The Good Shepherd: Meditations on Christian ministry in today's world

THE GOOD SHEPHERD is an especially poignant image for the Christian pastor, since it refers to one whose love for his flock issued in the ultimate sacrifice - the agony of death upon the cross. In this selection of essays adapted from talks delivered to members of the Church of South India, Lesslie Newbigin deals candidly with problems which face pastors in every age and locality. He points out the merits of various biblical models of the ministry and discusses several facets of the pastoral task, e.g., preaching, guiding the worship service, administering church discipline, resolving conflicts within the church, clarifying the church's responsibility in the social sphere, and promoting church leadership. Pervading these essays is a profound awareness of the power of Christian hope, based on the paradox of death transformed into life. Devotion, scholarship, practical wisdom, and biblical exposition combine in these pages to provide guidance on pastoral matters and to provoke reflection on the part of ministers, church leaders, and study groups within the church. Lesslie Newbigin, a prominent leader of the ecumenical movement, has served as General Secretary of the International Missionary Council and as Associate General Secretary of the World Council of Churches. A bishop of the Church of South India for over twenty years, he is currently a member of the staff of Selly Oaks Colleges, Birmingham, England.