Recommended Books
Pastoral Ministry

Peacemaker
Ken Sande
Conflict-resolution expert Ken Sande shows you how to help permenantly resolve disputes in your church. He takes you and your church members beyond quick fixes to true, life-changing reconciliation with family members, coworkers, and fellow believers.

Sticky Teams
Larry Osborne
Serving as a church leader can be a tough assignment. Whatever your role, odds are you've known your share of the frustration, conflict, and disillusionment that comes with silly turf battles, conflicting vision, and marathon meetings. No doubt, you've asked yourself, 'How did it get this way?' With practical and accessible wisdom, Larry Osborne explains how it got this way. He exposes the hidden roadblocks, structures, and goofy thinking that sabotage even the best intentioned teams. Then with time-tested and proven strategies he shows what it takes to get (and keep) a board, staff, and congregation on the same page. Whatever your situation; from start-up phase, to mid-sized, to megachurch, Osborne has been there. As the pastor of North Coast Church he's walked his board, staff, and congregation through the process. Now with warm encouragement and penetrating insights he shares his secrets to building and maintaining a healthy and unified ministry team that sticks together for the long haul.

The Stain that Stays: The Church's Response to the Sexual Misconduct of its Leaders
John Armstrong
John Armstrong is a pastor who has served the church through good times and difficult times for nearly thirty years. On the subject of sexual in the church, he has done his homework, and the light of scriptural exegesis, church history and careful reason illuminates the discussion. He rightly rejects the flawed reasoning that argues for restoration as a function of forgiveness. He also exposes the faulty reductionism of imagining that "adultery is like any other sin" and the common thinking that restored pastors can become better pastors--"wounded healers" who are in touch with their people and more compassionate.

Brothers We Are Not Professionals
John Piper
Pastor John Piper says, "We pastors are being killed by the professionalizing of the pastoral ministry. . . professionalism has nothing to do with the essence and heart of the Christian ministry. The more professional we long to be, the more spiritual death we will leave in our wake. For there is no professional childlikeness, there is no professional tenderheartedness. There is no professional panting after God."
In Brothers, We are Not Professionals Piper pleas with his colleagues to abandon the secularization of the pastorate and return to the primitive call of the Bible for radical ministry.

Pastoral Counseling
John MacArthur
Solid theological foundations of biblical counseling are clearly presented in contrast to humanistic and secular theories of psychological counseling. A practical, proactive, and relevant book for students, church leaders, and lay people. This collection of writers represents some of America's leading biblical teachers and counselors.

Pastoral Ministry
John MacArthur
Encouraging, insightful, and challenging, 'Pastoral Ministry' is designed for a new generation of shepherds who seek to lead with the passion of the apostles. Written by MacArthur and his colleagues at The Master's Seminary, this guide outlines the biblical priorities essential to effective ministry.

Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity
Eugene H. Peterson
Eugene Peterson issues a provocative call for pastors to abandon their preoccupation with image and standing, administration, success, and economic viability, and to return to the three basic acts critical to the pastoral ministry: praying, reading Scripture, and giving spiritual direction. Entire online book here.

The Reformed Pastor
Richard Baxter, Jay Green
His introduction begins, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." This charge from Acts 20:28 only is the beginning of a solemn and overarching task to be personally involved and disciple all of your congregants. Richard Baxter's plea for shepherding his flock continues with a charge to pastors to verify their own spiritual walk and then walks them through various disciplines, strategies and goals to guide and instruct their congregation. Entire online book here.

Spurgeon's Lectures to My Students
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
This complete and unabridged edition of Spurgeon's great work will make it possible for today's generation to appreciate Spurgeon's combination of discerning wit and refreshingly practical advice.
Featured Media
Meet John & Fran Ryan — Midwest Regional Coordinator
October 2, 2011
Event: Church Planter Interviews
Author: John Ryan
John & Fran Ryan have been married for 21 years and ...
Meet Matt Adair – Georgia Regional Director
July 18, 2011
Event: Church Planter Interviews
Author: Matt Adair
14 min. Matt Adair is an Acts 29 planter and pastors Christ ...

