The Effective Pastor: A Practical Guide to the Ministry

by Robert C. Anderson

What can I say to parents who have lost an infant? Where do I find the time to be a good pastor and a loving husband and father, too? These are just some of the tough questions most pastors ask at one time or another. And the answers don't come easy. Robert Anderson's practical guide to the pastoral ministry highlights the many aspects of a pastor's job. Here is a volume of excellent ideas, advice, and general rules for the contemporary pastor in his ever-changing ministry.

Genres: Nonfiction, Leadership, Church, Theology

392 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Robert C. Anderson, MDiv, served for 15 years as professor of pastoral theology at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and as senior pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Portland, Oregon. He also served as adjunct professor of pastoral theology at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary at the Pacific Northwest Campus. He resides in Brush Prairie, Washington.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Good: A lot of practical information, as the title suggests: funeral arrangements/delivery, hospital visitation, baptisms, marriage counseling, all the things that no one ever really gives advice on until you assume a pastorate and are already in the deep end.

The Bad: The book was published in 1986 by a Silent Generationer and as a result, most of the technical info he gives on record-keeping, files, and the like is outdated and irrelevant in 2016. He's one of those who "keep pitchas on the computah" and "get on the FaceBook" from time to time.

The Ugly: Anderson is borderline misogynistic about women and their roles. To his credit, he never says women are inferior--they just have different roles. Agreed--this is Biblical. However, when he speaks of a same-age pastor friend of his who married a "sweet young thing" who eventually ran her husband into ruination and out of the ministry completely (like his friend's spineless inaction and lack of leadership in the home had nothing to with it) and the idea that pastors' wives should be "perfumed, made-up, and ready for action" at every moment of the day because their husband is a pastor and has a tough job, I had to draw a line.

Those kinds of statements reveal Anderson to be a Cold War dinosaur that wasn't really in touch with his wife or reality, for that matter.

As a pastor, I DO agree that we have a tough job, especially when it comes to listening to, keeping track of, and attempting to counsel problems that people have in your congregation. I think my own pastor's hair went white because of it. But women ALSO have hard jobs--maybe the hardest. And most women--pastors' wives or not--have zero time or interest after taking care of anywhere from 1 to a Roman cohort of children, cooking, schooling, and getting housework done, and possibly even her OWN job, if she has one. That's a tall order for ANY human being.

I also agree that women should be available for the conjugal what-nots with their husbands; LIKEWISE, I sincerely believe that husbands should sacrificially love their wives, and GIVE UP THINGS THEY LOVE for the ONE THEY LOVE, which might mean rolling over every night or so because, you know, she's TIRED from balancing the spinning plates of your life together. (Eph. 5:25-27)

If what Anderson says is true for women, then men should be just as willing to do things like stay in shape, keep clean-cut, and be willing to be "ready for action" whenever their wives are, even if THEY THEMSELVES don't feel like it. (1 Cor. 7:1-5) There should be UNDERSTANDING on BOTH sides of the marriage bed--a total giving of oneself to the other, with nothing selfish involved, and nothing expected. That's how people stay married for 50+ years.

Not sure how long Anderson was married, but whoever she was HAD to be a saint.

[Andy]

0047

[Keith]

Good but dated. A lot of references are no longer in print.