Just Ministry

At a time when concerns for misconduct, abuse scandals, and liability have brought pastoral ministers under greater scrutiny than ever before and have threatened to undermine their morale, Just Ministry offers a positive perspective on the vocation of pastoral ministry and wise ethical guidance to foster integrity in ministry. This is a helpful training and evaluative resource for those involved in pastoral ministry as ordained clergy, religious, or lay ministers. Key concepts are illustrated through case studies and practical strategies for acquiring and developing virtues, as well as preventative education for pastoral ministry in avoiding misconduct. By examining the professional aspects of a ministerial vocation, this book provides a guide for ministers to be accountable in offering their pastoral service with expert knowledge and skill and with good moral character. It builds upon a theology of vocation, a covenantal model of ministry, and a vision of professional identity. Book jacket.

"At a time when concerns for misconduct, abuse scandals, and liability have brought pastoral ministers under greater scrutiny than ever before and have threatened to undermine their morale, Just Ministry offers a positive perspective on the vocation of pastoral ministry and wise ethical guidance to foster integrity in ministry. This is a helpful training and evaluative resource for those involved in pastoral ministry as ordained clergy, religious, or lay ministers. Key concepts are illustrated through case studies and practical strategies for acquiring and developing virtues, as well as preventative education for pastoral ministry in avoiding misconduct." --

You're looking for a youth pastor. Again. What goes wrong? Why do youth ministries crumble? And what is the cost to students, parents, volunteers and church staff? Is a sustainable youth ministry possible, even after a youth pastor leaves? Youth ministry expert Mark DeVries knows the answer is yes, because he helps build sustainable youth ministries through his coaching service called Youth Ministry Architects. So take heart: No matter what state the youth ministry at your church is in--in need of a leader and volunteers, full of battles and stress, large or small in number--it can be built to survive and to last for the long haul. Based on his own experience and on his many conversations and interviews with churches in crisis, DeVries pinpoints problems that cause division and burnout and dispels strongly held myths. He then provides the practical tools and structures pastors and church leaders need to lay a strong foundation for your ministry so that it isn't built on a person or the latest, greatest student ministry trend. His accessible guidance helps senior pastors and search committees create a realistic job description for a youth pastor provides tips for making wise hiring decisions equips youth pastors to build a strong volunteer team offers creative solutions to help youth pastors set and keep boundaries gives a road map for navigating church politics and more Building a sustainable youth ministry is not easy, and it's not quick. But with commitment to the process, hard work and DeVries's guidance, you can put together a healthy youth ministry--one that fits your church and lasts for the long haul. Youth ministry can last. Here's how.

Great ministers don't just happen. Great falls from ministry don't just happen either. A complex mix of factors both internal and external test the limits of your ability to minister wholeheartedly over the long haul. Senior pastor Brad Hoffmann and licensed professional counselor Michael Todd Wilson work with pastors removed from their place of service. The common experiences of these pastors revealed patterns that consistently contributed to burnout, ineffectiveness and moral failure. If such patterns can be predicted, the authors reasoned, can they be prevented?Preventing Ministry Failure is a personal guidebook for pastors and other caregivers to prepare them to withstand common pressures and to flourish in the ministry God has called them to. Work through the exercises and reflections individually or in conversation with your peers, and you'll find yourself better equipped for the challenges of vocational ministry, and more conscious of the presence of God leading you on and restoring your soul.

Churches large and small across the world and in every denomination have rising numbers of single people on their leadership staff. This book presents a research-based perspective on the joys, opportunities, and challenges of being single in vocational ministry. Through extensive interviews and focus groups, the authors present both a practical application and a positive message for those serving God as single clergy or pastoral leaders.

Ministry in Context: A Guide to Theological Field Education and Ministry Internships in Australia and New Zealand has been written for students, field placement supervisors, and theological college coordinators to introduce the basic principles and practices of theological field education and ministry internships. The book covers all aspects of field-based learning, including biblical and historical foundations, the place of calling and vocation, the importance of supervision, the practice of theological reflection, and the setting and evaluation of goals. Chapters have been written by experts across Australia and New Zealand and reflect the diversity and cultural uniqueness of this region.

Teenagers are not a lost cause; they need wise leaders to help them along in their faith journeys. In Navigating Student Ministry, veteran student ministers with more than one hundred years of combined experience guide others through the often-challenging aspects of ministering to young people. This multi-contributor introductory textbook helps both those discerning a call to student ministry and those already invested in students. Editor Tim McKnight has crafted a book that can serve as both a topical resource and a comprehensive manual for those in the fun, exhausting, and eternally rewarding realm of student ministry.