David Murray writes in the Foreword: 'The minister's soul is the soul of his ministry.' I can't remember where I first heard this saying, but I've never been able to forget it. And, having read this book, I never want to forget it. In these pages, Jim Savastio and Brian Croft establish the foundation of all faithful and fruitful ministry"€"the pastor's soul. But, although their main target is the epidemic of ministerial hyper-activity and the accompanying burnout, backsliding, and brokenness, they carefully avoid over-reacting and running to the opposite extremes of monkish withdrawal or lazy self-indulgence. Instead, you have a book that skillfully walks a balanced biblical path in both content and style. It balances self and others. Yes, the pastor is all about serving others, about sacrificing for the sake of others, about spending and being spent for others, and about pouring out themselves to fill others. But, as many pastors have discovered to their cost and pain, servants are finite, sacrifices eventually turn to ashes, non-stop spending leads to bankruptcy, and pouring out without ever filling up ends in drought. This book reminds us that caring for self is not selfish but necessary if we are to sustain a life of caring service to others. It's not a warrant for sloth or selfishness, but rather a call to self-care that will lead to better other-care.

Drawing on a lifetime of pastoral experience, The Care of Souls is a beautifully written treasury of proven wisdom which pastors will find themselves turning to again and again. Harold Senkbeil helps remind pastors of the essential calling of the ministry: preaching and living out the Word of God while orienting others in the same direction. And he offers practical and fruitful adviceâ€"born out of his five decades as a pastorâ€"that will benefit both new pastors and those with years in the pulpit. In a time when many churches have lost sight of the real purpose of the church, The Care of Souls invites a new generation of pastors to form the godly habits and practical wisdom needed to minister to the hearts and souls of those committed to their care.

David Powlison Examines the Unique Role of the Pastor as Counselor A pastor inhabits multiple roles—teacher, preacher, youth leader, and counselor. Yet many church leaders feel unprepared to counsel church members who are struggling with difficult, multifaceted problems. David Powlison reminds pastors of their unique role as the shepherds of God's people, equipping them to apply biblical wisdom to the thoughts, values, moods, expectations, and decisions of those under their care.

Christianity Today 2021 Book Award Winner (The Church/Pastoral Leadership Award of Merit) Diary of a Pastor's Soul tells the story of a fictionalized pastor, embarking on his final year before retirement, who reflects on the experiences and relationships that have formed his vocation and shaped his soul over a lifetime of pastoral ministry. Drawing on his own experiences, seasoned pastor Craig Barnes invites readers to embrace the life lessons of a pastor who has been formed by his failures and his fleeting moments of glory, but most of all by discovering the holy in the routine but often quirky duties of being a parish pastor. Through 52 weekly thematic entries, Barnes presents spirituality in narrative form through a collection of interwoven stories about learning to love others with curiosity, amazement, vulnerability, and most of all gratitude for the grace found in flawed lives. Barnes's fictionalized diary approach creatively shows how the pastoral vocation forms mind, heart, and soul, helping pastors make sense of their own calling. With unvarnished honesty, this book eloquently illustrates a lifetime of ministry, revealing how "the Holy haunts the landscape of life."

The Pastor's Soul Series. The stress of church leadership quickly reveals a pastor's strengths and weaknesses of character. Smith shows the way toward building consistent godliness throughout a leader's life that will stand these manifold tests.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Billy Graham & Me contains 101 fascinating stories from all the living U.S. presidents, well-known pastors, country singers and other celebrities, and world leaders, relating their personal experiences with Billy Graham. Renowned Evangelical preacher Billy Graham has touched tens of millions of lives, inspiring faith and hope around the world. And you will get to know the beloved preacher better in these inspiring, personal stories by the people who know him best. You will meet the real Billy Graham, the man behind the public figure.

This book explores the relationship between the practices of pastoral care and the practices of spiritual direction with the aim of enabling pastoral caregivers to draw upon the guiding principles, resources, and techniques of spiritual direction within the Christian tradition. With an emphasis on both "practice" and "presence", the book reclaims the tradition of "soul care" for the pastoral ministry, thereby complementing the medical, or crisis intervention, model of pastoral care with a wellness/growth model of pastoral care.Listening for the Soul: -- Challenges clergy to take seriously the relationship between pastoral care and spiritual direction.-- Integrates theological and psychological insights with issues of spiritual life and formation.-- Includes a chapter on the spiritual formation of children.-- Provides practical guidance for integrating spiritual direction with pastoral care.-- Tends to the pastoral caregivers own needs for spiritual deepening.-- Includesreflection,questions and case studies to enable the text to function on both the individual reader and classroom levels.