Awhile back I was having a bad day in the middle of a bad week. I was knee-deep in self-pity and was on the 3rd stanza of a country song about the ministry. Then suddenly the dog started barking. It broke my concentration on myself and I decided to go and see who was at the door. It was the mailman and he had a box. I tore into the box hoping to find something awesome, and was happy to find something very helpful. Inside the box was a copy of Jared Wilson’s The Pastor’s Justification. I sat down in the chair and read the introduction and the first chapter. Then I made some coffee and crushed the next several chapters. It was done the next day. I loved it. It was something awesome. And timely.
Let me explain. As pastors we have this devilish proclivity to make everything about ourself. We are tempted to the following sinful and unhelpful patterns: if the ministry is going “well” then we are validated and if the ministry is going “bad” then our identity is hanging in the balance. It is very tempting for pastors to tell everyone else how to apply the work of Christ while neglecting to do it ourself. We could preach justification by faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone; but subtly believe justification by success, by works, through the church, to the glory of self. This is deadly.
How do you go about helping people who should know better but forget? Wilson brings us back to to the gospel of Christ and applies the person and work of Christ to the pastor and his ministry. It is a fresh gust of grace into the musty basement of self. Filled with helpful stories, transparency, biblical clarity and appropriate humor, Jared serves pastors and churches well with The Pastor’s Justification.
In the first section of the book Wilson walks through 1 Peter 5 to remind pastors who they are and what they are to do. In the second section he reminds pastors what they are to be about. Wilson walks us through the land-mines while pointing to the Great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus. This is the answer to discouragement, frustration, and fatigue. If you know a pastor who would benefit from some encouragement, I suggest picking it up for him. He will no doubt be blessed, even as I was.
Discounted copies of The Pastor’s Justification are available at Amazon.