Introduction To Pastoral Ministry

"With generative wisdom, Gerkin moves beyond the predominance of the psychotherapeutic paradigm in pastoral care to a dynamic, interactive process which balances faith, culture, community, and individual well-being. . . . Gerkin's history of pastoral care is skillful. . . . His analysis of the current transitions in the field of care will make this book a classic."--Jeanne Stevenson Moessner, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, and the Georgia Association for Pastoral Care "Out of the abundance of his many years as a pastoral caregiver and theologian, Gerkin introduces readers to the history, theory, and practice of pastoral care. This book represents the best of Protestant liberal pastoral theology and fills a long-standing gap. . . . The narrative-hermeneutical paradigm which Gerkin offers holds and works with many of the complexities of pastoral care in postmodern times."--Carrie Doehring, School of Theology, Boston University "Gerkin's Introduction to Pastoral Care breaks new ground for an introductory text in its emphasis on care as 'the central metaphor of life in the Christian community.' Thus the scope is much larger than the more usual focus only on individual and family needs. He is deeply sensitive to both individual and community dimensions through his quadrilateral nexus of tradition, individuals and family, community, and cultural context."--James N. Lapsley, Princeton Theological Seminary "The formula appears simple: take the very best of pastoral care theory and research of the past, build upon it the best of contemporary literature and practice in the pastoral arts and sciences, season it with rich experiences of a pioneer in the pastoral care, counseling, and education movement, and you have a solid bridge to the 21st century. Gerkin has proven the formula. . . . [Gerkin] articulates a pastoral care for the 21st century."--Orlo C. Strunk, Jr., Pastoral Psychotherapist at The Coastal Samaritan Center, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

An expert in the field of pastoral care, John Patton demonstrates that pastoral care is a ministry of the church. He focuses on the community of faith as an authorizer and source of care and upon the relationship between the pastor and a caring community. Patton identifies and compares three paradigms of pastoral care: the classical, the clinical pastoral, and the communal contextual. This third paradigm emphasizes the caring community and the various contexts for care rather than focusing on pastoral care as the work of the ordained pastor.

The focus of this book is to bring clarity and understanding to the pastoral office and the pastoral anointing. This information will help individuals to recognize the operations of this anointing in their lives and in the lives of others. It is our hope that believers will develop a greater respect and appreciation for the pastoral office and gift.

The Church is facing tough issues globally, nationally, and locally. Many people are leaving the Church, communities are struggling with no anchor of hope, and people are trying to find a "savior" in all the wrong places. Pastors are stressed, they search for answers on how to be excellent in their calling, and they constantly have big decisions to make when leading and serving people. Those that are currently serving God in pastoral ministry or those of you preparing to enter that calling will find wisdom and insight in this book. I'm passionate about helping you become the pastor God wants you to be. I've written this book just for you. I interviewed 10 senior pastors, asking each of them 10 sets of questions on 10 different topics, to collect information that will help you be a more effective pastor moving forward. Here are the questions we cover: RETROSPECTION - "Based on your life experiences, what would you tell the younger version of yourself just starting out in ministry? MENTORSHIP - "What role have spiritual leaders and mentors played in your life? Who were they, and why were they important to you? How did they empower you and give you opportunities to grow?" READING - "What top 3 Christian books have influenced you the most, and why?" SPEAKING - "What does your sermon writing and delivery process look like? What resources, technology, methods, and mindset do you use?" HARDSHIP - "What is the hardest part about pastoral ministry?" TECHNOLOGY - "What role does technology play in your ministry? How important is social media to ministry? Do you find it important to stay on the cutting edge or stick with what you know?" GROWTH - "How do you keep yourself growing and getting better personally and professionally? How do you keep yourself passionate and fired up especially when times are tough?" FAMILY - "How do you balance work and family and why is that important?" PAST - "How has Ministry and the Church as a whole changed from when you started to now?" FUTURE - "What strategies and tactics should Church Leadership be doing now to be effective in the future?" You will learn from their successes and their failures as you read answers that come from years of experience in this field of work. I know this book will be incredibly helpful to you because as a pastor myself, these conversations, and more importantly these friendships, have been incredibly helpful to me. This book will give you the training you won't find at a Bible College or in a Seminary class; this is battle-tested advice. Invest in yourself and your church by learning from pastors who are walking the road of ministry. If you're ready, let me introduce you to your new friends and bring you into our conversations.

An in-depth look at who pastoral caregivers are, what they do, and how and why they do it

David McDonald wrestles with a vital, and for him, a very personal question: is there hope beyond cure?

An Introduction to Ministry is a comprehensive and ecumenical introduction to the craft of ministry for ministers, pastors, and priests that make up the mainline denominations in the United States. Ecumenically-focused, It offers a grounded account of ministry, covering areas such as vocation, congregational leadership, and cultivation of skills for an effective ministry. Covers the key components of the M.Div. curriculum, offering a map and guide to the central skills and issues in training Explores the areas of vocation, skills for ministry, and issues around congregational leadership Each topic ends with an annotated bibliography providing an indispensable gateway to further study Helps students understand both the distinctive approach of their denomination and the relationship of that approach to other mainline denominations Advocates and defends a generous understanding of the Christian tradition in its openness and commitment to broad conversation

Valuable for both seminarians and practicing clergy, this basic work integrates theology and pastoral care in a practical and useful way. Citing actual experiences, with questions for personal reflection, this much-needed study brings about a new awareness of the ministry of pastoral care.