THE HEALTHY PASTOR: EASING THE PRESSURES OF MINISTRY
By Dennis Bickers
ISBN 978-0-8341-2553-7
Beacon Hill Press
Reviewer Clint Walker
I first became familiar with Dennis Bickers when he came out to Colorado to lead a pastor’s workshop for our regional collection of American Baptist Pastors. Rev. Bickers put together a workshop around the topic of The Healthy Small Church, which is also the title of one of the books he has written. I was transitioning from an associate/support staff in congregations of 150-225 to a solo pastorate of about 30 souls. Soon after I became familiar with Bickers his book on being a missional church in a not so mega church setting was released, which was also a helpful guide for me in beginning my journey as a small church pastor. Recently Bickers has released The Healthy Pastor: Easing the Pressures of Ministry .
As one may be able to deduce from the title, the latest book transitions from addressing the state of the church to helping pastors and families understand peculiar role of a pastor. Like his previous books, it focuses much of its attention to issues related to being a leader of a small-membership congregation. The Healthy Pastor is a helpful primer for understanding the challenges of being a pastor in a small church, and a helpful guide for a pastor and a congregation in helping to address those concerns.
Bickers’ books are a lot like Bickers himself. They are direct, forthright, straightforward, and easy to understand. The Healthy Pastor: Easing the Pressures of Ministry attempts to address specific areas of concern and stress for the pastoral leader. Each chapter begins by describing the problem that a pastor faces as the pastor ministers, and then moves toward sharing some ways of coping or addressing that concern.
The book has three strengths. First, it is an excellent guide for folks beginning in being a solo pastor in any congregation, and especially a small congregation. It clearly summarizes many of the potential pitfalls and roadblocks that pastors will face, and gives some guidance in how to bypass or overcome those bumps in the road. This will be helpful for a minister and the minister’s family to understand instead of jumping into pastoral leadership with blinders on. Also, the book is an encouragement for pastors who are a little further down the road in ministry. Small church pastors often feel isolated and alone. The Healthy Pastor gently encourages a pastor that they are not alone in the pressures that they face. Finally, this book would be helpful for a group of people, such as a Pastoral Search Committee or a Pastoral Relations Committee, who are seeking to support a pastor in his ministerial journey, and empathize with the difficulty of the pastoral calling.
This is an excellent book. If I was a judicatory minister, I would offer it to all of the new pastors that came into my care.
By Dennis Bickers
ISBN 978-0-8341-2553-7
Beacon Hill Press
Reviewer Clint Walker
I first became familiar with Dennis Bickers when he came out to Colorado to lead a pastor’s workshop for our regional collection of American Baptist Pastors. Rev. Bickers put together a workshop around the topic of The Healthy Small Church, which is also the title of one of the books he has written. I was transitioning from an associate/support staff in congregations of 150-225 to a solo pastorate of about 30 souls. Soon after I became familiar with Bickers his book on being a missional church in a not so mega church setting was released, which was also a helpful guide for me in beginning my journey as a small church pastor. Recently Bickers has released The Healthy Pastor: Easing the Pressures of Ministry .
As one may be able to deduce from the title, the latest book transitions from addressing the state of the church to helping pastors and families understand peculiar role of a pastor. Like his previous books, it focuses much of its attention to issues related to being a leader of a small-membership congregation. The Healthy Pastor is a helpful primer for understanding the challenges of being a pastor in a small church, and a helpful guide for a pastor and a congregation in helping to address those concerns.
Bickers’ books are a lot like Bickers himself. They are direct, forthright, straightforward, and easy to understand. The Healthy Pastor: Easing the Pressures of Ministry attempts to address specific areas of concern and stress for the pastoral leader. Each chapter begins by describing the problem that a pastor faces as the pastor ministers, and then moves toward sharing some ways of coping or addressing that concern.
The book has three strengths. First, it is an excellent guide for folks beginning in being a solo pastor in any congregation, and especially a small congregation. It clearly summarizes many of the potential pitfalls and roadblocks that pastors will face, and gives some guidance in how to bypass or overcome those bumps in the road. This will be helpful for a minister and the minister’s family to understand instead of jumping into pastoral leadership with blinders on. Also, the book is an encouragement for pastors who are a little further down the road in ministry. Small church pastors often feel isolated and alone. The Healthy Pastor gently encourages a pastor that they are not alone in the pressures that they face. Finally, this book would be helpful for a group of people, such as a Pastoral Search Committee or a Pastoral Relations Committee, who are seeking to support a pastor in his ministerial journey, and empathize with the difficulty of the pastoral calling.
This is an excellent book. If I was a judicatory minister, I would offer it to all of the new pastors that came into my care.
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