Steven Bowers reviews Both/And Ministry by Gary Millar.
This book is both compact and compelling! The concept is both simple and profound!
We all know that in life, and in particular the Christian life and ministry, balance is important. We also know that in our own lives there are strengths and weaknesses, good points and bad points. Millar writes: “If you have ever felt frustrated by your apparent inability to do the simple things that you encourage other people to do, this book is for you. If you have ever stood in front of a group of Christians feeling that you are about to be crushed by the weight of your own hypocrisy, welcome. If you ever feel tempted to justify your weakness (or sin!) in one area by saying, “but at least I do so much better over here”, read on” (p.13).
In seven crisp chapters, following the Introduction, the book covers Both/And – Theology (particularly Jesus’ both/and life), Both/And – Identity, Relationships, Ministry, Leadership, Community, and finishes with the question “Is a Both/And life worth the effort?” – answered emphatically in the affirmative!
The first six chapters end with what the author calls a “mirror”, as suggested by Scripture in the book of James. The “mirror” is a series of questions to ponder as you honestly assess yourself on the issues discussed. If done sincerely and prayerfully these exercises will enable the reader to get the most out of the book. The Both/And idea can seem a little repetitive, but it is effective nevertheless.
Chapter 5 on Both/And – Leadership is a masterclass in miniature on Pastoral Theology; it is both humbling and helpful: “…nothing damages the churches’ reputation more than hypocritical leaders. That’s why it matters so much that leaders lead like Jesus, living a both/and life” (p.95). Faltering but honest, repentant leaders could be helped by it to get their ministry back on track. We read: “One of the sad things about leadership failures and churches (or parachurch movements) is that the signs that all is not well have almost always been there for a long time but haven’t been acted on. In every case that I can think of, it eventually came out that the leader who spectacularly fell into disgrace had not been living a both/and life” (p.96-97).
The author, pastorally and wisely, wants to help us see where we have made bad choices and made excuses. He seeks to encourage the reader to “pursue the beautiful, Christ-like life … that is marked by contrasts and paradoxes that reflect the glorious riches of our God and Saviour” (p.14). It is hard to imagine a Christian leader, or any Christian, who would not benefit from a close and earnest reading of this little and big book! Warmly commended.
Book information
- Both/And Ministry: Living and leading like Jesus, Gary Millar, The Good Book Company, ISBN: 978 1 802 541 267, 150 pages, £8.99
