Out of the Office: A Theology of Ministry

by Robert D. Cornwall

Theology is often seen as a discussion of dry doctrines, suitable mostly for academic institutions, but separated from the practice of faith. In this third volume of the Academy of Parish Clergy’s Conversations in Ministry series Dr. Bob Cornwall, church historian, theologian, and pastor, shows the ways in which one’s theology shapes one’s ministry in the church and in the world.

Besides discussing the theological roots of ministry and mission, this book is firmly placed in the 21st century, looking at the virtual world as our parish as well as more traditional connections.

98 pages, Paperback

Published April 11, 2017

About the author

Robert D. Cornwall is minister-at-large after his retirement as pastor of Central Woodward Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Troy, Michigan. . He holds a M.Div. and a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, and is a graduate of Northwest Christian University in Eugene, OR. He is the author/editor of several books including "Second Thoughts About the Second Coming: Understanding the End Times, Our Future, and Christian Hope" (Westminster John Knox Press) coauthored with Ronald J. Allen. Other books include the second edition of "Unfettered Spirit: Spiritual Gifts for the New Great Awakening" and "The Letters of John: A Participatory Study Guide" (Energion Publications), along with a wide variety of other books (see the author listing), including Visible and Apostolic: The Constitution of the Church in High Church and Nonjuror Thought (University of Delaware Press, 1993); Gilbert Burnet's Discourse on the Pastoral Care, (Edwin Mellen Press, 1997), A Cry from the Cross: Sermons on the Seven Last Words of Christ (CSSPublishing, 2008), Religion, Politics and Dissent, 1660-1832: Essays in Honour of James E Bradley, edited with William Gibson (Ashgate, 2010); Ultimate Allegiance: The Subversive Nature of the Lord's Prayer, (Energion Publications, 2010); and Ephesians: A Participatory Study Guide, (Energion Publications, 2010). He has contributed articles to a number of books, encyclopedias, and journals, including Religious Identities in Britain, 1660-1832, Events that Changed the Word in the Eighteenth Century, The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, The Encyclopedia of the Stone Campbell Movement, Encyclopedia of Protestantism, Church History, Anglican Theological Review, Christian Century Congregations, the Progressive Christian, and Anglican and Episcopal History. He served for many years as the editor of Sharing the Practice, the journal of the Academy of Parish Clergy.

Reviews

[Robert D. Cornwall]

I am the author of the book, and editor of the series, which makes me a bit biased. This is a brief primer on the theological foundations of ministry. The title, Out of the Office, is representative of the locus of ministry, which often takes one outside the office and into the world. There is a bit of the missional here, along with deep rootage in a theology of gifts-based ministry. I hope it will prove useful for those contemplating ministry, studying for ministry, and those in ministry who would find it helpful to reconnect ministry to theology.

I wrote the book from the perspective of being an active pastor of a local congregation, while having advanced studies in historical and systematic theology. This book will partner nicely with my book on Spiritual Gifts -- Unfettered Spirit: Spiritual Gifts for the New Great Awakening