty as well. Many churches with aging members experience sharp declines in revenue. With full-time clergy hard to find, financial resources being stretched, and the difficulty of fitting together different expectations, finding a pastor might very well be close to impossible. Churches' budgets are squeezed. Candidates' expectations continue to rise. Demands on sacrificial service are made on a decreasing pool of willing people. In a climate where the demands are so high and the supply so low, we need to do something about it. There needs to be a new model to ensure that churches are still able to function in an environment where full-time clergy are hard, if not impossible to find. What if we lower our search toward part-timers? What if we learn to see opportunities instead of problems? What if we modify the current ways of doing Church to fit the new reality? This would require a paradigm shift. For some, it might mean changing expectations of seismic proportions. Before that could happen, perhaps re-education is required. This book shows the way to prepare our hearts for a new reality. Realizing the potential of part-timers, author G. Jeffrey MacDonald was awarded a grant by BTS Center nonprofit to visit congregations with part-time clergy in ten states in the US. Fair to say, there are some churches where membership dropped when they switched to part-time clergy. Yet, there are also others whose membership stayed strong, even thrived. 

"Diary of a Pastor's Soul" (M. Craig Barnes)

TITLE: Diary of a Pastor's Soul: The Holy Moments in a Life of Ministry
AUTHOR: M. Craig Barnes
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020, (240 pages).

[Update Correction: This is a fictional account of the life of a pastor. The review should be read as that. Thanks Craig!]

What goes on in a pastor's life? For most people, they tend to see the pastor praying or preaching on stage every Sunday. They don't really know what happens on the other days. While most people would describe their lives as being defined by some crisis or sensational event, the challenge is to learn to pay attention to the ordinary. This is where pastor Craig Barnes manages to share with us, his daily ordinary work in the midst of a busy ministry. In this book, Barnes shares wittingly often with humour about his life as a pastor. 

Right off the bat, he recalls the challenge of dealing with older parishioners who are resistant to change. Some tend to view God's mission in terms of preserving the "temple," such as physical assets like building, structure, facilities, and so on. He understands what it means for pastors to serve anonymously and faithfully. His sharing about his own wife would easily debunk anybody dreaming that pastors' wives are perfect! I believe pastors appreciate that others not put their spouses on the "holier-than-thou" pedestal. Only God is holy. I appreciate how Barnes differentiate "expectations" from "expectancy." The former presumes some intention that is somewhat negative, while the latter removes all such presumptions and be ready to listen. He talks about the reality of loneliness where it is hard to distinguish between pastor and friend with a member of the Church. His sense of calling is essentially about serving all, regardless of whether they are for or against you. His sharing about Mac the custodian is a touching story of how people of good intentions clash with one another, and how there is that need for forgiveness and redemption in a broken world.