Kregel Academic has published another excellent book in their 40 Questions series. This one is called 40 Questions About Pastoral Ministry, and it is written by Phil A. Newton. The series editor is Benjamin Merkle.
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40 Questions About Pastoral Ministry
Newton breaks this book up into five parts:
- Foundational Considerations
- Pastoral Development and Health
- Pastoral Practices
- Pastoral Preaching
- The Church and Pastoral Ministry
As you can see from these various parts, Newton covers a lot of territory in this book. As he answers the questions that deal with these topics, it is evident that Newton is an experienced pastor of Christ’s church. He writes with a warm pastoral heart.
But he doesn’t only rely on himself and his experiences. Newton references other godly men constantly throughout this book. There is no shortage of footnotes, and many of those footnotes come from Puritans, Reformers, Lloyd-Jones, John Stott, Charles Bridges, and many of today’s faithful pastors such as H. B. Charles and Mark Dever. The content is top-notch for a pastoral ministry book!
I have greatly enjoyed the 40 Questions series, and this volume is certainly one of my favorites so far. In this book, Newton answers 40 questions that deal with the life and the work of pastors. For those in pastoral ministry, I would consider this a must-read! You will be tremendously encouraged, challenged, and helped.
This book is still a very valuable resource for those who are not in pastoral ministry though. For instance, for those who are considering whether or not to pursue pastoral ministry, this book will greatly assist in that process.
For those who desire to better understand their pastor’s life and ministry, many of these chapters will certainly help in that way as well.
For those who happen to be younger/newer pastors, this book will be a great delight to you. It will provide some excellent godly and mature wisdom and instruction. Whether it be a reminder of the essential qualities of the pastor (question 3), how to handle opposition (question 18) or something as practical as how to lead an elders meeting (question 19), this book will be a constant go-to resource for you.
Conclusion
I highly recommend this book, and I hope that many pastors will take the time to benefit from Phil Newton’s work. Tolle lege, take up and read!
Disclaimer: My thanks to Kregel Academic for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book on behalf of an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Other Book Reviews in the “40 Questions” Series:
Matt became a joyful follower of Jesus at the age of 21. He is very grateful to be a husband to Lindsey, and a father to four boys. He is an ordained minister (teaching elder) in the PCA. He previously served as a pastor of biblical counseling and is currently a corporate chaplain in southern Delaware. Matt received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an advanced certification in biblical counseling from the Association of Biblical Counselors. In his free time, he loves playing with his boys, traveling with his wife, and reading (and buying!) books.
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