Introduction to Ministry

Ian S. Markham is Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary. He has been in ministry all his life and is active as a Priest Associate at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Alexandria, VA. He is the author and editor of numerous books, including Truth and the Reality of God (2000); A Theology of Engagement (Wiley-Blackwell, 2003); Do Morals Matter (Wiley-Blackwell, 2006); Understanding Christian Doctrine (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007), Liturgical Life Principles (2009), and Against Atheism (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010).Oran E. Warder is Rector of St. Paul's Church in Alexandria, Virginia.  An experienced parish priest, Oran also served for seven years as the Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese of Delaware.  Among other things, this diocesan role included the care, support, and deployment of clergy; the care, support, and development of congregations, including the mediation of conflict; as well as the oversight of an array of diocesan programs and institutions.  In addition to serving as rector of St. Paul's, Oran is also an adjunct instructor of liturgics at the Virginia Theological Seminary.

This really is an “introduction to ministry.” Everything is in here and it is well-organized and well-said. This will become a standard for those considering professional ministry and others who want to understand the pastorate. Markham and Warder have point of view, but it is gentle and apparent and appreciative of ministry in diversity and complexity. David McAllister-Wilson, President, Wesley Theological SeminaryMarkham and Warder have boldly gone where no-one has quite gone before; writing a genuine introduction to ministry itself, not just pastoral care or liturgy or management, but about the extraordinary, messy and wonderful whole. This introduction is full of insight and wisdom. While it does not answer every question, it answers many of them, and it will provoke better questions and richer answers than readers might otherwise have obtained. It is also written from a fundamentally optimistic viewpoint, and gives a hopeful and faithful picture of how the “mainline” can not only survive but flourish amid changing realities.Andrew McGowen, Yale Divinity School

• Acknowledgments ixIntroduction 1Section One Exploring the World of Ministry 51 Sensing the Call 72 The Imperative of Training 193 Church Dynamics: Exploring Congregational Culture 30Section Two Cultivating the Skills for Effective Ministry 454 Worship and Mainline Ritual 475 Reading Scripture Thoughtfully 586 Connecting the Theological Dots 687 Church History 818 Preaching the Word 929 Ethics in the Mainline 11010 Pastoral Presence 12211 Christian Education and Formation 13512 Music and Hymnody 150Section Three Leading the People of God 16713 Prophetic Leadership and Social Justice 16914 Evangelism and Church Growth 18215 Leading through Change and Conflict 19816 The Business of the Church 21017 Stewardship 22518 Christian Apologetics 23719 Ministerial Integrity 253Glossary 263Index 277