PASTORAL MINISTRY

in the Real World

Loving, Teaching, and Leading God’s People

Jim L. Wilson

Pastoral Ministry in the Real World: Loving, Teaching, and Leading God’s People

© 2015 by Jim L. Wilson

Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225

LexhamPress.com

First edition by Weaver Book Company.

All rights reserved. You may use brief quotations from this resource in presentations, articles, and books. For all other uses, please write Lexham Press for permission. Email us at permissions@lexhampress.com.

Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®. Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations marked AMP are from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Print ISBN 9781683592129

Digital ISBN 9781683592136

Cover: Frank Gutbrod

Editing: Line for Line

I dedicate this book to the pastor

who keeps watch over my soul,

my pastor,

Dr. Dale Garland

Contents

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

Part I INVITATION TO PASTORAL MINISTRY

Chapter 1 Who Is a Pastor?

Chapter 2 What Is Pastoral Ministry?

Part II LOVING GOD’S PEOPLE

Chapter 3 Caring for the Hurting

Chapter 4 Ministry to Hurtful People

Chapter 5 Helping Others without Hurting Yourself

Chapter 6 Celebrate!

Part III TEACHING GOD’S PEOPLE

Chapter 7 High Impact Teaching and Preaching

Chapter 8 Teaching While Walking Around

Chapter 9 Teaching in Conflict Situations

Part IV LEADING GOD’S PEOPLE

Chapter 10 Leading During Seasons of High Conflict

Chapter 11 Leading Using a Systems Approach

Chapter 12 Leading the Church to Change

Chapter 13 Leading as a Powerful Servant Leader

Appendix: One-Point Sermons

Bibliography

General Index

Scripture Index

Foreword

Our world and our churches are crying out for leadership. I have the privilege of consulting with pastor search teams, and the three traits that surface when I ask them to describe what they are searching for are these: “someone to love us, someone to preach the Word of God to us, and someone to lead us.”

Dr. Wilson has woven together these three cords that help us achieve that mission of leader by reminding us to care for the flock, which builds trust that releases them to follow us as their leaders. ...