Audiobook4 hours
Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc.
Written by Skye Jethani
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
“In my first seminary class, we were asked to introduce ourselves and say why we enrolled. I’ll never forget what one student said…‘My denomination wants me to have an M.Div., but once they see I can grow a big church, I don't think they'll make me finish the program.’”The priorities of this future pastor were startling, but he’s not alone in them.In the years since that class, author and minister Skye Jethani has seen more and more pastors swallowed by the celebrity syndrome. Not long ago, ministers were among the most trusted and admired people in our culture. But not anymore. A 2013 study from Gallop revealed that Americans’ admiration for clergy has reached an all-time low. That, taken with reduced trust of institutional religion overall, makes it easy to see why ministers feel insecure about their calling. In response to this trend, some pastors have looked to emulate those who are praised by the culture—business leaders, entertainers, and social activists. This has led to a new understanding of what a minister should be. We’ve turned away from viewing our pastors as shepherds, and now expect them to be celebrities. Immeasurable will help ministers recognize the cultural forces shaping their view of the calling, and then reimagine what faithful church leaders can look like in the twenty-first century. Through short essays and reflections on the pastor’s soul and skills, this book will help prospective pastors explore their calling to ministry, and it will help veteran pastors reframe their vision for the work. Drawing on cultural dynamics, personal stories, and his own experience working in a church and with church leaders, Skye Jethani will address matters like ambition, anger, community, consumerism, fame, health, justice, platform, preaching, rest,simplicity, success, vision, and more. There are endless resources to help pastors do the practical work of ministry, but there are far fewer that speak to the pastor’s soul and spirit. Immeasurable provides affirmation and encouragement for church leaders faithfully serving God. It commends the true work of ministry—shepherding, teaching, encouraging—while redefining what we mean by success in ministry. It’s a book church leaders can return to again and again for insight and inspiration.
Author
Skye Jethani
Skye Jethani (www.skyejethani.com) is the managing editor of Leadership journal, a magazine and online resource published by Christianity Today International. He also serves as a teaching pastor at Blanchard Alliance Church in Wheaton, Illinois.
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Reviews for Immeasurable
Rating: 4.294117647058823 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
17 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Deep, reflective, the kind that draws you into a world where time slows down and enables you to see from a different angle. Beautiful.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jethani's critiques of Church, Inc (the church shaped by business practices rather than biblical priorities) are sharp and penetrating. Immeasurable ventures to remind us that the work of God cannot be captured by metrics. The nature of biblical ministry can often be inefficient, messy, and hard to measure. As a pastor, Jethani challenges the ambitions, platforming, and celebrity culture that has become so prevalent in the church. What I love, though, is that he doesn't speak with venom, but with love.Written in short, stand alone chapters, Immeasurable is a needed check for anyone in ministry, considering ministry, or overseeing ministry!