Being a clergyperson is demanding, to say the least. Burnout can be difficult to avoid and also difficult to recover from. Clergy need support both from their congregations and from people who have been in ministry and know what it is to serve in that role. These books offer wisdom, advice, and accompaniment as clergy seek support in remembering and living out their calls.
Recalling Our Own Stories: Spiritual Renewal for Religious Caregivers
Edward P. Wimberly (Author)
This book, which Edward P. Wimberly describes as “a spiritual retreat in book form,” is designed to help clergy and religious caregivers face the challenges of ministry. It is also a valuable resource for practitioners who assist these clergy and caregivers in meeting the challenges of their work. Wimberly offers a way to renew one’s motivation for ministry by reconnecting to one’s original call, tapping the sources of renewal that reside in the faith community.
Stuck: Why Clergy Are Alienated from Their Calling, Congregation, and Career . . . and What to Do about It
Todd W. Ferguson (Author), Josh Packard (Author)
This book lets pastors who feel stuck know that they're not alone or crazy, and it's not their fault. It helps congregations better support their clergy. And it joins in the conversation about reshaping seminary training and professional development.
The Deepest Belonging: A Story about Discovering Where God Meets Us
Kara Root (Author)
This book is for all pastors and church leaders, as well as for those disillusioned with Christianity and the church and longing for something more real and honest. The Deepest Belonging is a call not to resist but to embrace our vulnerability. As a move away from religion seeking security, protection, and influence, this story invites individuals and congregations to return bravely to the core of our humanity: our belonging to God and one another.
Today Everything Is Different: An Adventure in Prayer and Action
Dirk G. Lange (Author)
In Today Everything Is Different, Dirk Lange does not fail to deliver the "unexpected" in helping readers gain both a greater understanding of Christian spirituality and a path to it. On this adventure, an adventure of both the mind and heart, the reader will explore the foundational underpinnings of baptism, the impact of prayer in many forms—especially in community—and the insights of giants like Luther and Bonhoeffer.
Clergy Burnout, Revised and Expanded: Surviving in Turbulent Times
Fred Lehr (Author)
In Clergy Burnout, Fred Lehr explores the nature and practice of codependence in the life and ministry of clergy. In short, insightful, and easily accessible chapters, he offers many useful examples along with hard-won and carefully distilled wisdom for ministry amid today's cultural shifts.
Minister’s Prayer Book: An Order of Prayers and Readings, Revised Edition
Timothy J. Wengert (General Editor), Mary Jane Haemig (Editor), Chris Halverson (Editor), Robert Harrell (Editor)
Since it first appeared in print in 1959, John Doberstein's Minister's Prayer Book has been a devotional classic among Lutheran pastors. The beauty of Minister's Prayer Book is its centering of the pastor's calling on word and sacrament, on pastoral care, and on being fully present in the lives of God's people. While the basic structure and intent of the original work remains, new resources have been included to develop a broader appeal.
Mansions of the Heart: Exploring the Seven Stages of Spiritual Growth
R. Thomas Ashbrook (Author), Eugene H. Peterson (Foreword by)
Written for anyone who wants to develop a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God, Mansions of the Heart offers a step-by-step guide through a spiritual-formation road map based on Teresa of Avila's seven mansions. This spiritual classic reveals various phases of spiritual formation, for which Ashbrook offers a personal guide to spiritual transformation.
