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An Introduction to Christian Ministry

An introduction to Christian Ministry
By Gordon Kuhrt
Church House Publishing. 128pages. £6.95
ISBN 0 7151 811 4

Not long ago it would have been a mere dream to have an evangelical in a position of overall responsibility for ministry in the C of E but that dream became a reality when Gordon Kuhrt was appointed as director of its Ministry Division.

This book is the fruit of talks and meetings he has conducted in this job and in which he has addressed the variety of issues that relate to ministry in the Church of England and beyond today.

Given the elasticity of the term evangelical nowadays, some will wonder whether this has any cash value when it comes to such issues, but there need be no doubts here. The evangelical basis of this book is clear, even if some will question the validity of the biblical arguments used in chapter 6 to advocate the ordination of women. Given the brevity of the book, one should not expect a detailed examination of the thornier issues around ministry today, but the work is stated to be an introduction and does indeed provide an excellent framework in which key points can be grasped.

This is an excellent book to put in the hands of anyone considering ordination in the Church of England and one hopes that many who do not think of themselves as evangelical will be influenced by what is written here. It is not written for a specifically evangelical audience. Those who are unacquainted with the selection procedure for ministry in the Church of England will find a clear and succinct account in chapter 8 entitled 'Choosing Leaders'. Of more general relevance is the following chapter called 'Frailty and Renewal' in which the temptations and dangers of ministry are discussed along with the issue of church discipline.

There can sometimes be a gap between biblical principles for ministry and their practice. Some ministers end up being driven by pragmatism because they do not see how that gap can be bridged. Here is a most useful work that leaves no excuse for such pragmatism. Evangelicals (defined theologically!) will not agree with absolutely everything that is written here, but here we find a clear exposition of the way in which New Testament principles may be applied today. Anyone seeking ordination in the Church of England today would be foolish not to read it.

Mark Burkill