Charles Spurgeon's Analysis

Reflection: This quote reminds me that having the position of a pastor gives one great responsibility both before man and God as a representative of God to people. Additionally, whether “fair” or not, people hold pastors to a higher standard because of

One of the most shocking statistics noted in Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good by Amy Sherman is that if one attends church on a weekly basis, they spend 5 percent at most of their waking hours at church. The other 95 percent are spent out in the world. This illustrates the importance of why this book matters. Sherman starts off by setting the tone for readers – she gives a background as to why she found it necessary that she write this book – and how she read a book by Michael Lindsey in which he discussed research of prominent evangelical business leaders and how their faith impacts their behaviors and decisions at work. A few stood out, while the rest stated they kept a Christian plaque in their office or wore a cross around their neck. They did not fulfill their religious identity in conjunction with their careers. There was a complete disconnect between the two sectors of their lives, and Sherman recognized that. Kingdom Calling is a guidebook for anyone who has ever been concerned about living a divided life – especially for pastors and religious leaders, but for lay people and congregation members as well. In Kingdom Calling, Sherman sets up a three-part framework on how to grow and empower a congregation, a specific group in the church, or a single member.

Some of the opportunity and challenges pastor’s facNorth American pastors are challenge in a variety ways, one of the questions that helps a pastor to define his true intentions is figuring out some of the following ideas and awareness.

According to the authors, Rainer and Geiger, “simple churches” or dynamic churches, experience a steady increase in the number of members that join their church each year. Churches that experience this annual growth in membership are more likely to have established programs and events that effectively share the gospel with the unsaved and aid in the progression of the church’s congregants’ spiritual development. Paradoxically, churches who do not experience this growth are likely to be “complex churches,” which have ineffective ministries that fail to evangelize and aid in the progressive of congregants’ spiritual development. Rainer and Geiger offer the church leader a

Times have changed in the venerated world of those devoted so greatly to the love of the lord, yet in this change has aroused a nuance of thinking of how that love should be portrayed to the masses. Many factions have been roused and felled throughout the many ages of Christianity, many holding greater disdain for their fellow believers than even that of the infidel. In all realizing that some of these paragons of virtue have no real admiration for the religion of which they stand as advocates, but that in their lust for power they use the Church as their proxy for attaining greater strength and influence.

In reading Richard Lischer’s book I find many examples of pastors, who came to a new church assignment fresh out of graduate school. To a place where they didn’t know anyone which is to be expected. What was good pastoral behavior, they were trying one to make a good impression, not coming in with a chip on their shoulder or trying to come across like it was dictated. Just as a foot note I have seen this today so, many times in my own denomination, so the fact that they came in trying to establish their willingness to get along is excellent pastoral art. It also appeared that a few of them were not impressed with the churches they were called to, and the parsonage that they were given to live in, I think that it was excellent pastoring to not

There are no lone rangers and the Pastor cannot do it all. However, Richard Smith (1992) noted from his reference, Towns, Getting a Church Started in the face of Insurmountable Odds with Limited Resources, “It is evident that growing churches have aggressive pastors” (p. 71).

Pastors have been instrumental in starting health programs and are sensitive to the needs of their congregation and the surrounding community of the church (Butler-Ajibade, P., Booth, W., Burwell, D., Burwell, C., 2012). Also, the members of the church have always utilized the church and the pastor for spiritual guidance, social needs, and health support or assistance (Ford, 2013). Pastors are also aware of the needs of their community and the community is willing to listen to them viewing them as spiritual leaders as well as educators (Ford 2013).

God is using the church to restore broken lives. We should greet each other warmly and compliment the good things in each other’s lives. The author makes a distinction between compliments an entertainer might receive as opposite a ministry-oriented church. An entertainer might hear things related to looks and performance whereas a church member would hear things related to how you were helped by the message and song. Churches that move ahead anticipate mistakes because they know that people are not perfect. They allow the members to grow and exercise their spiritual gifts and skills for the edification of the body. The church leadership is to encourage spiritual growth, but some in leadership may be uncomfortable letting people discover and use their gifts because it might not be in the style they are comfortable with. It might look like, “it is our way or the highway.” “And the church becomes paralyzed because it can’t tolerate the possibility of somebody messing things up.” (p. 109) David Mains sites two main church areas that are prone to perfectionism. They are the kitchens and sanctuaries. Heaven forbid, someone comes in and puts the spoons in a different drawer or the pots on a different shelf. The women in the church have strong feeling about how a kitchen should be organized. The church members can either work it out or eliminate the kitchen. The

The lecture given by Thielicke is for the purpose and intention to speak clearly and forcefully concerning the matter of theology (vii). The discourse is given for beginning seminary students with the hope that it will be read over and over again. It is a lesson to teach students theological self-discipline (xi). Thielicke argues that each minister must be disciplined when proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ (xii).

First, pastors are called by God. Before one can answer this call, we must define what it means to be called. In the New Testament

Winthrop outlines three detailed reasons to reform in his sermon that include glorifying God, manifesting in the work of the spirit, and providing Christian fellowship and helping others (Winthrop 1). He provides thorough questions and answers to why and how people should live wholesome Christian lives that include lending money and forgiving (Winthrop 2). He provides not only simple ways to live a charitable life of honoring God, but detailed reasons why. This is effective because it is easy to understand for people and encourages them to want to live this lifestyle. In “Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God,” Edwards only talks about God’s wrath, hell, and how all people are “damned from birth” (Edwards 1). These frightening subjects do not promote a Christian lifestyle change, only a rude awakening. Edwards even specifially states that his sermon is intende to be an “awakening for unconverted persons” (Edwards 1). This is less effective than Winthrop’s sermon because it may scare people into the Christian faith, but it gives little detail of living a changed Christian life. Also, Edwards approach is so extreme, it may have an opposite effect on some listeners and scare them out of Christianity due to the harsh way he describes God and his anger. Edwards provides a frightening awakening message that proves less potent than Winthrop’s positive description of becoming a Christian

I believe that the role of the pastor as an ethical leader in the community of faith is to emphasize to the congregation that we have collective responsibility to address the structural sin and brokenness of the world and bring healing. Moreover, the pastor must underscore that God enters into solidarity with a broken humanity through love, and we are called to do the same. Thus, as a community of faith, we must take accountability for finding ways to ensure the full dignity, flourishing,

It may seem as if a pastor is wasting their time helping others with their problems. It may also seem as if they are involved in too much busy work. However, everyone who attends the church has a function to help make it either run smoothly otherwise everyone will feel the effects of its decline. Pastors must be attuned to the nature and atmosphere of the church. They are the ones who keep the faithful seeking more and the new Christians thirsting for more knowledge. All of this is done through God. The times may change but one thing remains the same,

Willimon explains that “all of the pastor’s sheepherding takes its purpose and content from the pastor’s leadership of worship.” Willimon indicates several points in which I agree with and a few that I struggle with. As a pastor, we assume a responsibility for the people who attend the church. With that responsibility, we also are responsible “to God for the flock.” That responsibility is not to be taken lightly. It is through the worship that pastors have an incredible opportunity to tough the life of many souls. Although it is viewed by many as the pastor touching the souls; it is truly God touching the souls and utilizing the pastor as the vehicle.