The answer may surprise us.

Pentecostal leader Jack Hayford once said, “Genuine spiritual fullness is bridge building.” That insight cuts to the heart of the issue. If spiritual maturity leads us into isolation or superiority, something has gone wrong. True fullness of the Spirit should expand our vision of the church, not shrink it.

Many Baptists, particularly those influenced by cessationism, believe that certain supernatural gifts, such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing, ceased in the early church. Charismatics, on the other hand, believe these gifts remain active and available today, just as described in 1 Corinthians 12. This disagreement is significant, but it is often overstated.

In practice, the lines are far more blurred than many assume. A growing number of Baptists affirm that spiritual gifts continue today, even if they express them more cautiously. Over the past few decades, studies have shown a notable increase in openness among Baptist pastors to the idea that the gifts of the Spirit are still operative. Even within traditionally non-charismatic environments, one can often find evidence of deep spiritual experience, fervent prayer, and moments that defy easy explanation.

History also complicates the narrative. Charles Spurgeon, the famed “Prince of Preachers,” was a staunch Baptist with no formal connection to charismatic theology. Yet accounts from his ministry include moments of remarkable spiritual insight that many today would describe as prophetic. Similarly, Billy Graham, arguably the most recognized Baptist figure of the modern era, spoke openly about divine healing, the laying on of hands, and the possibility of renewed signs and wonders in the last days.

These examples suggest that the divide is not always as clean or as rigid as our labels imply.

On a personal level, my own journey reflects this complexity. As a young believer, I was committed to Christ and grounded in Scripture, yet I sensed that something was missing. My first encounters with Charismatic Christians were, admittedly, uncomfortable. Their expressions of faith seemed unusual, even excessive at times. But I could not deny that many of them possessed a depth of spiritual life that I longed for.

And that is the point. The church was never meant to be a collection of isolated tribes, each guarding its own distinctives. The apostle Paul’s vision in 1 Corinthians 12 is not of uniformity, but of unity, a body with many members, each contributing something essential. The problem arises when we elevate our distinctives above our shared foundation in Christ.

When Charismatics lose sight of that foundation, they risk drifting into excess and confusion. When Baptists do the same, they risk reducing the Christian life to doctrine without experience. Both dangers are real. Both require correction. And both are best addressed not in isolation, but in conversation.

Image: Stephanie Krist

There is much we can learn from one another. Charismatics can benefit from the Baptist commitment to biblical clarity and theological discipline. Baptists can be enriched by the Charismatic emphasis on the active, present work of the Holy Spirit. The broader Christian tradition reminds us that no single group has a monopoly on truth. As the early church father Justin Martyr suggested, whatever is true belongs to all Christians.

In the end, the question is not whether Baptists and Charismatics will agree on every point of doctrine. They will not. The question is whether they can recognize one another as fellow members of the same body, pursuing the same Lord, and working toward the same mission.

If they can, then perhaps the divide is not as wide as we have imagined. And perhaps, in a divided world, that unity will speak louder than any difference ever could.

PR

Are you a warrior-leader?

Bobby Welch’s book is an impassioned and heartfelt call for Christians, laymen and clergy alike, to adopt a warrior-like approach to Kingdom work and Christian living. One of the later chapters, “Dying Words Of A Warrior Leader,” illustrates the title’s stated desire for a whole-life commitment. In fact, if there were more warrior-leaders in the pulpits and pews, God’s Kingdom today would advance as never before.

The book is organized in four main sections; The Warrior Leader’s Motivation, The Warrior Leader’s Mind, The Warrior Leader’s Mission, and The Warrior Leader’s Maturity. The chapters in these sections provide valuable advice and instruction in Kingdom-building, especially soul-winning. The illustrations and teaching-stories used to support the concepts are all powerful and almost exclusively military in nature.

Motivation

The chapter “You’re a Warrior, Not a CEO,” illustrates Welch’s approach in this work. Welch is quick to state that chief executive officers are a vital part of society, but they are not the model for Christian living or Church management. Christians and the Church are called to loving and careful but assertive, if not aggressive, evangelism and discipleship. Efficiency should take a back seat to effectiveness when it comes to souls. Borrowing from business management practice should be sparing and careful.

Mind

Unconventional Warfare speaks to the common yet unique nature of Christian Kingdom building. Some concepts are universal in strong organizations: “Take care of the people,” or “Achieve the mission.” How do these ideas find practice with Sunday School teachers and youth leaders? God-work is always unique and different, no matter how much it looks like something secular.

Mission

The Twelve Ways To Win is a chapter of valuable insight and good instruction. The twelve principles outlined, used in correct concert, will enable any Church-body to impact its community for Christ. Here Pastor’s Welch unique perspective and experience wins the day. He can speak to leadership “among the troops” that few others can. When he says leaders need to have front-line mentalities, you have to give serious consideration to what he says.

Summary

Despite the many good points and worthy message of You, The Warrior Leader, it is a challenging reading experience. The teaching stories and illustrations tend to be over long in the reviewer’s estimation. There is a jarring effect that calls attention away from from Pastor Welch’s intended message.

As a highly decorated combat veteran, and a high profile Gospel minister, there is much to commend Pastor Welch. This book contains much valuable material and insight. Be prepared to to work hard to draw the God-sent message off the pages and into your life.

Reviewed by Kirk Hunt

The review of this 2004 book was originally published on the Pneuma Foundation (parent organization of PneumaReview.com) website. Later included in the Spring 2026 issue of The Pneuma Review.

1. As a pastor are you listening to, benefiting from—or ignoring your critics?

2. Are you emotionally-secure enough to realize that your critics are sometimes right?

3. Do you know the most frequent or significant criticism made of you?

4. Do you regard your opponents as being “unspiritual” and unworthy of consideration?

5. Do you justify the departure of members from your congregation as simply being “God’s ‘pruning'” and/or their refusal to accept your “new wine skin”?

6. Did you learn from wrong choices you made in the past?

7. Do you ever listen to—print copies of your own sermons—critique them, and hear your preaching as others hear it? Do you study the content and eliminate superfluous talk?

8. If you were asked to preach a 3-point, quality sermon in 15 minutes could you do it?

9. Are you prepared to preach “in season, out of season”?

10. Do you blame your lack of preparation, indecisiveness, or procrastination, on your supposedly allowing “freedom” for the Holy Spirit?

11. Are you willing to preach more sermons to more people by being considerate of their time or do you insist on longer sermons and fewer people?

12. What percent of your congregation arrives late to avoid the length of the service? Have you ever considered that possibility?

13. As a pastor, do you pray as ardently about your administrative responsibilities as you do your preaching responsibilities?

14. Do members see such consistent growth in your preaching, your administration, that they are eager to hear your next message and be part of your next action?

15. Do visitors observe such maturity and reliability in your whole church-experience that they want to transfer its pattern into their home and personal life?

16. Do visitors eagerly return to your service or are most one-timers only?

17. If you were a first-time visitor in your own congregation what would be your honest opinion?

Image: Dan Gold

18. Are you providing your congregation with the example of a loving, disciplined, well-structured life?

19. Apart from your preaching-ministry, does the congregation witness the power of the Holy Spirit in you privately? Are you a “carrier” of the anointing?

20. Have you ever canvassed your congregation to ask for their honest opinions about improving the Church’s total ministry? If not, why not?

21. Is there consistent, viable presence of the Holy Spirit displayed through your laying on-hands and personal ministry?

22. When laying-hands on people do you push them down? If so, Do you possibly mistake your emotion and pumped-up zeal with the genuine activity of the Holy Spirit?

23. Are your prayers so long that people quit participating?

24. Theologically, are you a Kingdom-man or a Church-man?

25. Theologically, are you a “closed door” or do you listen to new, godly ideas?

26. Do you give opportunity for prophetic messages, tongues, interpretation, signs, wonders, etc, in every worship service?

27. Do you do all the talking, praying, announcement making, letting the congregation hear your voice alone? Are you a “one-man” show?

Introduction from the Publisher: #MeToo. #ChurchToo. #pentecostalsisterstoo. Since 2018, hashtags and stories of sexual violence have appeared in all sectors of life from Hollywood to the Olympics; from politics to religion; from universities to seminaries; and among pentecostals. But amid all these stories of sexual abuse and assaults, one may wonder if any stories of healing from sexual violence exist. If so, what does healing look like, particularly among pentecostals who believe in divine healing? Is it a single prayer of faith or a conglomeration of healing factors? In true pentecostal form, See My Body, See Me systematically examines the healing stories of eight pentecostal survivors and the experiences of five pentecostal licensed counselors. It then combines these experiences of both males and females with Scripture, theology, psychology, and culture to provide a pentecostal perspective on healing from sexual violence. As a practical theological approach, See My Body, See Me also offers acts of ministry to provide healing spaces by way of three embodied praxes that are historically and theologically pentecostal: listening, waiting, and learning. See My Body, See Me is an invitation to participate in Christ’s healing ministry to see, hear, and believe survivors as God sees, hears, and believes them.

Interview with Dr. Pamela F. Engelbert

What is a short synopsis of the book?

Pamela F. Engelbert, See My Body, See Me: A Pentecostal Perspective on Healing from Sexual Violence (Pickwick Publications, 2024)

This book is divided into two parts: a) a description of how pentecostals heal from sexual violence, and b) an invitation to the church to provide a safe place for survivors. The first part recounts the healing journeys of survivor-participants while the second part offers specific pentecostal praxes to cultivate safe environments for survivors. This book draws from real stories of pentecostal survivors and licensed counselors. It then looks at those stories through the lens of psychology, culture, theology, and Scripture to form a fuller theological understanding of the healing journey from sexual violence.

What type of book is it?

Why did you write this book?

For a number of years, I had wondered how other pentecostals experienced healing from sexual violence because of my own healing journey. While walking and praying in 2018 or 2019, I sensed a distinct call in which I knew that I knew that this was the topic I was to research. Yet, I also questioned that call since I am a survivor of sexual violence. However, when a colleague said to me, “God gives us questions through our experiences,” I became more confident in pursuing this topic.

What is the meaning of the title See My Body, See Me?

For whom is the book intended?

This book is geared toward those who are pursuing higher education, particularly a master’s degree or a PhD. It is also for those in the academy because they are challenging pentecostals to be places of healing for survivors of sexual violence, and this is a response to that challenge. Yet, it is also for ministers and counselors from whom survivors request help. Finally, and maybe most importantly, it is for pentecostals who desire to nurture healing in the life of the one who says to them, “I was sexually violated.”

What do you hope people will take away from this book?

a) Since a survivor may be the person sitting next to you in the pew or leading on the platform, what are we doing about it?

b) Healing from sexual violence is not instantaneous but a long, unpredictable journey. How are we prepared for the long haul to walk alongside survivors?

c) Pentecostals are in a unique place to be safe places of healing for survivors because of our belief in healing. How are we participating in the ongoing healing ministry of the Spirit in a survivor’s life?

PR

Further Reading

The Long Journey Home An interview with Andrew Schmutzer about The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused.

Bradford McCall reviews Andrew J. Schmutzer’s article, “A Theology of Sexual Abuse: A Reflection on Creation and Devastation” that appeared in JETS 51:4 (Dec 2008).

Mara Lief Crabtree reviews Jennifer Cisney’s article, “Healing From the Pain of Sexual Assault” Enrichment (Spring 2009).

A Charge for Church Leadership: Speaking Out Against Sexual Abuse and Ministering to Survivors: Part 1 and Part 2. Excerpts from The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused.

Churches Bring #MeToo To The Pulpit

Andrew J. Schmutzer, “Sexual Abuse, by Any Other Name?”

Frazee’s book started off with three forewords; one by Larry Crabb, George Gallup Jr. and Dallas Willard. Its back cover contained words of praise from Willard, Ken Blanchard, J. I. Packer, Marshall Shelly and John C. Maxwell. I was impressed as I began to get familiar with the book.

I learned that the author Randy Frazee is an emerging leader, the senior pastor at the Pantego Bible Church in Arlington, Texas, that he collaborates with George Gallup Jr. and is a regular speaker at Willow Creek Association Conferences. The back flap advised that Frazee has developed the Christian Life Profile, a practical tool to measure a person’s spiritual development in thirty specific areas.

Frazee develops our common need for community by introducing his readers to a fictitious but very real couple named Bob and Karen Johnson who attend his large church but nonetheless are lonely as they hurtle through life pursuing the American dream of house, cars, college educated children, social status and of course a meaningful relationship with their creator.

Dream fulfillment is accelerated as Bob and Karen both work on impressive career paths and fit everything one should and has to do into seven 24 days. A small group could and did not provide the relationships Bob and Karen needed to mature into the Godly design they knew they were to pursue.

The solution proposed by the author was for the Johnson’s to step back and down. Get rid of the big house with grass lawns so expansive they hindered getting to know the neighbors. Stop chasing the dream and seek community within a small community that was easier to afford and allowed time to live a life not seek one.

Our fictitious couple ended up in a connected life which affords them all they were missing as they pursued the good life. The connected life is the life we need and want; at least it is to Frazee’s present perspective.

Frazee uses the first century church described in Acts as his model. He urges that the connectedness that they enjoyed was the key to their success. The Johnson family ended up after experiencing neighborhood group community life for two years convinced that they would never go back to the individualistic isolated life style of consumerism that had governed their lives for thirty years. They finally recognized that they had come a long way in their quest to learn more about Christ and to be more like him. The mysteries of the authentic Christian community would take a life time to learn and the Johnson’s signed up for the duration. My best to Frazee but I will keep my present residence and stay where I am.

Reviewed by H. Murray Hohns

This book review by the late Pastor Mur was originally published in 2007 at the Pneuma Foundation (parent organization of PneumaReview.com) website. Later included in the Fall 2025 issue.

No matter how many homiletic courses taken and sermons delivered, preachers are always looking to improve their sermons. Many times the pastor leaves the pulpit on Sunday and although many hours of prayer and study went into sermon preparation, he or she is not satisfied with the results.

One pastor commented, “We pray and study all week then when we stand behind the pulpit to proclaim God’s Holy Word we fumble and bumble.”

Although the minister’s library has many preaching titles they are always on the lookout for newly published books on the subject.

Preaching Points: 55 Tips For Improving Your Pulpit Ministry will be a welcome addition to a pastor’s already voluminous library.

This book contains nuggets of wonderful insights that will help the pastor in sermon preparation.

Preaching Points is written by professors of homiletics at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the Haddon W. Robinson Center for Preaching at the seminary.

The contributors are respected professors of preaching including, The late Haddon W. Robinson, Jeffrey D. Arthurs, Patricia M. Batten, Scott M. Gibson (editor), and Matthew D. Kim.

Regarding clarity, Gibson writes, “The preacher has the responsibility to be clear to his or her listeners. If there were to be an eleventh commandment given to preachers it probably would be “Be clear”! (p.1)

The late Dr. Howard Hendricks, who taught at Dallas Theological Seminary supports this point about being clear by saying, “A mist in the pulpit puts a fog in the pews.”[1]

Obviously, it is important to be clear, but what is the Big Idea?

Professor Robinson states the following:

We talk about the Big Idea at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. The Big Idea is the dominant idea in your sermon. It’s made up by asking two questions: First, what is the author talking about? And second, what is the author saying about what he is talking about? (p. 3)

In his book, Biblical Preaching, Robinson devotes an entire chapter to the Big Idea. Clearly, this is an important part of sermon preparation and it behooves the pastor to heed his advice.

The Preaching Points listed in the book will certainly help the preacher to stay on track and keep the attention of his or her listeners. Outstanding chapters of note are: Sermon preparation is twenty hours of prayer; Feed my lambs, not my giraffes; In our preaching, less is more; Praise your listeners before correcting them; and Strengthen yourself in the Lord.

Although the preacher may be very familiar with the text and may have preached from it many times before, they should still soak themselves in the text.

One pastor who knows the importance of soaking oneself in the text shared that he reads his text 100 times.

The book does not provide notes or a bibliography, however, the experience of these leading scholars make up for it. Several books on preaching have been written by the contributors to this book.

The material shared is invaluable for sermon preparation. They are a fountain of information to assist the pastor in fulfilling Paul’s exhortation to pastors to “Preach the Word.”

This book may not be mentioned on lists of the best books for preachers, however, it will benefit the preacher to purchase a copy. It is a very easy read and very well-written. Grab your highlighter, you will want to return here many times to be refreshed.

Reviewed by Larry Russi

Publisher’s page: https://lexhampress.com/product/153980/preaching-points-55-tips-for-improving-your-pulpit-ministry

Notes

[1] “A Fog in the Pews” Moreland First Baptist Church

From the publisher: What transpires when Classical Pentecostals pray for God to intervene amidst their suffering, but God does not? Traditionally, Classical Pentecostals center on encountering God as demonstrated through the relating of testimonies of their experiences with God. In seeking to contribute to a theology of suffering for Pentecostals, Pam Engelbert lifts up the stories of eight Classical Pentecostals to discover how they experienced God and others amidst their extended suffering even when God did not intervene as they had prayed. By valuing each story, this qualitative practical theology work embraces a Pentecostal hermeneutic of experience combined with Scripture, specifically the Gospel of John. As a Pentecostal practical theological project it offers a praxis (theology of action) of suffering and healing during times when we experience the apparent absence of God. It invites the reader to enter into the space of the other’s suffering by way of empathy, thereby participating in God’s act of ministry to humanity through God’s expression of empathy in the very person of Jesus.

Interview with Dr. Pamela F. Engelbert

What is a short synopsis of the book?

Pamela F. Engelbert, Who is Present in Absence?: A Pentecostal Theological Praxis of Suffering and Healing (Pickwick Publications, 2019)

There are two themes that define this book: stories and encounters with God. This book is about real pentecostals who suffered and how they experienced God and others in the midst of their suffering. It tells the stories of how God did not intervene when people had prayed. It, then, looks at those stories through the lens of Scripture and psychology to form a fuller theological understanding of suffering and healing.

What type of book is it?

This is a practical theology book, which is not simply applied theology. I believe that practical theology asserts that acts of ministry reveal theology. This means, we know God by God’s acts of ministry to humanity, which is to say, we know God is love because God ministered to humanity by giving the Son. This practical theological book specifically focuses on how the body of Christ reflects God’s love through the congregational care they offer to each other.

Why did you write this book?

For whom is the book intended?

This book is geared for those who are pursuing higher education, particularly a master’s degree or a PhD. It is also for those in the academy who are challenging pentecostals to strengthen their theology of suffering; this is a response to that call. Yet, it is also for the caregiver who seeks to help others who are suffering and for the carereceiver who wonders, “Where are you God?” Finally, and maybe most importantly, it is for the pentecostal, who has a tendency to speak a triumphal message that presents itself as power over rather than power with the sufferer.

What about those who are not in the academy? Will this book be helpful to them?

I believe so. The book centers on stories of people, and I believe that as humans, we all relate to stories. I want to acknowledge that for some who are not in the academy that the first chapter may not capture their interest. If this is the case, I would recommend that they persevere through it, gleaning what they can, and then delve more deeply into the remainder of the book.

What do you hope people will take away from this book?

God is present in the midst of suffering, and we participate in the ministry of presence by being present with others in their suffering. I think pentecostals have a unique opportunity to minister in this regard because we know the strength and peace that we receive when we experience God. Pentecostals tell me about the love and comfort they feel when they encounter God’s presence even though their situation may not have changed. This book is an invitation to practice that presence with those who are suffering, so sufferers may experience the strength, love, and comfort of God as we are present to them in their suffering. Since God is already present to sufferers even though they may be experiencing God’s apparent absence, we participate in God’s ministry of presence through the power of the Spirit, thereby allowing sufferers to experience God as we are present to them.

Where can we learn more about your books?

I have created videos that introduce the content of Who Is Present in Absence? and See My Body, See Me. Two of the videos may be viewed at:

https://wipfandstock.com/author/pamela-f-engelbert/

Three videos about the books may be viewed at:

https://www.youtube.com/@PamEngelbert-w6m

PR

Perhaps because I’ve recently been spending of lot of time in Frank Viola’s magisterial The Untold Story of the New Testament Church, but I’ve been thinking about the Roman Empire. The Romans believed they had conquered the known world because their gods were stronger, better. When in reality, the one true God and Master of the Worlds was using an immoral and cruel Empire to allow for the rapid spread of the Good News on great roads across much of the world in languages that were well-known to multitudes of people.

When I think of the revolutions in communications that have come and are coming (because of the relative time of peace the world has known since the end of the Great World War) with the global internet, cell phones, social media, and Artificial Intelligence: Are we here at the crest of the wave because God wants his people to be proclaiming in a fresh way the love, power, and forgiveness found only in Jesus?

Image: Matt Jones

I enjoyed reading this book. It is written for teachers of homiletics, but pastors would also benefit from reading it. It is written by some of the leading homileticians from the Academy of Homiletics. Thomas Long who is one of the editors said, “the focal point of the book is on the substance of preaching”. It builds on the past and present literature of preaching and pin-points that preaching as an art that can be learned.

The field of homiletics is extensive and the editors must have had a difficult time in deciding what subjects should be addressed and by whom. However, all the writers believe in the importance of preaching. The first section deals with “preaching as a Christian practice”. The second section deals with the “various components of preaching”. The third section deals with “assessment and formation of preaching,” and the last section deals with “teaching a first year course in preaching, and places to find further help on the study of preaching.” I found the last two sections most helpful in assessing students of preaching, and the help that is offered from the Academy of Homiletics and the support that is offered from various schools and denominations. Assessing students of preaching is very difficult and the guidance provided by leading teachers and their various approaches to this challenging subject can help teachers to be more proficient. There is further need by senior homileticians to publish further works that provides more guidance for younger teachers of preaching.

Reviewed by Aldwin Ragoonath

Originally published on the Pneuma Foundation (parent organization of PneumaReview.com) website. Later included in the Summer 2025 issue.

“Congregations are shrinking and in decline in the United States and elsewhere” (xiii). Michael Plekon (Emeritus Professor of Baruch College), begins the introduction to his new book, Ministry Matters, with this matter-of-fact statement, not to frighten Christ-followers or cause undue despair, but to set the stage for us to see clearly the work God is doing in the Church today. It is apparent to most people that we are living in anxious, even perilous, times; however, according to Plekon, there is hope for resurrection from death. This is one of the themes of Plekon’s previous book, Community as Church, Church as Community (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2021), which carries over, in part, to Ministry Matters. Although the two books complement each other, Plekon’s latest work moves on from inquiry about church decline to inquiring about “the vocation, lives, and work of pastors today” (xiii).

There are two major ideas running through the book: that “pastors are among us to bring God to the people and the people to God” (xv, 15 times in alternate forms), and “we will listen” to others (xvi, also another 52 times in alternate forms). That Plekon gives these ideas a place of prominence in his research should be enough to inform the reader as to where this book is leading them. God in Christ remains at the centre of the Church, and we, whether ordained or lay, must be willing to listen closely to others who have something to say about being fellow servants in the service of the Lord Jesus and our neighbours. For this study, Plekon chose several well-known pastor-theologians to listen to and engage with: George Keith, Nicholas Afanasiev, Cathie Caimano, C. Andrew Doyle, David Barnhart, Andrew Root, Sam Wells, Barbara Brown Taylor, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Sarah Coakley, Rowan Williams, Henri Nouwen, Pope Francis, and Will Willimon.

So, to return to one of the main ideas that Plekon’s friend, George Keith, developed in one of his sermons, an answer to “what is a priest?” is provided in a simple, yet profound way: “someone who takes God to the people and the people to God” (15). For the author, this is the “most fundamental” characterization of a priest’s function (16). But this definition is just the beginning of a journey through the ministries of Plekon’s other conversation partners. From Pope Francis’s appeal to all clergy that they should have “the smell of the sheep” (126), to Rowan Williams’s understanding of the ordained “as a witness to God’s solidarity with us” (108), Plekon provides his readers with a veritable treasure trove of valuable insights into what it looks like to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century.

I have read slowly, listened carefully to each voice, and continue to reflect deeply as a means to learn well and dismantle a plethora of biases. Coming from a rather conservative, Protestant background, I found some of the material foreign, other parts challenging, and a few sections somewhat deficient. If you are of a similar ilk, then you may understand and agree; otherwise, you will be hard-pressed to find fault with this book. For example, a Protestant reader unfamiliar with tradition-specific terminology such as icon, priest, rite, parish, or Eucharist may feel a bit lost while traversing the pages. Some may be challenged in mind and spirit when they read about Sarah Coakley’s experience with transcendental meditation (99), or Plekon’s inclusion of Latter Day Saints as members of the body of Christ (67), or Will Willimon’s insistence that there are no “‘ungodly’ forces [that] have declared war on Christianity” (152). Finally, given the limitations of space and the nature of research, Plekon did not listen to Baptists or Pentecostals, two large and stable groups whose voices would have added much to the overall conversation. Regardless, this book is a treasure trove of wisdom regarding the multifaceted experiences of the ordained. I strongly suggest that it to be read and digested by any Christ-follower who has an interest in the Church and the ordained, and who believe that ministry still matters—especially in a season of congregational shrinkage and church decline. The need for faithful pastors and laity is greater than ever before.

Reviewed by Joseph R. Fiorentino

Publisher’s page: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666789959/ministry-matters/

This review also appeared in Didaskalia: The Journal of Providence Theological Seminary, Volume 32, pp. 121-124 (2025), ISSN #0847-1266.