The Happy Pastor

One of my favourite books on preaching is 'Preaching - The man, the message, the method' by Geoffrey Thomas who this year will celebrate being the minister of Alfred Place Baptist Church, Aberystwyth for 50 years!

Geoff gave the John Reed Miller lectures at RTS, Jackson in 2000 and these were turned into a book which was published by Reformed Academic Press in 2003.

He begins his lectures...

'The full-time gospel ministry is still a protected oasis. We are relieved of so many of the tensions and temptations that the men to whom we minister are meeting each day. They work with their minds and bodies in this evil world and give their hard earned money to us so generously that we may spend our days - think of it - in the quiet of our studies, in the Bible, in evangelism, and in pastoring God's people. I hope you will never join with those ministers who sit around grumbling in their fraternals about all the alleged hardships of being preachers. What a marvellously privileged life we lead. I trust you earnestly believe that it is be God's will for you to spend the rest of your life caring for this particular congregation you will happily do so and thank the Lord at the end of each day for such blessings.' (page 9)

At the moment the book is available for $100 on Amazon which for 73 pages is a bit steep so someone should think about reprinting it!

Reformed Heritage Books published 'The Holy Spirit and Reformed Spirituality: A tribute to Geoffrey Thomas' Edited by Joel Beeke and Derek Thomas which is worth getting and is only $10