Rate this book

Am I Called?: The Summons To Pastoral Ministry (2012)

by Dave Harvey(Favorite Author)

4.31 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1433527480 (ISBN13: 9781433527487)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Crossway

review 1: About the BookFor the past 24 years author, Dave Harvey, has helped men discern whether or not God might be calling them into the ministry. The benefits of that lengthy tenure rings true throughout this book, which I found helped it be a quick read. Harvey, takes the lead from the outset to provide a clear framework for which anyone can filter the call of God against your own selfish motivations or desires to be in ministry. In walking the reader through six introspective questions he provides a process by which you can discern if this calling is true and what they need to be doing now to prepare for ministry. This isn’t some cold academic book that you have t read between the lines to understand. Harvey, often recounts personal stories and hard lessons that he or close ... morefriends have walked through during their own time of discernment which was refreshing.Am I Called, is broken down into three parts: Approaching the Call, Diagnosing the Call and Waiting. In the first part Harvey outlines the call to be a pastor and the summons it entails. Have you been given a desire to be a pastor? Do others agree this is a calling you should take seriously? More importantly, what does the Bible have to say about the office of a pastor? The author interweaves the gospel and biblical theology to give us reason for pause as we evaluate ourselves and our calling.In the second part the reader is guided through specific criteria for which we should assess the call to be a pastor. He asks relevant questions regarding the your spiritual life and what state you currently find yourself in. Based on biblical requirements how are you leading in the home? Do you have a genuine love for the lost? Can you outline a biblical text and preach a sermon? Do your fellow church members affirm this calling on your life or do they recommend you find a second day job?The final part of this book address probably the hardest truth to swallow and that is you might just have to wait. You can have all the training in the world, know the right chapter and verse to counsel a church member through hard times, but has God ordain you for this position and given you the opportunity to pursue this calling?My TakeawayThis is a subject that is close to me personally because over the course of the past several years I have felt this call into pastoral ministry grow. I had heard of this book, but not read it until just about a month ago. I felt both convicted and affirmed throughout the book. While I find myself in a position of waiting, I feel this book has answered a lot of questions and provided me with a framework in which I can come back to time and time again to refresh myself with my calling.If you are a pastor now, I would suggest you read this book to see if your current position lines up with the criteria submitted within these pages. If you are a student looking forward to ministry, know the road is not an easy one, nor should it be. Make sure before you begin down this path that God has not just equipped you for this position, but he’s set you apart to do the work of pastor for His glory.
review 2: This book is one of the best resources that answers the question, "I am called (or I think I am), but what do I do?" The book is short, but also sufficient, and it has great advice on what to do while waiting for ministry and how to prepare for it. I especially liked his emphasis on participation in the local church and the focus on the essential characteristics of a minister found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. This is no my "go-to" reference for those who want to pursue ministry, or at least think that they want to. less

Download links for: Am I Called?: The Summons to Pastoral Ministry

Advertising