Happy New Year!
I hope you had a refreshing break during the holidays.
As I mentioned last month, I plan to share reviews of books from time to time that have been meaningful to me that I believe may be helpful to you. Today, I want to introduce you to Jared Wilson’s new book, Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor.
I hope you had a refreshing break during the holidays.
As I mentioned last month, I plan to share reviews of books from time to time that have been meaningful to me that I believe may be helpful to you. Today, I want to introduce you to Jared Wilson’s new book, Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor.
As many of you will remember, Jared was one of our featured speakers at the June 2021 SBCAL Annual Conference in Nashville. His previous book, The Gospel-Driven Church, was the basis of our theme: The Gospel-Driven Association.
His latest book is another excellent resource for you to give to younger ministers as well as to use in mentoring, coaching, and in developing leadership pipelines in your association. I plan to purchase copies to give to my younger pastors/ministers.
In Gospel-Driven Ministry, Jared Wilson looks at the qualifications for the pastorate and introduces a gospel-centered approach to the core practices of pastoral ministry, including: preaching sermons, caring and counseling, family care and self-discipline, leadership dynamics, spiritual warfare and fighting sin, and resolving conflict.
Jared Wilson is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Spurgeon College, Author in Residence of Midwestern Seminary, General Editor at For the Church, and Director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church, Kansas City, MO.
Here are some excerpts:
Calling does not replace qualification. The call to ministry, then, is a call to become qualified or a call to maintain one’s qualifications.
A call to pastoral ministry is the inclination to conform one’s desires and direction to the aspiration of shepherding a church.
Someone who wants to serve over a church should be a product of a church.
Your basic ministerial task in every context is to say to people both near and far from the Lord, “Behold your God!”
“Do” is just a flip of the law coin from “Don’t.” The essential message of Christianity is “Done.”
Indeed, the more we center on the gospel, the more fruit we begin to see in our lives. The more we abide in Jesus, the more like him we become.
…the fire of your holiness – your passion for God – is far more important than the fire of your oratory or leadership skills.
Your theology fuels your worship. Every behavior problem is a belief problem. A wonky theology leads inevitably to wonky behavior. Thus, good theology is an antidote to bad worship.
A great number of preachers don’t seem to know what a sermon is…based on scientific research, the use of PowerPoint slides during the sermon does not actually help people retain information.
My working definition of preaching for the last decade or so has been “proclamation that exults in the exposing of God’s glory in Christ.”
Gospel-driven leadership is intentionally influencing others from a heart of grace toward the heart of Christ.
As you can tell, this book offers much wise, godly counsel.
To the praise of His glory,
Ray
Pr. 3:5-6
Quotable Quote: Four Components of Gospel-Driven Leadership
Decisiveness – Pastors overly concerned about their own protection or reputation will grow passive over time. Do not be afraid to be decisive. Avoid analysis paralysis.
Responsibility – Bad leaders shift blame. Good leaders take responsibility.
Humility – Be the first to admit failures. And don’t think so much of your own position and power as you do the presence of Christ…Christ came to us meek and lowly. Gospel-driven leadership then, is…about being the one out in front taking the hits. Point others to Jesus by embracing the humility of Jesus (Phil. 2:5-8).
Delegation – The leader confident in the gospel will free others to lead according to their gifts and maturity. The pastor who is trying to do everything himself, whether out of personal control or “quality control” concerns, has an idolatry problem.
Excerpt from Gospel-Driven Ministry, Jared Wilson
His latest book is another excellent resource for you to give to younger ministers as well as to use in mentoring, coaching, and in developing leadership pipelines in your association. I plan to purchase copies to give to my younger pastors/ministers.
In Gospel-Driven Ministry, Jared Wilson looks at the qualifications for the pastorate and introduces a gospel-centered approach to the core practices of pastoral ministry, including: preaching sermons, caring and counseling, family care and self-discipline, leadership dynamics, spiritual warfare and fighting sin, and resolving conflict.
Jared Wilson is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Spurgeon College, Author in Residence of Midwestern Seminary, General Editor at For the Church, and Director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church, Kansas City, MO.
Here are some excerpts:
Calling does not replace qualification. The call to ministry, then, is a call to become qualified or a call to maintain one’s qualifications.
A call to pastoral ministry is the inclination to conform one’s desires and direction to the aspiration of shepherding a church.
Someone who wants to serve over a church should be a product of a church.
Your basic ministerial task in every context is to say to people both near and far from the Lord, “Behold your God!”
“Do” is just a flip of the law coin from “Don’t.” The essential message of Christianity is “Done.”
Indeed, the more we center on the gospel, the more fruit we begin to see in our lives. The more we abide in Jesus, the more like him we become.
…the fire of your holiness – your passion for God – is far more important than the fire of your oratory or leadership skills.
Your theology fuels your worship. Every behavior problem is a belief problem. A wonky theology leads inevitably to wonky behavior. Thus, good theology is an antidote to bad worship.
A great number of preachers don’t seem to know what a sermon is…based on scientific research, the use of PowerPoint slides during the sermon does not actually help people retain information.
My working definition of preaching for the last decade or so has been “proclamation that exults in the exposing of God’s glory in Christ.”
Gospel-driven leadership is intentionally influencing others from a heart of grace toward the heart of Christ.
As you can tell, this book offers much wise, godly counsel.
To the praise of His glory,
Ray
Pr. 3:5-6
Quotable Quote: Four Components of Gospel-Driven Leadership
Decisiveness – Pastors overly concerned about their own protection or reputation will grow passive over time. Do not be afraid to be decisive. Avoid analysis paralysis.
Responsibility – Bad leaders shift blame. Good leaders take responsibility.
Humility – Be the first to admit failures. And don’t think so much of your own position and power as you do the presence of Christ…Christ came to us meek and lowly. Gospel-driven leadership then, is…about being the one out in front taking the hits. Point others to Jesus by embracing the humility of Jesus (Phil. 2:5-8).
Delegation – The leader confident in the gospel will free others to lead according to their gifts and maturity. The pastor who is trying to do everything himself, whether out of personal control or “quality control” concerns, has an idolatry problem.
Excerpt from Gospel-Driven Ministry, Jared Wilson
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