Pastor Paul - (Theological Explorations for the Church Catholic) by Scot McKnight (Hardcover)

Number of Pages: 272
Genre: Religion + Beliefs
Sub-Genre: Christian Ministry
Series Title: Theological Explorations for the Church Catholic
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Brazos Press
Age Range: Adult
Book theme: Pastoral Resources
Author: Scot McKnight
Language: English

About the Book

A popular New Testament scholar shows how the apostle Paul calls pastors to nurture a culture of Christlikeness, highlighting the vital role of spiritual formation in the life and ministry of the pastor.

Book Synopsis

Being a pastor is a complicated calling. Pastors are often pulled in multiple directions and must "become all things to all people" (1 Cor. 9:22). What does the New Testament say (or not say) about the pastoral calling? And what can we learn about it from the apostle Paul?

According to popular New Testament scholar Scot McKnight, pastoring must begin first and foremost with spiritual formation, which plays a vital role in the life and ministry of the pastor. As leaders, pastors both create and nurture culture in a church. The biblical vision for that culture is Christoformity, or Christlikeness. Grounding pastoral ministry in the pastoral praxis of the apostle Paul, McKnight shows that nurturing Christoformity was at the heart of the Pauline mission. The pastor's central calling, then, is to mediate Christ in everything. McKnight explores seven dimensions that illustrate this concept--friendship, siblings, generosity, storytelling, witness, subverting the world, and wisdom--as he calls pastors to be conformed to Christ and to nurture a culture of Christoformity in their churches.

From the Back Cover

"A tremendous gift"

"Scot McKnight has always been one of my favorite writers and theologians because he writes with a deep love for and understanding of the local church. Pastor Paul helps us discover the heart of Paul as a pastor and then apply that same heart to the postmodern setting of the church in North America. His description of pastors as culture makers is one that leaders of the church need to grasp for the church to thrive in current and future realities. Buy this book. Keep it in your back pocket to refer to often. The new realities Scot describes aren't going to be changing anytime soon."
--Mike Glenn, senior pastor, Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, Tennessee

"As I read this abundantly rich exploration of what we learn from Paul as a pastor, I cannot help but imagine what our communities of faith would be like if we were led by pastors like Paul. McKnight has given us a tremendous gift, distilling the role of a pastor to its raw essential: forming Christ in the people we have the privilege to lead."
--Nancy Beach, leadership coach, Slingshot Group; author of Gifted to Lead: The Art of Leading as a Woman in the Church

"During my doctoral cohort led by Scot, he talked about writing this book. As he shared insights and the vision for it, I immediately began to think about how I as a pastor would be spiritually formed, encouraged, and strengthened by it to shepherd God's people. This book is a gift to pastors. I highly recommend it."
--Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor, Transformation Church; author of The High-Definition Leader: Building Multiethnic Churches in a Multiethnic World

"Scot McKnight has captured a key aspect of pushing back against the rampant idol of individualism in our culture and in the church. Scot reminds us that 'Paul's theology of ministry was for churches, and therefore individuals, to be nurtured into Christoformity' (the pattern of Jesus's life). Writing to only individuals is the downside of too many books on spiritual formation today. I highly recommend this book for students, pastors, and congregations wanting to learn from Pastor Paul."
--Rose Madrid Swetman, regional leader, Vineyard USA, Northwest Region

"[A] wise work. . . . Though best suited for those in the pastorate, general Christian readers will relish McKnight's insightful exploration of Paul's letters."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Scot McKnight (PhD, University of Nottingham), a world-renowned scholar, writer, and speaker, is Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lisle, Illinois. His blog, Jesus Creed, is one of the most popular and influential evangelical blogs. McKnight is the author, coauthor, or editor of more than seventy-five books, including It Takes a Church to Baptize, Adam and the Genome, Kingdom Conspiracy, The Jesus Creed, The King Jesus Gospel, and The Apostle Paul and the Christian Life. He is also a canon theologian for the Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others.