DESCRIPTION
Presented as the letters of a mature pastor to several fictional recipients,
Letters to New Pastors delves into the professional, emotional, and spiritual needs of those new to the ministry. In a manner reminiscent of C. S. Lewis's
Letters to Malcolm and Reinhold Niebuhr's
Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic, Michael Jinkins connects readers with valuable pastoral wisdom gleaned from his years of ministry and from the riches of the Christian past. In these letters Jinkins explores such themes as developing one's own spiritual life, finding balance amid conflicting demands, and rediscovering the meaning of Christ's call for the church's future. Written in a comfortable, personal style, Jinkins's
Letters to New Pastors is ideal not only for new pastors but also for anyone seeking to better understand the challenges facing those in ministry today.
REVIEWS
Trinity Seminary Review
"Recent graduates of seminary . . . clamor for 'on the ground and running' counsel that will support pastoral ministry in congregations. Jinkins makes a thoughtful contribution of response to the new to ministry clamor, offering wisdom and advocating for pastoral excellence in the parish."
Ashland Theological Journal
"If there was one book I recommend to any candidate for ordained ministry, Jinkins' book of letters is it. [It] is a surprisingly important book for all pastors."
Marguerite Shuster
— Fuller Theological Seminary
"Gracefully written and deceptively simple, Letters to New Pastors will lead pastors gently and firmly away from all the gimmickry that cheapens, corrupts, or betrays a genuine pastoral calling. It points unpretentiously to classic resources and deals realistically with perennial problems. Best of all, it is pervaded by a sense of God's gracious sustenance. I wish every aspiring minister would read this book at the beginning of his or her studies, and read it again before stepping over the threshold of that first church."
Jackson W. Carroll
— Duke Divinity School
"What a wonderful gift this book is to new pastors facing the challenges of leading a congregation! . . . Touching on issues that every pastor faces, these letters by Michael Jinkins offer not methods and techniques but theologically informed insights drawn from his own experience and the wisdom of the Christian tradition. This is pastoral theology of the highest order!"