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 …
In 1743 the Philadelphia Baptist Association adopted as a statement of their discipline Benjamin Griffith’s treatise, “Concerning a True and Orderly Gospel Church.” In this treatise is the following description of the duty of pastors (emphasis added, and reformatted): The minister being thus put upon his work, proceeds (1.) to preach the word of God …
Carl Trueman continues to sound the trumpet of real pastoral oversight. His latest post is right on target and deserves a wide reading. His points echo the key concerns of this blog. Here is one quote in hopes of enticing you to read the entire post, “Life Together- Or Not”: “First, I am immensely grateful …
Continue reading ‘Carl Trueman on Pastors Knowing Their People’ »
Augustine’s sermon “On the Anniversary of His Ordination” (listed as Sermon 340) provides a beautiful portrait of pastoral ministry. I have included here several excerpts. The importance of the oversight of souls is clear in these comments. Here is a good blend of authority and humility. The people need their pastors and the pastors need …
Continue reading ‘For you I am a bishop, with you, I am a Christian’ »
Doug Baker, editor of The Baptist Messenger, has written a helpful article on how programs have come to dominate church life and ministry titled “Against the McDonaldization of the SBC.” Drawing from Richard Baxter, Doug hits some key points on how program efficiency too easily becomes the goal rather than community and ministry. Here is …
Continue reading ‘Doug Baker, “McDonaldization” and Pastoral Ministry’ »
This week Matt Crawford, who is doing doctoral work in patristics, pointed me to Gregory of Nazianzus’ (c. 329-390) second theological oration which he preached after having initially fled from his ordination as bishop. Reading this oration, its influence on Gregory the Great’s Pastoral Care was obvious. The writing is tedious at times and the …
Continue reading ‘Gregory of Nazianzus on Pastoral Ministry’ »
Reading The Return of the King (third volume of The Lord of the Rings) to my boys a comment from Halbarad, a Ranger and kin of Aragorn, struck me as paralleling pastoral ministry. Speaking of the Shire, the peaceful land of the Hobbits, he said: “Little do they know of our long labour for the …
In my Pastoral Ministry class today B. J. Maxwell, pastor of Unity Baptist in Millington, TN, gave a lecture titled, “Strive to Be Ordinary.” It was an excellent exhortation to pursue faithful ministry to people rather than the trappings of success. I attempted to record it but was unsuccessful. The manuscript should be available soon, …
I have had several requests for the PowerPoint slides with historical quotes on the place of oversight in pastoral ministry which I have used in an address here at Union and last month at the Midwest Regional Founders Conference. Almost all of those quotes have previously appeared on this site. However, the slides (in PowerPoint …