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This is a book that boldly and compassionately addresses a major problem that has brought indescribable pain to countless churches and pastors. It is written by two veteran church leaders who have more than 50 years of combined pastoral experience plus an additional 26 years in pastoral support ministries. They have heard and understood the cries for help. Now they are sharing their insights and practical proposals which could go a long way in restoring the dignity and joy that Christian ministry is intended to represent.
The authors describe a typical North American pastor as living "in a world that never stops, where the light never goes out, and where the average work week is between 55 and 75 hours. One in eight are bi-vocational or multi-vocational, and 70 percent of their spouses work outside the home . . . ".
Often they live with guilt about their families, reside in a world of decreasing approval, feel the pressures of increased demands, experience the pain of stinging criticisms and often are grossly underpaid.
How can we restore harmony and health between pastors and the congregations which they serve? This is the major focus of the book. The authors develop their thesis from a healthy biblical perspective with many practical applications clearly outlined at the end of each chapter. As examples, chapter six suggests no less than 49 practical ways to love your pastor; and another chapter describes seven habits of highly effective church leaders. This chapter could serve as a great study resource for lay leaders. Could it be that the Head of the church is promising lay leaders, "If you will befriend My servant and give speical attention to his personal and family needs, I will bless your church in ways you never imagined, and you will enjoy your efforts in my church more"? This is a valid question. I therefore highly recommend this book, especially as "must reading" to every church board and pulpit committee. It could revolutionize your ministry as a team desiring to glorify God.
Herb Neufeld is pastor of Mountain Park Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C.
This collection of 41 sermons and sermon excerpts covers a wide range of biblical texts and topics--from Genesis to Revelation; from strength in suffering, to the good news of the gospel, to the meaning of baptism. Some of these messages offer a word of comfort, others a challenge. Some are exegetical, others more story-telling or even poetic.
This variety reflects the breadth and depth of the book's contributors, which include missionaries, pastors, teachers, therapists, and other communicators. As the book's title says, "all are witnesses".
The strength of the book lies in its range. While all the sermons are by women who have, or have been part of a Mennonite Brethren church, they have a much wider application than the MB church and a much broader appeal that includes men as well as women. These sermons may be read one at a time as a devotional guide or sampled in any order. An index of Scripture texts makes the book useful for future reference.
April Yamasaki is a former instructor at Columbia Bible College and is currently leading pastor at Emmanuel Mennonite Church, a General Conference congregation in Abbotsford, B.C.
This book is a guide in empowering parents (and child-care givers) to share their faith in everyday life with their children. It offers hope and practical understanding for the sometimes overwhelming task of parents whose passion is to pass their faith on to their children.
Rupp invites the reader on a journey through the woods beginning with a thorough reflection "in the grape arbor". The book explores the parent's personal faith journey, upbringing, theology of God, man, and sin, and how the parent's concepts and experiences affect the sharing of faith.
Then in three chapters detailing the emotional, spiritual and moral development of children, Rupp takes the reader through "the virgin grasses" of the child in the first year of life and the "young saplings" stage (18 months to five years), to "a wild strawberry patch" of the five-and-a-half to 12-year-old. These chapters may provide some challenges to the thinking of parents whose childhood experiences of being parented differ significantly from the model suggested here.
In highly relevant issue-oriented chapters, the reader is led to explore: helping children learn to make choices and decisions; dealing with individual and family transitions; understanding personalities and communication; helping children deal with crisis and loss; discipling and disciplining; helping children learn about responsibility and freedom; and sharing shalom. In a final chapter, Rupp highlights the importance of finding "friends in the meadow", a supporting faith community.
The book's format makes it suitable for a variety of purposes. While not an easy read, the book can serve as a thoughtful resource for training people who work in children's ministries; as a practical guide for parents and prospective parents; and as a stimulating Bible study and discussion guide for small group study in adult Sunday school or home groups. Its age and issue chapters as well as the activity indexes make it easy to find suggestions on particular concerns or questions. The suggestions for further reading, the parent enrichment experiences, and the suggestions for family activities are valuable for their suitability to a variety of personal and learning styles. Recommended.
Hildegard Bandsmer is minister to children at Central Heights MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C.
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