Shepherding God's Flock : A Preacher's Handbook on Pastoral Ministry, Counseling, and Leadership

by Jay E. Adams

Book by Jay E. Adams

Genres: Counselling, Theology, Ecclesiology, Nonfiction

531 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Jay Edward Adams is a Reformed Christian author. He has written over 100 books and these have been published in sixteen languages.
He received a Bachelor of Divinity from Reformed Episcopal Seminary, a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Johns Hopkins University,a Masters in Sacred Theology from Temple University, and a PhD in Speech from the University of Missouri.
Adams' book Competent to Counsel launched the nouthetic counseling movement, a movement whose aim was to use strictly biblical counseling methods. He is the founder of the Intitute for Nothetic Studies.

Reviews

[Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

The excellent book, Shepherding God’s Flock, by Jay Adams covers three primary areas: Pastoral Life, Pastoral Counseling, and Pastoral Leadership. Adams’ practical book contains advice for pastors on theology, counting the cost, family, social life, time usage, calling, caring for the flock, counseling (elderly, handicapped, sick, grieving, children, women, etc.), ethics, developing a counseling program, premarital counseling, providing education, and shepherd within a church, while cautioning against a business-like model for church ministry. Knowing that “…methodology and practices reveal what is central to one’s theory,” Adams addresses counseling philosophy, church ministry, communication in church ministry, and relationships between elders, deacons, committees, church members, etc.

Strengths: practicality and frank; a section on grieving; in-depth pastoral theology; exhortations to courage; exercises following each chapter; encourages counselor evaluation; warns and exhorts for pastors regarding methodology, philosophy, and personal lives.

Weaknesses: dated; targets mostly solo pastors; application of Matthew 25:36; limits counseling sessions; excludes lay persons from counseling and observation; comments on infant baptism; comment regarding organized church in Old Testament.

Uses in Biblical Counseling: Help for training counselors; challenges pastor’s and counselor’s personal life; provides insight into secular counseling; advice and cautions for counseling and ministering to various people groups within the church.

An excellent read and one that every young man should read before entering ministry, especially if he is going to be a pastor in a small church where he is the only pastor on staff. The fact that the book is "dated" (having been written in 1975) shows some application that would not apply today but the essense of this book is very insightful and practical.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: I ONLY INTENDED TO READ THE FIRST SECTION, I HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE ENTIRE BOOK. Written over 45 years ago, its research and formative information is at least 50 years old. Its examples, as such, are very dated but its principles are timeless. Good as a workbook to train up a new pastor as there are questions and activities at the end of each chapter.

[Duanesburg Reformed]

Three Volumes

[Judson Marvel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful book on the duties of a shepherd.

[Joonas Laajanen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read about a half. Useful.

[Kevin]

First two parts were excellent. Last part could have been skimmed.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful nuggets surrounded by extraneous material.

[Matt Carpenter · Rating 3 out of 5]

An good beginning resource for ministers just beginning in the pastorate. It is slightly dated (published in the seventies) and speaks specifically to Presbyterian ministry. That being said, it would benefit any beginning pastor and serves as a reminder to those who are more experienced as to their responbilities as shepherds of God's flock.

[Steve Hemmeke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oustanding pastoral manual

[Douglas Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very helpful and useful book of practical pastoral theology.
I think it is a must read for new/young pastors and elders.

[Andrew Fortenberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful. Great biblical ideas.
Dated.

[Seth Channell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book I have read so far on the practical issues related to pastoral ministry.

[Salvation House · Rating 4 out of 5]

A life saver.

[Roy]

This was my fourth reading. When I first read it, I thought I should read it each year. I still think that's a good idea.