In this book, two UCC ministers share the highs and lows, the benefits and quirks, and the privileges and challenges of professional ministry.
They write in order to counter the glut of books out there that complain, denounce, and denigrate professional ministry. Yes, ministry is difficult - and certainly there are some bad ministers - but most of us really enjoy ministry and do the best we can with what we've got.
The pastors deal with all matters of church life, both mundane and profound. The spirituality of hand-shaking, the trappings of living in a glass house, and the unique challenge of being a "preacher's kid" are all dealt with in enlightening ways.
Lillian concludes by saying, "So, much of the time, I feel like an invited guest to special places where wondrous things happen. I am not invited because I am a special person, or because I have a particular set of skills, or because I have greater faith than anyone else does. Nevertheless, I am invited to those places in people's lives because I have accepted God's call to do this holy work" (234).
This is a fantastic book for all seeking to understand more clearly the inner workings of church life, and even more particularly, of a pastor's heart.
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