"Pastor's Handbook" (John Bisagno)

TITLE: Pastor's Handbook
AUTHOR: John Bisagno
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2011, (400 pages).

This book updates the classic, "How to Build an Evangelistic Church' published in 1971.  Filled with snippets of wisdom and practical tips about the pastoral ministry, the book is basically a general manual for ministry. Divided into 12 parts, 160 chapters, and a massive 400 pages of advice, this volume attempts to give pastors, ministry leaders, and church workers a reference for most conceivable areas of church or parachurch ministries. Part One sets the stage by tackling the fundamental make-up of the Church. It is God's ministry, ran by God's servants through a leadership structure, and governance. Parts Two affirms the place of the pastor's calling. Parts Three and Four deals with leadership matters. Part Five details the ministry of preaching. Part Six and Seven are about Church worship services and various ministries. Part Eight with staff relationships and part Nine with financial matters. Parts Ten to Eleven are other related matters that may seem mundane but essential for proper administration and wise management. Finally, Part Twelve contains 20 helpful advice about contemporary issues that are common in this modern era.

The way the book is arranged represents an intentionality that begins with God, continues in leadership, and exercised through the various avenues of ministries inside and outside of the church. It takes an experienced pastor to be able to pack so much information into one volume. This book is more than a quick reference for the busy pastor or minister. It is a guide for anyone fresh in the pastoral ministry. It is another one of those books that fit into the category of stuff that seminaries do not explicitly teach. It is brief but not lacking in comprehensiveness. It is simple but not simplistic. It is a large compendium but can be read and appreciated in a piecemeal manner. If you have just enough money to spend on a reference book for practical pastoral advice, this is the one to invest in.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free of charge by B&H Publishing and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered are mine.