Pastoral ministry today is often ruled by an emphasis on short-sighted goals, pragmatic results, and shallow thinking. Unfortunately, those in the academy tend to have the opposite problem, failing to connect theological study to the pressing issues facing the church today. Contemporary evangelicalism has lost sight of the inherent connection between pastoral leadership and theology. This results in theologically anemic churches, and ecclesial anemic theologies. Todd Wilson and Gerald Hiestand contend that among a younger generation of evangelical pastors and theologians, there is a growing appreciation for the native connection between theology and pastoral ministry. At the heart of this recovery of a theological vision for ministry is the re-emergence of the role of the "pastor theologian." The Pastor Theologian presents a taxonomy of the pastor-theologian and shows how individual pastors—given their unique calling and gift-set—can best embody this age-old vocation in the 21st century. They present three models that combine theological study and practical ministry to the church: The Local Theologian—a pastor theologian who ably services the theological needs of a local congregation. The Popular Theologian—a pastor theologian who writes theology to a wider lay audience. The Ecclesial Theologian—a pastor theologian who writes theology to other theologians and scholars. Raising the banner for the pastor as theologian, this book invites the emerging generation of theologians and pastors to reimagine the pastoral vocation along theological lines, and to identify with one of the above models of the pastor theologian.

Many pastors today see themselves primarily as counselors, leaders, and motivators. Yet this often comes at the expense of the fundamental reality of the pastorate as a theological office. The most important role is to be a theologian mediating God to the people. The church needs pastors who can contextualize biblical wisdom in Christian living to help their congregations think theologically about all aspects of their lives, such as work, end-of-life decisions, political involvement, and entertainment choices. Drawing on the Bible, key figures from church history, and Christian theology, this book offers a clarion call for pastors to serve as public theologians in their congregations and communities. It is designed to be engaging reading for busy pastors and includes pastoral reflections on the theological task from twelve working pastors, including Kevin DeYoung and Cornelius Plantinga.

This volume explores the challenges and possibilities facing contemporary theological inquiry. Produced in honor of Wallace M. Alston, the book is framed around the areas of discussion that Alston, as director of the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey, has diligently placed at the forefront of Christian reflection. Written by some of today's leading Christian pastors and theologians, these insightful chapters probe topics of interest to both the church and the academy. In the first section Denise M. Ackermann, Gerhard Sauter, William Schweiker, Max L. Stackhouse, Michael Welker, and Carver T. Yu examine cultural, social, political, and ethical challenges to Christian theology. In the second section Don Browning, Brian E. Daley, Botond Gal, Niels Henrik Gregersen, John Polkinghorne, and Dirk Smit discuss theology's ongoing dialogue with the sciences and the humanities. In the third section Milner S. Ball, L. Ann Jervis, John S. McClure, Allen C. McSween Jr., Patrick D. Miller, Jrgen Moltmann, Fleming Rutledge, and Virgil Thompson illuminate the role of theology in preaching and teaching. In the fourth and final section of the book David Fergusson, Thomas W. Gillespie, Colin Gunton, Cynthia A. Jarvis, Robert W. Jenson, J. Harold McKeithen Jr., A. J. McKelway, Daniel L. Migliore look at several cutting-edge themes drawn from Reformed and ecumenical theology. Loving God with Our Minds unites voices from the various enterprises of the Center of Theological Inquiry, from different churches, from different theological and academic disciplines, and from different countries across the globe. The book is thus a bouquet of diverse perspectives mirroring what is so central and admirable in Wallace Alston and reflecting what he so desires to see among fellow Christians and pastor-theologians -- loving God not only with our hearts but also with our minds. Contributors: Denise M. Ackermann Milner S. Ball Don Browning Brian E. Daley David Fergusson Botond Gal Thomas W. Gillespie Niels Henrik Gregersen Colin Gunton Cynthia A. Jarvis Robert W. Jenson L. Ann Jervis John S. McClure J. Harold McKeithen Jr. A. J. McKelway Allen C. McSween Jr. Daniel L. Migliore Patrick D. Miller Jrgen Moltmann John Polkinghorne Fleming Rutledge Gerhard Sauter William Schweiker Dirk Smit Max L. Stackhouse Virgil Thompson Michael Welker Carver T. Yu

A biography of English pastor Andrew Fuller (1754-1815) highlighting his method of relating doctrine to ministry. Book two of the Studies in Baptist Life & Thought series.

Carl Braaten’s memoirs tell the story of his life as a theologian, from his early years as a missionary kid in Madagascar to his years of study at the universities of Paris, Harvard, Heidelberg, and Oxford to his decades of teaching. Throughout the book, he delves into the many theological movements, controversies, and personalities that shaped his thinking and writing. Braaten’s fight for the faith is reflected in his theological work―spoken and written―that tangles with the “isms” of the surrounding culture of American religion. Because of Christ is more than simply a biography; it is a chronicle of the chief theological conflicts of the twentieth century that put the integrity of the gospel to the test.

Purves proposes a thoughtful reading of early classical texts to provide insight into contemporary pastoral work.

Power has a God-given role in human relationships and institutions, but it can lead to abuse when used in unhealthy ways. Speaking into current #MeToo and #ChurchToo conversations, this book shows that the body of Christ desperately needs to understand the forms power takes, how it is abused, and how to respond to abuses of power. Although many Christians want to prevent abuse in their churches and organizations, they lack a deep and clear-eyed understanding of how power actually works. Internationally recognized psychologist Diane Langberg offers a clinical and theological framework for understanding how power operates, the effects of the abuse of power, and how power can be redeemed and restored to its proper God-given place in relationships and institutions. This book not only helps Christian leaders identify and resist abusive systems but also shows how they can use power to protect the vulnerable in their midst.

While many pastoral ministry books focus on the practical duties of the pastor, few works actually consider how theological truth defines the pastor’s role and responsibilities. These pragmatic ministry tools, though instructionally beneficial, essentially divorce biblical doctrine from ministerial practice. As a result, pastors’ lives and ministries often lack the theological roots that provide the stability and nourishment necessary to sustain them. Pastoral Theology constructs a theological framework for pastoral ministry that is biblically derived, historically informed, doctrinally sound, missionally engaged, and contextually relevant. By using traditional theological categories the authors explore the correlation between evangelical doctrine and pastoral practice. Through careful theological integration they formulate a ministry philosophy that defines the pastoral office and determines its corresponding responsibilities in light of theological truth. The authors provide a theological understanding of the pastorate that will equip aspiring pastors to discern and pursue their calling, challenge younger pastors to build on ministerial truth instead of ministerial trends, and inspire seasoned pastors to be reinvigorated in their passion for Christ and his church.

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.