An updating of virtue ethics for modern pastors and the souls they care for, this book proposes innovations for the craft of ministry in the theology of grace—how virtues radiate to tame strife and other destructive behaviors. It presents a comprehensive alternative to the top-down proclamations of “biblical counseling” approaches that try to impart, from an eclectic biblicist lens, cognitive authorities for consequential change. Instead, Christ’s bottom-up practice of virtues heals and fulfills by focusing on neighbor first and subordinating the ego’s strategic considerations—more graciously spreading God’s will in ministry through participatory and experiential knowledge. Virtuous pastoral ministries integrate the common grace of humanist learning to address the range of the care seeker’s contemporary context—her upbringing, struggles, and affiliations. This book presents more the “how” than the “what” of pastoral theology: more how the dance of mutuality and chivalry enters the spiritual flow of healing metaphysical grace than the “what” of right “belief.” Even so, pastoral care from the virtue ethical approach inevitably reconsiders “vending machine” theologies, destructive doctrinal boundaries, and context-lite biblicisms. This presentation introduces how virtue ethics apply to ministry, the household, individual trauma and addictions, and the contemporary political and cultural arena.

An updating of virtue ethics for modern pastors and the souls they care for, this book proposes innovations for the craft of ministry in the theology of grace--how virtues radiate to tame strife and other destructive behaviors. It presents a comprehensive alternative to the top-down proclamations of "biblical counseling" approaches that try to impart, from an eclectic biblicist lens, cognitive authorities for consequential change. Instead, Christ's bottom-up practice of virtues heals and fulfills by focusing on neighbor first and subordinating the ego's strategic considerations--more graciously spreading God's will in ministry through participatory and experiential knowledge. Virtuous pastoral ministries integrate the common grace of humanist learning to address the range of the care seeker's contemporary context--her upbringing, struggles, and affiliations. This book presents more the "how" than the "what" of pastoral theology: more how the dance of mutuality and chivalry enters the spiritual flow of healing metaphysical grace than the "what" of right "belief." Even so, pastoral care from the virtue ethical approach inevitably reconsiders "vending machine" theologies, destructive doctrinal boundaries, and context-lite biblicisms. This presentation introduces how virtue ethics apply to ministry, the household, individual trauma and addictions, and the contemporary political and cultural arena.

The emphasis on pastoral freedom is nearly spent?and found wanting. Many caregivers today are seeking to balance such freedom with a sense of God's transcendence and communal order, which entail personal and ritual formation.In Underwood's resulting spirituality, the soul of pastoral care is prayer. The substance is Scripture, studied in both liturgical and personal settings. The evangelical principle is reconciliation. Baptism lays the foundation for pastoral care by providing the paradigm for all transformations. Eucharist constitutes the eschatological horizon for pastoral care as ministry in the human encounter of God's presence.This winsomely written book stands at the forefront of a broad movement among scholars and clergy in nonliturgical traditions that aims at retrieving explicitly religious resources?the means of grace. The result is a rare, truly ecumenical contribution to pastoral care, which deepens practice by providing a vision and a spirituality.

Grace is the credential that lets us park close to people's hearts.When Christ calls a pastor He instills a kind of heightened instinct for grace; what we call a shepherd's heart. However, pastors often become disoriented by leadership demands, congregational expectation, and the wounds of ministry. They forget how to use the grace of Christ in the everyday work of pastoring. Through striking word pictures and stories that resonate with every pastor, this book will reinvigorate pastors' instincts for practicing grace in the churches they shepherd. Whether you are training to be a pastor and wondering if you are called, a seasoned shepherd needing encouragement and affirmation, or simply someone who wants to encourage your pastor, you will appreciate the sage wisdom and confirmation poured out in the pages of Pastoral Graces.

Based on her twenty years of teaching and on her own experience in pastoral care, Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner has written a basic pastoral-care text to assist in the emotional and spiritual preparation of pastoral caregivers. Stevenson-Moessner expands on her key notion of pastoral care as seen through the interconnection and interplay of love of God, love of neighbor, and love of self. Her brief book is meant to engender "confidence and caring" in the initiate, and to assuage the fear and anxiety that naturally occur when one accompanies people in life-changing pain and travail. Through skilled use of the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Good Shepherd, along with stories from her own experience, Stevenson-Moessner imparts genuine wisdom and meaningful support to those who courageously dare to offer caregiving ministry in whatever situation or through whatever method or paradigm. Her work unfolds in six chapters: 1. Introduction: The One-Room Schoolhouse 2. Pointers and Precepts: The Grammar of Care 3. The Prism of Pastoral Care: Scripture Refracted 4. Paradigms in Pastoral Care: The Community as Classroom 5. The Open Classroom: Places of Care 6. Conclusion: An Alphabet of Grace

Clergy, students of pastoral care, and lay visitation volunteers will find Nancy Gorsuch an effective guide in developing an intentional, proactive program of pastoral visitation in the local church. To increase the pastoral visitor's positive experiences of effectiveness, the author presents basic "how to" information in a straightforward manner characterized by vivid illustrations and case studies. The book provides a theological basis for pastoral visitation and goes on to explore the types and purposes of visitation, preparation and resources, training and basic helping skills, assessment and follow-up, and methods of sustaining pastoral visitation as a means of building a caring community of faith.

Guidance for Leaders Seeking a Richer Way to Employ Worship Music Worship expert Constance Cherry offers comprehensive guidance to Christian leaders seeking a deeper, richer way to employ worship music in engaging ways for twenty-first-century worshipers. Following Cherry's successful book The Worship Architect, this work helps Christian leaders think theologically and act pastorally about worship music in their churches. It addresses larger issues beyond the surface struggles of musical styles and provides tools to critically evaluate worship songs. The book is applicable to all Christian traditions and worship styles and is well suited to both the classroom and the local church. Each chapter concludes with suggested practical exercises, recommended reading, and basic vocabulary terms.