Parish Poet

Tag: Ministerial Life

The Pastor as Minor Poet

by Parish Poet on May.06, 2009, under Pastoral Wisdom

The Pastor as Minor Poet
The Pastor as Minor Poet
M. Craig Barnes has written a book about the ministers life, about the mystery of leading a congregation and the essential nature of the interior of the Pastoral Soul. I highly recommend this book.
 
M. Craig Barnes is a Professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary as well as being Senior Pastor at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh. Those two titles would do me in I think. But for him it works well.
 
I was initially drawn to this book after a review done by Scott McKnight on his blog Jesus Creed.  His review can be read here.  I have been studying to be a Pastor, and I want to be a Pastor who has his mind intent on wisdom, not a pastor who has his mind set on the latest and greatest way to grow my church. I believe that when I am intent on that I have lost my high calling.
The money quote for me comes from Page 9.  In it he says:

“In Jesus Christ, God became flesh to restore being into our non being by reconciling us to the one “in whom we live and breathe and have our being.” When the word that was with God, the Word that was God, became flesh ad dwelt among us, being was restored into the nothingness we made of our lives in the world (John 1: 1-18). As the Holy Spirit binds us to this word allowing us to live “in Christ,” we recover the life we were created to enjoy (Eph 3:14). So, to be clear, we don’t make a living. We receive it through our participation in the Christ, who has brought us home to communion with the Creator.”

This resonates with me still and I finished the book a few weeks ago.

(continue reading…)

Leave a Comment :, , more...

echo "

Howdy. Welcome to $mysitename!

Thanks for dropping by! Feel free to join the discussion by leaving comments, and stay updated by subscribing to the RSS feed. See ya around!

"; } ?>

Looking for something?

Use the form below to search the site:

Still not finding what you're looking for? Drop a comment on a post or contact us so we can take care of it!

Visit our friends!

A few highly recommended friends...

Archives

All entries, chronologically...