Hansen, The Art of Pastoring

Today while reading in Scott Hafemann’s excellent commentary on 2 CorinthiansI came across this summary of key points from David Hansen’s The Art of Pastoring: Ministry Without All the Answers. Hafemann cites this on p. 201 of his commentary. These are good points about pastoral ministry flowing right out of 2 Corinthains 1-4.

1. Reading biblical studies, theology, and church history is more ‘practical’ and helpful in the ministry than the mountain of ‘how-to’ books on the market, since our primary need is for a greater sense of who we are and why we act, not more skills…
2. Ministry is a way of life, not a technology…
3. Those called to minister serve the church, but they do not work for the church. Instead, Jesus is their boss…
4. Ministry is not to be employer-driven, trend-driven, or task-driven, but is a following of Jesus Christ as the one who calls his pastors, so that the act of following Jesus is the act of pastoral ministry…
5. The Jesus whom we follow has a ‘general narrative direction’ in his life, namely, the way of the cross…