Becoming a Pastor: Forming Self and Soul for Ministry

This a need to have in your collection!

This is a great reflection even for those of us who have been in the profession for a while. be sure to allot time for yourself to really reflect and practice the exercises. it is like a mini retreat.

As a Clinical Pastoral Education supervisor, I have found Hamman's book to be very helpful, whether I am working with seminarians or pastors who been in ministry for many years. He is profoundly insightful, with concepts that are engaging and stimulating. A must read for any pastor.

This book embraces secular psychology at the expense of Biblical theology and Gospel-centeredness. It was truly a waste of time to read this book (though I finished it because I am OCD about finishing books once I start them). If you would rather fill yourself with secular-humanist mumbo-jumbo which will expire in its relevance within 10 years after new secular psychologists come out with some new idea of "spiritual care", read this book. If you'd like to immerse yourself in a Biblical and Gospel-centered understanding of ministry, why don't you check out the tried and true pillars of the faith like Spurgeon's "Lectures to My Students", or Baxter's "The Reformed Pastor"?