Pastoral Ministry by Richard Baxter
Baxter, Richard. Pastoral Ministry. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2010. 128 pp. $6.00. Purchase at Westminster for $4.20.
Introduction
Richard Baxter (1615-1691) is known as the pastor of the Puritans. His writings have proven to be so devotional and practical that many today are rediscovering his many works. Pastoral Ministry is an adaptation of his The Reformed Pastor which is not a book about a pastor being persuaded of a specific set of doctrines but instead being filled with the Spirit of God.
Summary
This particular Pocket Puritan has been written as a 31-day devotional that will cause the pastor to seek the Lord and His blessings on the ministry. In those 31 days, the pastor will look at what the Bible says about the office of pastor and how the pastor ought to live his life so that he can be of most effective use by God.
Of special note is a brief introduction to the man and his ministry in both writings and preaching by J.I. Packer. Here, the reader is introduced to a forgotten man today though he needs to be remembered even with his theological short-comings.
Review/Recommendation
There seems to be a concerted effort on behalf of some publishers to produce a number of biblically saturated books that are meant uniquely for those in the pastorate. Add Pastoral Ministry to those efforts. A hard-hitting (because it is biblical) 31-day devotional will provide a much needed wake-up call for today’s pastor. While many will probably not read the fuller The Reformed Pastor, most will read a 31-day devotional. Another book, not yet published, entitled A Portrait of Paul is very much in the same vain as Baxter’s work. The two of these books combined would make for an excellent gift to anyone looking to go into the ministry or who is in the ministry already.
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