Ministers' MOT

It consists of five addresses given to theological students in 1964 and 1965. The style is readable, informal and direct. Every important aspect of the pastoral ministry is covered - the pastor's calling, his walk with Christ and his work. He is to feed Christ's sheep by teaching them the whole Bible. He must discern what kind of help people need from pastoral counselling. He must recognise why people oppose his efforts to teach all the Bible. He may value the Reformers and the Puritans, but he must not apply Scripture to the issues of their day but of ours. His task is 'to evangelise the community and edify the church, not Christianise the state'. In his work he must keep a balance - on the one hand not being so preoccupied with the niceties of doctrine that he goes all academic and dead, and on the other hand not mistaking activism and noise for the work of the Spirit.

Reg Burrows