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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 253 EAN: 9780687045327 ISBN: 0687045320 Label: Abingdon Press Manufacturer: Abingdon Press Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 386 Publication Date: 2002-01 Publisher: Abingdon Press Studio: Abingdon Press Related Items:
Editorial Review: Product Description: Ordained ministry, says Willimon, is a gift of God to the church--but that doesn't mean that it is easy. Always a difficult vocation, changes in society and the church in recent years have made the ordained life all the more complex and challenging. Is the pastor primarily a preacher, a professional caregiver, an administrator? Given the call of all Christians to be ministers to the world, what is the distinctive ministry of the ordained? When does one's ministry take on the character of prophet, and when does it become that of priest? What are the special ethical obligations and disciplines of the ordained? In this book, Willimon explores these and other central questions about the vocation of ordained ministry. He begins with a discussion of who pastors are, asking about the theological underpinnings of ordained ministry, and then moves on to what pastors do, looking at the distinctive roles the pastor must fulfill. The book also draws on great teachers of the! Christian tradition to demonstrate that, while much about Christian ministry has changed, its core concerns--preaching the word, the care of souls, the sacramental life of congregations--remains the same. Ordained ministry is a vocation to which we are called, not a profession that we choose. To answer that call is to open oneself to heartache and sometimes hardship; yet, given the one who calls, it is to make oneself available to deep and profound joy as well. Average Rating:
 Rating: - A must readIf one wants to know "why am I in this mess" of ordained ministry, this is a must read. Rating:  - Richard Baxter Rehash It is a sad reflection of the church in the 21st century that a book like this could be published by a church leader. Willimon reveals himself as stuck in a Christendom institutional view of the church in which the ecclesiastical equivalent of the one man band hogs the limelight whatever passing condiscension he makes about giving ministry to the "laity." Just look at Willimon's chapter headings "Pastor as Priest, Pastor as interpeter of scripture, pastor as pastor, pastor as ... Read More Rating: - From a Deep WellI was introduced to William Willimon through his sermons. He is a genius preacher and a prolific writer, having published hundreds of sermons and dozens of books. The insights in Pastor are the fruit of a life long lived in God's service. It is not easy being a pastor amidst the cultural mega-shifts underway. Many of us find ourselves in the throws of a vocational identity crisis. What in the world are pastors to give themselves to? Are they primarily preachers, Chief Executive Officers, ones who ... Read More Rating: - A Job Description for PastorsWilliam H. Willimon's comprehensive and insightful, Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry, should be read by all entering or currently working in ordained ministry. Willimon examines the multi-faceted roles of the ordained pastor-worship leader, care giver, interpreter of Scripture, servant, counselor, teacher, evangelist, and prophet-through the lenses of Scripture, Christian history, and post-modern American culture. Although Willimon's elucidation of pastoral ministry is verbose, ... Read More Rating:  - Why be a pastor?As I read "Pastor", I was constantly asking the question, "Why would anyone ever seek to be a pastor after reading this book?" My thoughts surrounding my answer seemed to fluctuate around whether a pastor can say "no" to his/her calling from God. Willimon rightly states that pastors are called by God to be leaders. And if we believe in an omnipotent God, His will will be done. So, I continued to read with an open mind the thoughts Willimon had to say. On one hand, Willimon provides a thorough ... Read More 
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