A raucous, multi-tongued sound roars in the ears of many pastors. The voices speak in the various dialects of church growth and Biblical scholarship, in the legalese of congregational polity, in the accents of career success, and in the language of spiritual devotion. These sounds are accompanied by carefully designed images of the successful pastor: C.E.O., visionary leader, trusted counselor, persuasive preacher, anointed prophet, selfless missionary. Many ministers feel compelled to respond to the clashing voices convinced that if they get the right mix of sounds and images a blessed ministry will follow. In the process pastors often become fractured and restless, spending long years trying to find joy and peace in ministry. "The Blessed Pastor" invites ministers to meet with Jesus on a quiet hillside and, through Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, discover what the Great Shepherd calls them to truly be and actually do. Robert L. Adams, an experienced pastor and writer, brings the words of Jesus into the chaos and complexity of modern pastoral ministry. Jesus' words teach the pastor what it means to truly preach, how to handle the church bully, the proper attitude toward money and stuff, what a wolf in sheep's clothing looks like and much more.
