Table of Contents
Foreword Ligon Duncan 11
Acknowledgments 17
Opening Words: A Holy Calling 19
Part 1 The Beginning
1 What Is a Call? 25
2 How Do You Know Whether You Are Called? 28
3 Candidating 32
Part 2 Starting Out Strong
4 As a Senior or Solo Pastor 39
5 As an Assistant Pastor 42
6 As a Youth Pastor 46
7 As a Church Planter 50
Part 3 Encouragements
8 The Secret and Simplicity of Ministry 57
9 Your Early Ministry Focus 60
10 Strain Your Eyes: Read Often and Widely 64
11 Shepherd Your First Flock: Caring for Your Family 68
12 Know Your History: Learn about the Church You Are Serving 73
13 Personal Holiness Matters 76
14 No One Is Looking over Your Shoulder: Use Your Time Well 80
15 They Want to Follow: Leadership 84
16 Lose Control: Equip the Saints 87
17 Find a Friend 90
18 Trust His Means: Rely on the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer 93
19 Reading Scripture and Prayer 97
20 Slow to Speak, Quick to Listen: Listening to Your People 100
21 Ministry before Our Eyes 104
22 You Can't Do Everything: Busyness and the Pastorate 107
23 If You Pastor, They Will Come: Listening to Complaints 110
24 Silent Suffering 114
25 Thankfulness for the Congregation 118
26 Dual Purposes 121
27 Administration to the Glory of God 123
28 Leave Your Door Open 126
29 Weddings and Funerals 129
30 Hospital Visitations 132
31 Leading Meetings 136
Part 4 Pitfalls of Young Pastors
32 Beginning Too Fast 143
33 Idealistic Zeal 146
34 Discouragement 149
35 Taking Yourself Too Seriously: Substituting Self for Christ 152
36 Not Taking Yourself Seriously Enough 155
37 Here We Go Again: Theological Hobbyhorses 158
38 Giraffe Syndrome: Lack of Contentment 161
39 One Size Fits All 165
40 Devastated by People 169
41 Lecture Sermons 172
42 Illustrations and Applications Gone Awry 176
43 Iron Grip: Holding People Too Tightly 180
44 Pastor Envy 183
Part 5 Joys of Ministry
45 An Eternal Work 189
46 Confidant: A Trusted Position 192
47 We Get Paid for This? The Privilege of Ministering 195
48 Self-Knowledge: Getting to Know Your Sin and Yourself 198
Closing Words: Perseverance in the Ministry 201
Suggested Reading 204
Notes 208