The Relational Pastor: Sharing in Christ by Sharing Ourselves

Andrew Root

InterVarsity Press, Mar 4, 2013 - Religion - 255 pages

One of the Academy of Parish Clergy's "Top 10 Books for Parish Ministry"

When is the last time you asked yourself hard questions about why you were pursuing certain relationships in your ministry? Could it be that the end game for many of us is not relationship per se but loyalty, adherence, even submission? The sheep in our flock become the means to our end: pastoring becomes less about the people of God and more about maintenance of the status quo—and, if we are willing to recognize it, the elevation of our pastoral status.

Here practical theologian Andy Root dissects relational ministry as we have come to understand it and searches for the seed of a more wholesome, more pastoral understanding of the relationships for which God has prepared the church: the place where, when two or more are gathered in his name, Christ is present.

Contents

• Preface: 9
• New Consciousness New Ministry: 23
• Transitioning from the Pastor as SelfHelp Entertainer: 31
• What Is a Person?: 71
• Empathy Its a Spirit Thing: 90
• Can I Read Your Mind?: 101
• New Visions of Incarnational Ministry: 109
• Relational Ministry as Gift: 122
• Sharing Is More Than What You Learned in Kindergarten: 132
• The Place Between: 150
• 12¾ A Quick Pauline Excursion: 166
• What This Looks Like: 185
• Portraits ofRelational Pastors: 216
• Index: 249

About the author

Andrew Root (Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary) is in the Baalson Olson Chair as associate professor of youth and family ministry at Luther Seminary. He is the author of The Children of Divorce, The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry and Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Relational Pastor: Sharing in Christ by Sharing Ourselves
• Author: Andrew Root
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press, 2013
• ISBN: 0830841024, 9780830841028
• Length: 255 pages
• Subjects: Religion / Christian Ministry / Pastoral Resources