Tom Ascol posted this poem by John Newton, and I thought it was a powerful portrait of pastoral work. A Minister’s Burden What contradictions meet In ministers’ employ! It is a bitter sweet, A sorrow full of joy: No other post affords a place For equal honor or disgrace. Who can describe the pain Which …
In Bede’s A History of the English Church and People, he includes a hymn in honor of a woman named Etheldreda. I can’t endorse all that is in the poem, but I appreciated this portion on the Incarnation. See! God most high resigns His royal throne, Descends to earth, and enters Mary’s womb; To free …
Last year one of the things I requested and received for Christmas was a couple of volumes of Journibles, from Reformation Heritage Books. I have loved them! It is a pretty simple concept (see the series website). They essentially journals- like ones you might purchase from any bookstore- devoted to certain books or collection of …
For any interested, I have just posted my thoughts on 5 papers I heard at the recent meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature at PastoralEpistles.com. Most of the papers came from a non-evangelical feminist perspective, so the value to most of my readers would simply be knowing what some people are saying these days.
I am catching up with everyone else by finally reading one of Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey novels (actually listening to it thanks to the free audio at Librivox). It is an entertaining story with several insightful comments on life. This morning I was captivated by the section below from Chapter 7 in which the …
For Thanksgiving I am posting one of my favorite hymns of thanks. It was written in the 17th century by Lutheran pastor, Martin Rinkart, after his city had endured horrible death and devastation in the midst of the Thirty Years’ War (at one point he was leading 50 funerals a day). Yet, the city was …
In the dedication of his Expository Discourses on the Book of Genesis, Andrew Fuller wrote to his church reflecting on “pleasures we have enjoyed together in exploring the treasures of the lively Oracles.” This dedication is a beautiful, powerful testimony to the affection between pastor and people that is only heightened as they build a …
Continue reading ‘Andrew Fuller, Blessings of Preaching through Books’ »
Benjamin Keach was one of the leading Baptist pastors in England in the 17th century. In the memoir included in a 19th century reprint of his book, The Travels of True Godliness, the following assessment of his ministry is included (it is an excerpt from Crosby’s History of English Baptists). This is an excellent summary …
I have previously mentioned an address I had the opportunity to give which drew together key portions of my biblical and historical argument for the centrality of the oversight of souls in pastoral ministry. That presentation is now a chapter in the book, Southern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism, which is due out …
Continue reading ‘Hezekiah Harvey, Personal Dealing with Souls’ »
Here is a strong comment from 1960 by widely published Baptist pastor Franklin Segler on the centrality of the care of souls in pastoral ministry. “The care of souls is central in the church’s ministry. Therefore, pastoral care is a primary function of the pastoral office. No part of the pastor’s ministry is of greater …