Working The Angles : The Shape Of Pastoral Integrity

Edward L. Smither, a gifted writer and scholar in historical theology and intercultural studies, and professor at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, has given the present-day pastor a useful tool to aid in the area of mentoring in Augustine as Mentor. He authored this book with the intentions of helping other spiritual leaders in the area of mentoring. Whether it is mentoring others or having a mentor for themselves, there are pastors and other spiritual leaders today that are spiritually lonely in their walk with Christ, and this book is meant to be a motivational tool to prompt positive actions from these types of spiritual leaders. It is a popular believe that no man is an island. In his book, Smither builds upon this idea by talking about the ways that Augustine used mentoring to help him become more mature in Christ, as well as to help support those whom he mentored. According to Smither, there are many spiritual leaders who “are struggling in isolation without a pastor to nurture their souls” (p. v). This is more common in western societies and Smither mentions that “unless they encounter a radical change, [these leaders] will not finish the race” (p. v). The purpose of this book review is to study and analyze Augustine’s model of mentoring and discuss how it can be applied to pastoring today.

The book was very well put together with principal concepts, but it was not always easy to follow and some sections had to be read twice for clear comprehension. The message could have been portrayed using straightforward writing that would enable undergraduates and others that are not seeking higher levels of education to process the information. In simpler terms, this book can be essential to pastors, for personal relationships, and other professions if the language is simplified and made more user-friendly.

Reflection: This quote reminds me that having the position of a pastor gives one great responsibility both before man and God as a representative of God to people. Additionally, whether “fair” or not, people hold pastors to a higher standard because of

My faith tradition informs my theology of pastoral care as that a pastor has an authority in the pastoral care relationship. The pastor’s image in my faith tradition is an advisor, director, and guide. In my faith tradition, the lay people like to have the pastoral care, when they make important decisions. Since my culture is the hierarchal and patriarch system, the lay people believes that pastors are better to know about God’s will. Therefore, the lay people are too much depending on the pastor’s advices, and taking pastor’s perspective, rather than choosing what they want. There is no space to listen their inner voice in the pastoral care in my faith tradition. My theology of pastoral care in my faith tradition was that what Jesus did is what we should do. Because of my traditional ideal of pastoral care, I thought pastors have to know everything and be better than others until becoming like Jesus. However, I realized that the theology can be dangerous to look down the lay people and non-Christians, and is not helpful for the pastors and the lay people as well. I think it is important to remember in my tradition that the head of the church is the only one, Jesus, and we are all the body of Christ. There is the better part in the body of Christ. We are all the same and we need each other.

The calling of a pastor for the Lord is a very high calling as well as position. God has granted the ability of the pastor to lead sheep and teach truth to people. A pastor also has certain convictions that he or she must live up to. These certain convictions keep him or her accountable to God, upholding the stature of being light and salt of this world. Through the content of this paper, every conviction a pastor must have will be discussed, why these convictions are important, and who compromised their convictions.

He laments, “In some seminaries today pastors are not trained to use the Bible for ministry decisions.” (12) He argues that the contrasting errors of adding human rules to God’s Word and ignoring it all together, both reject the authority and the sufficiency of Scripture. Rienow maintains that Scripture is not relegated to the realm of ‘religion,’ but is sufficient for issues that we face day to day including family, marriage, education and government. He warns that taking a stand on the sufficiency of Scripture can be dangerous. He points out that Scriptural authority has been replaced outside and inside the church. He states, “We have become twisted and governed by a bizarre mix of feelings, personal experience, human wisdom and pragmatism, rather than the Scriptures.”

These systems historically have been fragmented and inadequate—causing program ineffectiveness and personal stress among pastors. The degree to which the African American pastors are effective is crucial to the health of the church. Pastors with strong support systems based upon sound theology, spiritual disciplines, management training, insurance systems, and outplacement services, have a better chance of producing strong effective ministries, as compared to unhealthy leaders producing unhealthy, ineffective leadership. Not only can ineffective leadership cause by certain types of stress and stressors produce poor ministries, but it can also produce unhealthy people living unhealthy doctrines. These issues have a spiritual effect on the pastors. These choices may lead to stress and, ultimately,

One of the most shocking statistics noted in Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good by Amy Sherman is that if one attends church on a weekly basis, they spend 5 percent at most of their waking hours at church. The other 95 percent are spent out in the world. This illustrates the importance of why this book matters. Sherman starts off by setting the tone for readers – she gives a background as to why she found it necessary that she write this book – and how she read a book by Michael Lindsey in which he discussed research of prominent evangelical business leaders and how their faith impacts their behaviors and decisions at work. A few stood out, while the rest stated they kept a Christian plaque in their office or wore a cross around their neck. They did not fulfill their religious identity in conjunction with their careers. There was a complete disconnect between the two sectors of their lives, and Sherman recognized that. Kingdom Calling is a guidebook for anyone who has ever been concerned about living a divided life – especially for pastors and religious leaders, but for lay people and congregation members as well. In Kingdom Calling, Sherman sets up a three-part framework on how to grow and empower a congregation, a specific group in the church, or a single member.

In this assignment, the writer will attempt to discuss scenario 1. Scenario 1 deals with examining the pastors in the managerial, messianic, and spiritual director roles. Explaining how pastors help people redirect their focus toward the new life God has for them through Jesus Christ and seeing the role of the Spirit through the eyes of Jesus.

We need to be with people where they are without the need to ‘fix’ them, rather, trusting God to do what He is doing in their lives, hoping that He uses me as part of the process. I know that I will be learning and growing with those whom God sends me.” Pastor Renfro was then asked how has he evolved or grown as a servant leader. He responded, “Each of us follows a circuitous, sometimes difficult pathway in ministry, we learn, we grow, we become more aware of ourselves as people and as ministers. I am a country preacher, and although I have a wealth of formal education and training, I continue to grow and evolve daily, as a person, and as a minister.” Renfro continues, “the most difficult thing to overcome is our own tendency to be ostentatious - a lack of genuineness and openness; you need to go deep in faith and in ministry; my own history, as a country preacher, took a great deal of energy to integrate and allow this to be my greatest strength.” When asked what he believed are the advantages/disadvantages of being a servant leader, Renfro responded, “a strength and advantage would be to possess a non-judgmental presence, to allow people to be the who, what, and where they need to be in our encounters; the disadvantage in that is some people might consider this position as too indeterminate, lacking in absolutes.” Renfro commented on the partnerships he has forged in his life of servant leadership, starting with being a Clinical Pastor Supervisor (certified to teach at the graduate level), a Diplomate of the College of Pastoral Supervision, a nationally certified Professional Chaplain by the Association of Professional Chaplains, and also an Ordained Bishop in the Church of

Some of the opportunity and challenges pastor’s facNorth American pastors are challenge in a variety ways, one of the questions that helps a pastor to define his true intentions is figuring out some of the following ideas and awareness.

A sentiment common to almost any organization is that the one fact that remains constant is change. As society changes, and human understanding grows, any organization that maintains a static posture, assures its demise. Churches and Christian organizations are no exception. The gospel may remain the same, but the method for communicating it must speak to the audience to assure understanding. The Christian leader must be prepared to meet this challenge by incorporating an effective model for change into his theology of leadership in order to keep the ministry relevant and effective. Searching for such a change agent can prove to be challenging as well. To aid in this search, four

I believed that the criteria for how I support or violate my pastoral identity, and how I know I have succeeded as pastor to support my call to be pastor. I learn something totally new from the text that says “therefore, Christian counseling enters into this work of the Spirit as he is forming the unique identity of the counselee. Preaching, Christian education, and supportive fellowship all contribute to this same intention. Counseling has no unique agenda….each method promotes God’s intention” (Kollar54). I learned that there are true about identity of pastor. I believe that I cannot get very far in my pastoral counseling without focus on the Holy Spirit if you are true pastor or minister of Word. I must start to focus on myself by counseling

Willimon explains that “all of the pastor’s sheepherding takes its purpose and content from the pastor’s leadership of worship.” Willimon indicates several points in which I agree with and a few that I struggle with. As a pastor, we assume a responsibility for the people who attend the church. With that responsibility, we also are responsible “to God for the flock.” That responsibility is not to be taken lightly. It is through the worship that pastors have an incredible opportunity to tough the life of many souls. Although it is viewed by many as the pastor touching the souls; it is truly God touching the souls and utilizing the pastor as the vehicle.

This in short summarizes what the role of a pastor is to be which was illustrated by the head of the Christian church. Today, the role of pastor “in a modern-day “pastor” system is as much a departure from the New Testament pattern of church as is an ecclesiastical hierarchy. No one man can assume the