One of the enduring traditions of Western literary history, pastoral is often mischaracterized as a catchall for literature about rural themes and nature in general. In What Is Pastoral?, distinguished literary historian Paul Alpers argues that pastoral is based upon a fundamental fiction—that the lives of shepherds or other socially humble figures represent the lives of human beings in general. Ranging from Virgil's Eclogues to Sarah Orne Jewett's The Country of the Pointed Firs, from Shakespeare and Cervantes to Hardy and Frost, this work brings the story of the pastoral tradition, previously limited to classical and Renaissance literature, into the twentieth century. Pastoral reemerges in this account not as a vehicle of nostalgia for some Golden Age, nor of escape to idyllic landscapes, but as a mode bearing witness to the possibilities and problems of human community and shared experience in the real world. A rich and engrossing book, What Is Pastoral? will soon take its place as the definitive study of pastoral literature. "Alpers succeeds brilliantly. . . . [He] offers . . . a wealth of new insight into the origins, development, and flowering of the pastoral."—Ann-Maria Contarino, Renaissance Quarterly

How can pastors endure in ministry? How can they finish well? The pastors who have contributed to Before We Forget—some early in their ministries, some with decades of experience—believe remembering is the key to endurance. Remembering their first love. Remembering God’s call to ministry. Remembering the lessons God taught them in the early days of their service. The premise of the book is simple. We too often and too quickly forget the lessons God is teaching us. This whole book, then, is an exercise in remembrance. The authors want to remind themselves of God’s work in their lives as he has conformed them into the image of Jesus and molded them into more faithful followers and more careful shepherds. As they remember and recount what God has done for them and in them, their reflections will encourage pastors as they too run their race with endurance. Before We Forget includes chapters from the following leading pastors and more: Jimmy Scroggins, lead pastor of Family Church in South Florida Hershael York, senior pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church in Frankfort, Kentucky, dean of the Southern Seminary School of Theology Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention Jason Meyer, pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Zack Eswine draws from C.H. Spurgeon, 'the Prince of Preachers' experience to encourage us. What Spurgeon found in his darkness can serve as a light in our own darkness.

How to run and not grow weary Following Jesus is like running a race. But it's a marathon, not a sprint. While we prefer to live in the immediate, our God is not after quick fixes. His ways and his timetable are better. He wants to make us like Christ, and that takes a lifetime. So how do we run the race with endurance? In Endure, Daniel Ritchie explores how God's people run well. Within this book, you will find direction and encouragement for how to trust God in every year, every day, and every minute. You are loved by God. And specific attitudes and habits will build your faith and connect you to God's love. Learn how the seemingly mundane choices can be the most important—for your good and God's glory.

A veteran pastor answers the questions that today's pastors are asking In 40 Questions about Pastoral Ministry, veteran pastor Phil Newton provides trustworthy answers to 40 of the most common and pressing questions relating to the life and work of the pastor. Covering five major categories--such as development, practices, and preaching--Newton equips pastors to successfully handle everyday duties and challenges, including: • Remaining spiritually healthy • Strengthening your marriage • Dealing with discouragement • Avoiding pitfalls • Leading elders' meetings • Mentoring future leaders • Preaching through books of the Bible • Conducting marriages and funerals • Practicing church discipline • Leading change and revitalization, and much more Basing his answers on Scripture, theological reflection, and personal experience, Newton serves as a mentor and guide for pastors at every stage of ministry. The questions and answers are self-contained, and topics of interest can be easily located. Pastors will want to consult this volume often for authoritative advice on all aspects of pastoral ministry.

Most pastors know when they enter the ministry that they will spend time helping others through times of suffering. What they usually do not realize, though, is that they too will suffer. Caught off guard, many of them end up deeply hurt and quit the ministry, deciding that perhaps they misunderstood God's call on their lives or that they simply do not have what it takes. But church history is filled with compelling stories of men who were profoundly afflicted while they carried out their ministry and yet persevered faithfully until death. Now the editors of The Gospel Coalition have collected inspiring stories of twelve faithful men who endured great suffering for the cause of Christ. The stories of the apostle Paul, John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, John Bunyan, Wang Mindao, and others show that suffering in the context of ministry is expected--and it's never wasted. Pastors and ministry leaders, as well as those who support them, will find in this collection encouragement to run the race with endurance.

In Pastoral and Monumental, Donald C. Jackson chronicles America's longtime fascination with dams as represented on picture postcards from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Through over four hundred images, Jackson documents the remarkable transformation of dams and their significance to the environment and culture of America. Initially, dams were portrayed in pastoral settings on postcards that might jokingly proclaim them as "a dam pretty place." But scenes of flood damage, dam collapses, and other disasters also captured people's attention. Later, images of New Deal projects, such as the Hoover Dam, Grand Coulee Dam, and Norris Dam, symbolized America's rise from the Great Depression through monumental public works and technological innovation. Jackson relates the practical applications of dams, describing their use in irrigation, navigation, flood control, hydroelectric power, milling, mining, and manufacturing. He chronicles changing construction techniques, from small timber mill dams to those more massive and more critical to a society dependent on instant access to electricity and potable water. Concurrent to the evolution of dam technology, Jackson recounts the rise of a postcard culture that was fueled by advances in printing, photography, lowered postal rates, and America's fascination with visual imagery. In 1910, almost one billion postcards were mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, and for a period of over fifty years, postcards featuring dams were "all the rage." Whether displaying the charms of an old mill, the aftermath of a devastating flood, or the construction of a colossal gravity dam, these postcards were a testament to how people perceived dams as structures of both beauty and technological power.