Author: James Emery
White
Baker
Books, 2011, 188 pp., $17.99US
Reviewed by Matthew
Kratz
Many an ordination counsel has
lamented the examination of a young Pastor fresh from seminary. Often the
critique from either these counsel's or search committees, is the evidence of
book but not heart driven ministry. The local Church must be the developing
environment for new pastor's, what White calls the "Farm
League"(p.29). But what if the young Timothy
does not have a Paul mentor?
James Emery White's experience as a seminary professor, former president of a seminary, and senior
Pastor helps him deal with those things the Seminary did or could not convey.
The personal examples, stories and specific warnings give an informal, personal
feel to his writing. This is both the strength and weakness of this book. The
introduction should put the theological student on notice of what Churches are
looking for.
The general concepts for church growth and concern often come without
explicit biblical basis or specific steps of achievement. When Scriptural
citations are given from "The Message", there are more
conversational, than instructive. The cutesy/vague titles in the table of
contents show you that this is not a theological tome or Biblical examination
of how to pastor but a collection of various observations after years of
ministry.
Even from the first chapter on
"Emotional Survival"
White's advice to "develop a way of life that protects, strengthens and
replenishes you emotionally" (p.21), as well as having "Clear
Boundaries Regarding Giftedness", reflects his focus on the personal life
of the pastor. Chapter two deals with
what to look for in staff and
volunteers.
Chapter three is a good example
of what is right and wrong with this book. White warns of the
lure of the new and that "churches are successful because they know why
they do certain things" (p.34). The
big problem is any lack of what specifically "successful" means. I
appreciate the value of advancing ministry but the advice that "this means
you are the originator, the creator, the one who is fashioning new solutions
and opening new vistas"(p.36) is dangerous. We are not the originator, for
God established the expectations and procedures from scripture. Although, I
suspect White would argue that this is implied, the relentless
drive of pragmatism is the very
danger he is warning against. Tying finances
with overall kingdom objectives in chapter four, brings this back on track.
Chapter five: "It's the
Weekend, Stupid" is one of the few aptly titled chapters. The contents on
what people are looking for Sunday:
(friendliness, children's ministry, music, and building) is pretty basic.
Moving right to "Sexual Fences"
in chapter six, this is a good example of my continual wonderment of
transition. A good editor would have mentioned to White to group or transition
the topics in a more logical manner. Instead of another anecdote of sexual
failure a simple verse of 1Co 10:12
"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he
fall" was screaming out to be added, like at many, many other times in the
book.
Chapter
seven on envy takes one of the few
opportunities to actually define, but not cite, an appropriate standard:
"Crowns in heaven will not be based on numerical attendance, growth, acres
or even decisions to follow Christ. For pastors and churches, it will be based on
faithfulness to the vision of the church as cast by the New Testament"
(65). Having zero tolerance for the quarrelsome
(chapter eight), is one of the few "hard lined" approaches that White
takes. Personal experiences of loss and devastation from the quarrelsome were
especially informative. The need to involve young adults of chapter nine is
straightforward enough, yet once again, chapter ten on "Hills to Die
On", lists some helpful church
practices (it is not on the essentials of the faith by any means) but by in
large lacks scriptural reference which would show why they should be hills to
die on. Chapter eleven on Vision would
have tied in better with the practices of chapter ten. Likewise, dealing with
the disgruntled who leave their
church and arrive at yours (and talking to their old pastor) would have tied in
better with dealing with the quarrelsome of chapter eight. Once again, chapter
thirteen on the pastor's personal spiritual
life, should have been tied to emotional survival of chapter one and sexual
fences of chapter six.
Chapter
fourteen on Church growth was probably the most refreshing of the book. White
seemed to turn his approach around. On why the church must be different than
the world: "People already have these things. They do not need to go to
church to find them" (p. 107). His treatment of Acts 2:42 on the Lord adding to the church, yet us not being
passive, struck the right balance. The rest of the chapter and self-test could
be an excellent book in itself.
I
appreciated the time considerations of chapter fifteen, yet the chapter lacked
a Christ like sensitivity that Jesus would have shown in searching for the wandering
sheep. The Bystander effect of inaction
is true enough in chapter sixteen, yet curiously, White
does not deal with the solution.
Committee structure and responsibility of chapter seventeen is linked well to the story
of Numbers 13 (not directly referenced) with the spies sent into Canaan. It is a good link to the dangers of majority rule. Yet, the issue of confrontation with chapter eighteen
would have a better link to the quarrelsome of chapter eight.
Chapter
nineteen has an excellent quote on personal
responsibility and expectations: "it's not about whether you got
anything out of the service but about whether you gave God anything of
service" (p. 138). We then deal with preaching (Chapter twenty) then with
the personal issues of having a confidant (twenty-one) and our children as
fellow ministers (twenty-two).
"What
a leader does" (chapter twenty-three) is the single best chapter I've read
on leadership. Twenty-four is an
intriguing look at Phil. 2:25 linking our interpersonal, purpose and functional
roles, and closes with the tyranny of the urgent with time considerations in twenty-five.
All
in all, pastoral ministry is very much like the triathlon that White
closes with in the afterword. His subject matter was broad, yet not deep,
practical, not theological. His treatment on leadership (chapter twenty-three)
is worth the price of the book itself. The reader who wished to be mentored by Dr. White, will indeed make "the most of the time"
(Ps. 90:10).
Product Details
· Paperback: 192 pages
· Publisher: Baker Books (August 1, 2011)
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 0801013887
· ISBN-13: 978-0801013881
· Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.7
inches
· Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
"Book has been
provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications,
Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker
Publishing Group".
