The Pastor as Minor Poet: Texts and Subtexts in the Ministerial Life (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies)

Today’s pastors — often expected to be multitasking marvels who can make their churches "successful" — are understandably confused about their role. Craig Barnes contends that the true calling of a pastor is to assist others in becoming fully alive in Christ — to be a "minor poet." The pastor absorbs the wisdom of major poets — the biblical poets as well as the church’s theological poets — and distills its essence for parishioners. / The Pastor as Minor Poet calls pastors to continually search for a deeper, truer understanding of what they see — both in the text of Scripture and in the text of their parishioners' lives. Discerning the subtexts beneath these texts reveals the core truths that allow pastors to preach the heart of the Word and to understand the hearts of the people to whom they minister. Written with a seasoned pastor’s depth of understanding and a poet's sensibility and sensitivity, this book will minister to and inspire pastors everywhere.