ANNOTATED ANALYSIS READING ASSIGMENT

A Paper

Submitted to Dr. Phillip E. Weaver

of the

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Course

Pastoral Ministry: PATH 5331

in the Division of Pastoral Ministries

Roy Israel Alva-Navarro

B.A., National University of San Marcos, 2012

May 2, 2019
Bisagno, John. Pastor’s Handbook. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2011.
A. The book is divided in twelve parts, with a total of 162 short chapters, that are very
well structured and are easy to read. John Bisagno start his book presenting the church
first instead of the pastor. the church is the instrument used by God to spread the news
of redemptive salvation in Jesus Christ. The author explains the importance of the
church and what is a healthy church. In eleven chapters the author develops some
elements of the structure of the church such as the offices of the church, elders, deacons,
church committees, and end the first part with the importance of discipline and prayer in
the church as key to a great growing church. the nest four parts the book presents the
pastor focusing first in the life of the pastor and his call. The importance to be sure of
God´s call for ministry (explaining various ministries), education and the example that
he needs to be at home as the first ministry of any pastor. this part is dedicated to all the
external elements in the life of the pastor. in the next part, Bisagno present internal
elements the pastor needs to take care, character and a good spirit is needed to be a
pastor and a spiritual leader. The next two parts a dedicated to the practical tasks of the
pastor as organizational leader and as a preacher.
The second half of the book, from part six to twelve, the book develops aspects
concerning the church organization and management. The bible considers the pastors as
managers of the church that belong to God. First, the author gives some advices in what
should be a good worship service (issues regarding kinds of music, church atmosphere,
testimonies, multiple services, and ushers). Part seven is about the different ministries
inside the church and the importance of each one (children, preschoolers, students,
singles, adults, Sunday mornings bible study, evangelism, church planting, events, and
so on), this chapter cover a variety of practical insights on how to develop and see a
purpose for each ministry. Next part is about the church staff and how to administrate it
as the leader or senior pastor. in part nine the author talks about finances and how
important they are to have a successful ministry avoiding much financial problems,
planning and overseeing the budgets. The two parts are dedicated to the church building
and facilities, and how to manage other services the church could have such as school,
library, or homeschooling. Also the use of the media and advertising. Finally, Bisagno
finish the book addressing different kind of questions that the pastor has to be ready to
respond about such as homosexuality, abortion, evolution, moral absolutes, and so on.
B. The author made a great work with this book, it is very well edited and easy to read.
The book is made for pastors and really help them to have a good knowledge of most of
the topics and elements the pastor need to accomplish his work. The most interesting
parts and chapters of the book are from part two through part five, in which the author
develops all the elements a pastor needs and develop in his life. One interesting chapter
is “managing your time” when the author explain how morning time is more efficient
than afternoon of evening time, and if we make the effort to wake up early it would
enhance ones’ time. This was very helpful, since it helps to control and manage time
better and the pastor have to make time for visits, study meetings, study time for
preaching, disciple meetings, etc.
C. One difficulty with the book is that it covers a lot of topics and issues, and do not
have space to develop them very in deep. The author mentioned in the preface, that
most of what is written in the book comes from his personal experience mainly, so
maybe this is the reason why the information in each chapter is general and superficial
in many cases. The book give you a good way to start, but it is necessary other books if
you are seeking to know each topic very well. For instance, the chapter “pastor´s prayer
life” do not explain very well the importance of it, consequences, or enough biblical
support to it, it is more a personal advice of the topic which is good, but leave the reader
with the desire to continue reading about this topic.

Cothen, Joe H. Equipped for Good Work. 3d ed. Edited by Jerry N. Barlow. Gretna,
LA: Pelican, 2012.
A. The book is designed not only for experienced pastor, but also for new pastors or
pastors that are moving from one church to another. The book starts presenting the
pastor as a person, not as a simple man who is called by God. The calling can be
different from one man to another, but the purpose is the same, “to rebuke, warn, and
exhort His people.” The calling is powerful and unique; the pastor needs to be sure of it.
Then the author explains the importance of the family in the life of the pastor, the need
to have a good theology according to the scriptures, the philosophy of ministry and the
importance of preparation in a school or seminary. The second chapter is dedicated to
the church as stablished by God, and the functions the church needs to accomplish such
as worship, preaching, teaching, evangelism, ministry of healing, and helping others.
God has placed one single institution on earth that will remain until He comes back, the
church. The pastor has to work for it as a good manager of it. In the third chapter, the
author expresses the importance of communication in the church and how it can solve
many problems. Church is not the facility or building, but the people, and as such
communication is key to develop a healthy church body. The fourth chapter is dedicated
to the attitude the pastor should have in his ministry from the beginning to the end. The
pastor is in the public eye, and the behavior and character of the pastor is observed
always. Chapter five is about the pastor´s preaching, the relevance, importance and
purposes of preaching in the ministry of the pastor.
From chapter seven through ten, the author develops ordinances, baptism, funerals,
weddings, and evangelism. Events and practices that the pastor need to know how to
perform. The author provides templates and guide to achieve the real purpose of each
activity. This chapters give a great panorama for new pastors in this activities the church
always has to perform. In chapter eleven, the author provides legal help on the process
of stablish a church constitution and policies for the church. the next chapter deals with
finances and how to create an effective budget that would work as a tool for the
ministry, and also how to deal with some problems that would arise with the budget.
Chapter thirteen and fourteen is about the pastor in relation with the staff and deacons.
The pastor has to stablish good relation with his staff and deacons to generate a good
environment and lead them to God´s vision and mission for the church. The chapter
fifteen advice the pastor on how to manage his public relations in different context such
as church, media, Sundays, etc. Finally, in the last chapter, the author advice the pastor
to understand the uniqueness and difficult of their task, and encourage the pastor to
remain faithful until the end.
B. The book is very helpful. Personally I have only a few months as a pastor of a
Hispanic church, and although Hispanic churches organization and managing are some
different than in the American church, the book is of great help to understand the
problems arise in the beginning and to not lose the primarily and main task of the pastor
which is to rebuke, warm and exhort God´s people. One of the most helpful elements of
the book are the practical use it provides with the templates of different programs. The
template for weddings, funerals, ordinance, and others are of great help. The first is also
very clear in the way it presents the pastor and its mission.
C. The book is very clear, but it could develop more some chapters. The first chapter
could be more explained and stress the importance of the calling and character of the
pastor. it may be difficult to include everything in one book, but since the pastor
ministry is a high part about the pastor´s life, the character, spiritual elements, and
personal intimacy of the pastor can be more developed.

Witmer, Timothy Z. The Shepherd Leader. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing,

2010
A. The book is divided in three main parts. The first part deals with the old testament
and new testament basis for shepherding, showing models through all the bible, but
having Jesus as the consummate shepherd who at the same time provides the best care
for his sheep. The importance of the shepherd is based in the compassion for the sheep.
The author then develops a historical relate of sheepherding since the practice of the
apostles of appointing bishops and deacons, passing for the apostolic fathers all the way
through John Wycliffe, John Calvin, Knox, and others to show the historical difference
between the ruling and teaching elders. The second part of the book present the main
focus of the book which is to establish what implies to shepherd in ministry. The author
mentions that shepherding involved knowing, feeding, leading, and protecting. Then the
author provides some advice on how to accomplish each of this elements by visiting,
preaching or study meetings, worship, education, public warning or advice, etc.
Finally, in the last part of the book, Witmer presents practical ways to shepherd in
ministry biblically. The author finds that shepherding has to be biblical, systematic,
comprehensive, relational, functional, accountable, and prayerful. The author also
mentioned that the shepherds must be developed and trained for a successful work.
Then the author mentioned some advice on how to prepare the church for a shepherding
ministry.
B. The book is very helpful to understand the biblical basis for the work of the pastor or
shepherd. A very interesting point in the book was the reading regarding the historical
foundation of biblical shepherd (the encouragement of Richard Baxter is very important
to do not forget to commit sometime for the shepherd itself, and the caring discipline of
the flock). The most interesting idea I am holding from this book is the need to have
clear boundaries between what is wrong and bad, or truth and falsehood. It is easy to do
not point with authority what are the sins in our community, and loss the will of
discipline for fear of how the congregation or people is going to response to it. But
Witmer points out very clear that this leads to moral emptiness and doctrine into
conceptual emptiness as well. The shepherd has to be clear in what the authoritative
Word of God presents as good and bad, right and wrong, good works and sin.
C. The book is not a hand book for ministries. It is not a book that a pastor would pick
easily to help in practical issues in ministry, the book is more of those that you need to
read from the beginning to the end. It is more the foundation for sheepherding. One
point that is over stress is probably the distinction between the elders that teach and the
elders that rule, I never consider this an obstacle for the correct function of the church,
so I do not agree in this extreme distinction.

Croft, Brian. The Pastor’s Ministry: Biblical Priorities for Faithful Shepherds.
Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2015.

A. The book is focused on the role of the pastor as a shepherd. Considering that a pastor
is at the same time a kind of elder, since the author states clear the plurality of elders. In
this sense the author will develop ten activities that every pastor should practice and
develop in his ministry. The first chapter is about guard the truth. In today’s context the
bible receives many attacks from different areas. the pastor should be faithful to the
bible and teach what it says, let others know what the bible teaches. This is the work of
equipping the saints in biblical truth to help them be prepare for any attack that rise
inside of outside the church. this chapter is very related to the second of preach the
word. In this chapter the author explains the importance of preaching in the life of the
congregation, believing that the power of preaching is still acting and changing lives.
The author also teaches that the preaching has to be pastoral, original, personalized and
that we need to preach to ourselves. The third chapter, pray for the flock, the author
gives examples from the old and new testament of the importance of praying for the
flock, and praying for the men of God own life. The pastor need to teach the importance
of prayer and make prayer part of the life of the church.
The author then changes the focus, not more in the pastor itself, but now in helping
others, first as an example to the congregation and community that is always looking his
leadership. The pastors need to build a good character, no making excuses, spend time
with people, etc. second is the importance to visit the sick in their difficult situation
imitating part of the work Jesus came to do, caring for the sick people. Another is caring
for the grieving. Though the ministry of Jesus and Paul the author state the importance
of caring for those who had suffered lost. The fourth area the pastor should develop is to
care for the widow. Then the author develops a chapter on how necessary is to confront
sin. Every Christian have to deal with sin, but the problem is when someone not repent
from sin and it is not confronted, because it will create problems that can harm the
whole church. Encourage the weaker is necessarily at the same time, the church is not
made of perfect people, but of weak people who is trying to grow in holiness. Finally,
the pastor needs to identify and train leaders, the future of the church depends on those
we train and disciple for the next generations, people qualified and affirm in the biblical
truth.
B. the book is very helpful to and easy to read. people do not need to read all at once, it
can be read from any subject that interest the reader. The most interesting was chapter
seven, care for widows, personally I work with Hispanic churches and this is a very
unknown and undeveloped area, people in Hispanic churches specially in Latin America
churches do nothing for widows, however, the bible give an explicit commandment on
this issue as the author mentions. It was very helpful the questions that the author
present on how to talk with a widow and show interest for them.
C. The book is very challenging, and interesting. The only problem of the book may be
that some chapters could be more developed and presented more biblical bases for it.
For instance, the chapter on guard the truth the author does not develop the problems
the church face regarding science or philosophy, which are very important to respond in
order to reach educated people in those areas too.