The Pastor's Book


Book Description

Pastors are tasked with the incredibly demanding job of caring for the spiritual, emotional, and, at times‚ physical needs of their people. While seminary is helpful preparation for many of the challenges pastors face, there’s far more to pastoral ministry than what can be covered in the classroom. Designed as a reference guide for nearly every situation a pastor will face, this comprehensive book by seasoned pastors Kent Hughes and Doug O’Donnell is packed full of biblical wisdom and practical guidance related to the reality of pastoral ministry in the trenches. From officiating weddings to conducting funerals to visiting the sick, this book will equip pastors and church leaders with the knowledge they need to effectively minister to their flocks, both within the walls of the church and beyond.




Ministering to the Mourning


Book Description

Formerly titled Comforting the Bereaved, this practical, insightful guide gives direction to pastors and lay-leaders of all levels of experience. Included are recommended Scriptures to read; an explanation of the stages of grief; approaches to conducting funerals in special circumstances such as suicide, victims of crime, multiple family deaths, or when the deceased is unknown to the pastor; signs of healthy and unhealthy grief, and how to help survivors cope. This new edition contains a chapter on ministering to victims of terrorism. It is also recommended for chaplains and hospice caregivers.







Conduct Gospel-Centered Funerals


Book Description

Bring Gospel Hope in the Midst of Death The phone rings: “Pastor, can you do my mother’s funeral?” Or, “Please help us—our baby just died.” Death comes unexpectedly, giving you two to three days of time to prepare a sermon—in the midst of caring for a grieving family. This helpful book walks a pastor through the logistics of memorial services, burials, and working with funeral homes—using the four P’s: Plan, Prepare, Preach, and Perform. It shows how to magnify Christ and the gospel in the midst of all the details, demands, and sorrow that surrounds the death of a loved one. The Practical Shepherding series of books provides pastors and ministry leaders with advice and practical help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. In Conduct Gospel-Centered Funerals, experienced pastors Brian Croft and Phil A. Newton offer readers a concise guide to conducting funerals that glorify God and offer a timely message of hope.




A Contemporary Handbook for Weddings & Funerals and Other Occasions


Book Description

Guidance, advice, and ready-to-use sermons and services for the busy pastor Weddings and funerals are some of the most meaningful events in people's lives, and also some of the most challenging for the pastor to perform. Written with the needs of the busy pastor in mind, this popular and newly updated handbook includes everything necessary to conduct a variety of weddings and funerals, along with other common events such as Communion, baptisms, dedications, and ordinations. Helpful aids for weddings include services, vow renewals, messages, prayers, guidelines for vows, information on marriage laws, and, new in this edition, a service and message for second marriages. Guidance for funerals covers orders of service, quotations and reflections, and eulogies for a variety of circumstances, incorporating those with evangelistic appeal, untimely deaths, and suicide. New to this edition are funerals for service members, victims of violence, accidental deaths, cancer, and community tragedies. Additional new resources include blessing services for a home or special event and guidance for speaking at fraternal organizations. Pastors of all denominations will benefit from the services, advice, and resources in this sought-after handbook.




Grief, Transition, and Loss


Book Description

In his creative pastoral care and counseling series, veteran counselor Wayne Oates shares ideas from a lifetime of ministry. Oates focuses on life situations in addition to death that can cause grief, depression, and a sense of loss, such as divorce, job change, or relocation. More common than ever in today's world, these events offer opportunities for personal caregiving by ministers, friends, and family members.




A Pastor's Practical Guide to Funerals


Book Description

This straight-forward book integrates the pragmatic “how to” of the funeral process--especially in dealing with “difficult” funerals--with the art of being a caring and healing presence before, during, and after the funeral. While conducting a funeral is one the great privileges of ministry, pastors must be skilled and ready to guide grieving family and friends through the process of saying goodbye and burying a loved one. With sample services, prayers, sermon themes, and Bible readings, this book will help pastors hear, name, and integrate relevant illustration into a respectful story of the deceased's life--a story that is appropriate to the particular circumstances of each situation. Contents include: Preparing for Death; Caring through Anticipated Death; Caring through Sudden Death; Meeting with Family before the Funeral Service; Creating the Funeral Service; Creating the Funeral Sermon; and Following up with Grievers




There is Hope


Book Description

250,000 people die in the UK each year, and almost half will have a Christian funeral service. Preaching at a funeral is a vital part of pastoral ministry, but too often funeral sermons consist of generalities and platitudes used for multiple services rather than illuminating the hope gifted to us by the resurrection. In There is Hope veteran pastor Paul Beasley-Murray offers practical advice to help Christian leaders craft meaningful, biblically driven sermons and preach with confidence and compassion at funeral services. Drawing on his years of experience, he offers a sensitive, pastorally rich exposition of twenty key Bible passages, exploring how preachers can draw on them to show the hope beyond death that the Gospel offers. Alongside are funeral sermon examples that he has preached himself, as well as ideas, outlines and guidance for writing your own. There is Hope is the perfect book for ordinands and preachers who are new to giving funeral sermons, as well as for experienced preachers and pastors wanting to improve and grow in their pastoral ministry and are looking for new ideas for funeral sermons. Full of biblical depth, this guide will equip priests and pastors with all the tools they need to deliver comforting funeral sermons that truly deliver the message that even in death, in the Gospel there is hope.




The Funeral and Wedding Handbook


Book Description

If you're looking for a planning resource to help you deal with funerals and weddings, this book is worth its weight in gold. Pastors are repeatedly called on to perform these ceremonies in an infinite variety of circumstances, yet there's no "one-size-fits-all" service, so it's a constant challenge to come up with meaningful and appropriate material that witnesses to the Lord's power. In this book an experienced minister shares a wealth of ideas that help you tailor services to individual needs, making these complicated occasions ones of impact and success for your ministry. The Funeral And Wedding Handbook shows you how to ... * Deal with difficult funerals ... suicides, infants, non-Christians, and many more * Effectively comfort the hurting * Plan memorable weddings from premarital counseling to the recessional march * Be prepared for the overlooked details and unexpected events that often arise during funeral and wedding services Robert Blair's book stands alone as a comprehensive resource for both ministers and caregivers. Though systematic, the book is filled with examples from Blair's 40-plus years in the ministry, which makes the book dynamic, credible, and filled with wisdom. Underlying this work is Blair's humble, but all-encompassing devotion to Christ. An essential resource for all involved in funerals and weddings, this book is one of a kind. Mike Inman Chaplain, Hospice of Siouxland Sioux City, Iowa I have found Robert Blair's The Funeral And Wedding Handbook to be very helpful. It is well-written, informative, practical, and contemporary for today's minister. It is a great resource book, both for students preparing for ministry and those who have for many years served the Lord's people during these very important stages in life. Having this book is like having a good friend who's always ready to answer the "how to" and "what to" questions that come up in these situations. I highly recommend it to all ministers. Ron Bontrager Instructor, Sunset International Bible Institute Lubbock, Texas For 28 years, Robert Blair pastored the Church of Christ in Hollywood, California. A graduate of Pepperdine University (B.A., M.A.), Blair now resides in Cleghorn, Iowa. His writings have appeared in Leadership and Leadership Handbooks of Practical Theology.




The Pastor's Funeral Planner


Book Description

The Pastor's Funeral Planner is a funeral manual that provides busy pastors with fresh insights on conducting funerals. It includes messages, customs, etiquette, checklists, eulogies, and much more!