Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor
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- Create Date：2021-04-04 11:52:09
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Jared C. Wilson
- ISBN：0310111560
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Summary
From the beginning of his ministry， Jesus called and equipped individuals who would serve his community of followers。 These "shepherds" are called to preach， pray， and care for the needs of God's people。 But what does it mean to be a pastor？ And what is the nature of this ministry， according to the Bible？
In Gospel-Driven Ministry， Jared Wilson begins by looking at the qualifications for the pastorate， addressing the notion of a call to ministry and how an individual--and a church community--can best identify the marks of maturity and affirm a call。 In each chapter， Wilson looks at one of the core practices of pastoral ministry， including:
Preaching Sermons
Developing a Vibrant Prayer Life
Caring and Counseling
Pastoring Married and Single
Gospel-Centered Leadership
Fighting Sin and Spiritual Warfare
Resolving Conflict
Passing on the Ministry to Others
In addition， Wilson provides practical resources including theological insights on baptism and the Lord's Supper， guidance for wedding and funeral sermons， outlines for leading elder and deacon meetings， tips for interviewing new pastors， questions to ask at ordination， and advice on knowing when and how to leave a pastor role。 This is a comprehensive， practical guide to pastoral ministry that prepares new pastors and equips those currently serving for long-term， healthy ministry。
In Gospel-Driven Ministry， Jared Wilson begins by looking at the qualifications for the pastorate， addressing the notion of a call to ministry and how an individual--and a church community--can best identify the marks of maturity and affirm a call。 In each chapter， Wilson looks at one of the core practices of pastoral ministry， including:
Preaching Sermons
Developing a Vibrant Prayer Life
Caring and Counseling
Pastoring Married and Single
Gospel-Centered Leadership
Fighting Sin and Spiritual Warfare
Resolving Conflict
Passing on the Ministry to Others
In addition， Wilson provides practical resources including theological insights on baptism and the Lord's Supper， guidance for wedding and funeral sermons， outlines for leading elder and deacon meetings， tips for interviewing new pastors， questions to ask at ordination， and advice on knowing when and how to leave a pastor role。 This is a comprehensive， practical guide to pastoral ministry that prepares new pastors and equips those currently serving for long-term， healthy ministry。
Reviews
Dwight Bernier
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Want to be a pastor？ Just starting out？ Been pastoring for many years？ This book is for you。 Re-orients the heart all around Jesus as we endeavour to be faithful to the call He gave to us。
David Tarkington
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There are a few authors who are on my "buy the book as soon as it is available" list。 Jared C。 Wilson is one such author。 His books focusing on the gospel and specifically on church and ministry leadership are golden。 Most recently， he has released a book titled Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor。 At first， I thought this may be a restructured or rereleased version of his book The Gospel-Driven Church。 It is not。 This book is focused more on the qualifica There are a few authors who are on my "buy the book as soon as it is available" list。 Jared C。 Wilson is one such author。 His books focusing on the gospel and specifically on church and ministry leadership are golden。 Most recently， he has released a book titled Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor。 At first， I thought this may be a restructured or rereleased version of his book The Gospel-Driven Church。 It is not。 This book is focused more on the qualifications of the pastorate and the focus on gospel-centrality in ministry。 （BTW - The Gospel-Driven Church is a must read as well。）GdmI mentioned recently to some peers that Wilson's latest book is one I wish I had been able to read decades prior。 The insight into the joys and challenges of pastoral ministry is so valuable。 However， to be honest， even if this book was available a few decades prior， and even if I had been given it by a trusted pastor， and even if I had read it。。。I likely would not have been able to digest the depths of truth offered in needed and beneficial ways。 The arrogance of my youth would have left me with a book full of highlighted phrases and healthy insight， but most likely not as impactful in my life and ministry as needed。Nevertheless， I now have a stack of these books in my office。 I have the honor of working with many church planters and new pastors in my city。 Often over coffee or when meeting with one of these young men I give them a copy of Jared's book along with instructions to read， highlight， and think deeply on the insight offered。 I am believing these men are more mature in their walk and less arrogant than I was at their age。 I also have come to grips with the reality that I have shifted into the role of "older pastor" whom others believe may have some wisdom to offer。 I may not have wisdom。。。but I do have a listening ear。。。and a free book by Jared C。 Wilson。What I love about Jared's writing is his clarity and boldness in declaring truth while also inviting the reader into his own stories of victory， pain， and pastoral calling。 Jared writes about authentic situations and not just about ideal circumstances。 He has a way of explaining the very true， challenging， fulfilling， and at times painful realities of serving as a pastor of a church while also seeking to be a godly husband， father， and friend。 He reminds the pastor reading that church life is messy at times， but so very worth it as God is glorified when the gospel is central。 I find myself reading through the book and pausing to say "Yep， that's true。" It may not be new news， but it is comforting to know that the issues I face are not special， but are similar to what all pastors face （though certainly the context and circumstances may be unique。）This book is a good read for all Christians， but a must-read for pastors and ministry leaders。 The practical insight offered through easily understood story-telling， with real-life illustrations and stories remind the pastor/shepherd that ministry faithfulness is less on doing everything， but trusting that Christ has already done everything。Being driven by and centered on the gospel is freeing and Wilson's writing is a breath of fresh air in an age of church-centered stress。Here are just a sampling of quotes that I highlighted as I read Gospel-Driven Ministry。 They're "tweetable" but ultimately are worth more than likes on a social media post。 The wise will take these to heart:"A call to pastoral ministry is the inclination to conform one's desires and direction to the aspiration of shepherding a church。 it must not simply be a desire to preach。" （p。 17）"The pastorate is not a right or an entitlement。 The pastorate is a sacred stewardship reserved only for the qualified， called， and commissioned men。" （p。 24）"If we do not preach Christ from the text， we are not preaching a Christian sermon。" （p。 37）"Ask yourself this: Could this sermon be preached in a synagogue？ A Mormon temple？ A Jehovah's Witness kingdom hall？ Each of these religions affirms the moral uplift of the Scriptures。 Each of them uses the Bible to make inspirational， spiritual points about doing god to others and honoring God。 But the one thing that we have that they do not is the gospel。 It is the gospel that chiefly distinguishes Christian preaching from unchristian preaching。" （p。 65）"Do not preach an illustration in search of a text。" （p。 95）"The heart of ministry is a heart that doesn't see people as the interruption to your ministry， but sees the interruptions as the ministry。" （p。 121）"Worse than an unfeeling， uncaring pastor is a sullen， whiny， sad-sack pastor。" （p。 145）"Be transparent。 Be honest。 Don't just share the what; explain the why。" （p。 160）"It may sound noble and godly to keep convenience store hours， but it's a fast track to physical exhaustion and gradual resentment of the flock。" （p。 201）"I used to think pastoral ministry was about helping people live。 Then， I learned it was actually about helping people die。" （p。 217）"You are not ready to shepherd until you have been spiritual discombobulated by the gospel and essentially reconstituted by the gospel。" （p。 226）"Christian ministry is the overflow of the mystery of God in Christ coming to bear on your soul and， through yours， on the souls of others。" （p。 227）Certainly， it is clear by now。 I highly recommend this book。 Buy it。 Read it。 Highlight it。 Thank God for the insight。 Then， give a copy to another pastor or ministry leader。 They will thank you for it。And。。。in case you， like me， are now one of the "seasoned pastors" in your community。 Read the book。 Put it on your shelf。 Then， in about a year， take it off the shelf and reread it。 You will thank Jared for this。 。。。more
G。 Connor Salter
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There are books about ministry that give you a theoretical overview or focus on what's done wrong （what seminary doesn't teach you， etc。）。 Wilson focuses on the practical， describing what practices you need to cultivate to pastor well， using simple language and clear explanations。 Probably one of the best recent books on pastoring！ There are books about ministry that give you a theoretical overview or focus on what's done wrong （what seminary doesn't teach you， etc。）。 Wilson focuses on the practical， describing what practices you need to cultivate to pastor well， using simple language and clear explanations。 Probably one of the best recent books on pastoring！ 。。。more
Daniel Woodfield
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A thorough overview with a good gospel heartWilson is able to cover masses in a short page count。 In itself， his practical wisdom is enough to buy （and read） the book。 However， it is the heart of the gospel of God's sovereign grace， spreading its veins to every part of the book， which makes this such a helpful work。 It destroys the idea that ministry could ever be done without the gospel and Christ's power and presence in the driving seat。 This would be a fantastic first introduction， and useful A thorough overview with a good gospel heartWilson is able to cover masses in a short page count。 In itself， his practical wisdom is enough to buy （and read） the book。 However， it is the heart of the gospel of God's sovereign grace， spreading its veins to every part of the book， which makes this such a helpful work。 It destroys the idea that ministry could ever be done without the gospel and Christ's power and presence in the driving seat。 This would be a fantastic first introduction， and useful reference， for any and every minister and potential minister。 。。。more
Adam Kareus
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Great overview of the what and how of being a pastor。 Would recommend to anyone curious of pursuing ministry or to new pastors。
John
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This should be given to every young man who feels called to pastoral ministry so he can read it before he is called to his first church。
Jonathan
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Wilson's latest is the articulation of what it means for pastoral ministry to be "Gospel Driven。" This volume follows his Gospel Driven Church， which was a creative journey of gospel awakening in an imaginary， but oh too familiar church。 He pressed the case for ditching pragmatism and the seeker model and hopefully many were convinced。 With Gospel Driven Ministry Wilson gets down to brass tacts and walks the reader through ministry shaped by the gospel。 There is much worthwhile here and while I Wilson's latest is the articulation of what it means for pastoral ministry to be "Gospel Driven。" This volume follows his Gospel Driven Church， which was a creative journey of gospel awakening in an imaginary， but oh too familiar church。 He pressed the case for ditching pragmatism and the seeker model and hopefully many were convinced。 With Gospel Driven Ministry Wilson gets down to brass tacts and walks the reader through ministry shaped by the gospel。 There is much worthwhile here and while I think men embarking on the pastoral preparation will benefit most from these chapters， even after more than a decade of ministry I found the insights helpful and acting as an invitation to step up my game， from the basis of my identity in Christ that is！ Chapters cover who the pastor is， how we worship， practicalities of preaching， loving the congregation， leading， standing firm， and living for others to see。 Some moments felt like I was in class again， but Wilson writes with a winsome and genuine voice that can be heeded。 He also packs the book with rich suggestions for further reading that any ministry will find appealing。 All throughout there is a sense of earned humility。 Through years in the trenches Jared speaks。 He can be trusted。 Of all the practical insights throughout， however， the final chapter， the chapter on dying is worth twice the price of the book。 Wilson bears his soul and savors the gospel。 A model of embracing Christ for all of life。 I commend it to you。 Gospel Driven Ministry will help those in the pastorate and those praying about it。 And it will do so with the grace you have come to expect from a man committed to gospel centrality whether it is popular or not。 As Jared says， "When you have tasted and seen that the Lord is good and it has ruined you for everything else， you are ready。 By his grace， then， brothers， you are ready to pastor when weakness and fear and trembling actually make sense to you。" 。。。more
Ronni Kurtz
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