FOR PASTORS OF SMALL CHURCHES
By Kent Philpott
Earthen Vessel. 261 pages. £8.95
ISBN 0 9703296 0 1
Distributed by Evangelical Press
Most churches are fairly small these days, and the challenges of working as the pastor of a small congregation are rather different from those with many members.
Kent Philpott has been in the ministry in the USA since 1966 and most of that time has been spent in small churches. In this book he seeks to share his experience.
There are 57 short chapters, each beginning with a brief scenario which any pastor might meet. Many of these scenarios will ring bells with those who have been in the ministry for any length of time. As a pastor reads therefore, he will immediately know that he is hearing from a friend who 'knows what it is like,' and wants to help.
The re-emergence of heavy shepherds
What would you think if you received a letter from your church leaders that read like this? ‘Are church members …