Ten Commandments for Pastors New to a Congregation
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
The opening months of a new pastorate are decisive for how that ministry will unfold, so great care should be taken to begin wisely and well. Simply transplanting programs and habits that worked elsewhere, ignoring the specific dynamics of the new congregation and its people, making too few significant changes, or making too many insignificant changes will create problems for the new pastor that may never be overcome. Ten Commandments for Pastors New to a Congregation offers specific, down-to-earth principles and guidance on how to make a good beginning, one that will lay the foundation for years of fruitful ministry.
Drawing on 25 years of parish ministry, during which he has mentored many new and transitioning pastors, Lawrence Farris here provides 10 guidelines, illustrated with relevant examples that identify potential pitfalls and show how to avoid them. Such areas as preaching, pastoral care, self-care, community and denominational commitments, and role clarity are addressed with an emphasis on practical approaches to ministry in a new setting. Farris also gives clear advice on how to learn the new congregation and its setting, how to set appropriate personal and professional boundaries, and how to stay focused on what matters most in a new ministry.
Lively, practical, and brief enough for the new pastor to have time to actually read it, Ten Commandments for Pastors New to a Congregation is a must-read both for pastors on the move and for individuals preparing for first-time ministry.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
Interested in similar titles? Be sure to check out Eerdmans Pastoral Resources Collection (8 vols.).
- Offers specific, down-to-earth principles and guidance on how to make a good beginning
- Emphasizes practical approaches to ministry in a new setting
- Provides clear advice on how to learn the new congregation and its setting
- Thou Shalt Be a Cultural Historian
- Thou Shalt Spend Thy Blue-Chips-for-Change on Changes that Matter
- Thou Shalt Attend to Thy Preaching
- Thou Shalt Be Certain the Church's Financial House Is in Order
- Thou Shalt Not Create Expectations Which Cannot Be Met in the Long Term
- Thou Shalt Take Care of Thyself from Day One
- Thou Shalt Be Aware of the Chronics
- Thou Shalt Limit Thy Activities beyond the Congregation That Has Called You
- Thou Shalt Remember What Thy Job Is
- Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery
Practical and wise. I gladly recommend it to pastors, both new and seasoned, and seminary students as they prepare to enter a first pastoral charge . . . It is full of wise and trustworthy counsel.
—Congregations
A quick read for a population of pastors-in-transition who ought to be craving resources that raise good questions and spark new ideas.
—Princeton Seminary Bulletin
Lawrence W. Farris has served churches in Maryland and Michigan, and is currently interim pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, Michigan.