During this course, you are required to share the gospel at least once with a person who does not self-
identify as a Christian. This experience must take place during these 8 weeks; you may not report about
an encounter that took place before the course started or will take place after the course ends. It is
recommended that this witnessing experience take place with someone you know and with whom you
already have a relationship.
You will write a report of at least 500 words on this witnessing experience. The first page must describe
the experience of the witnessing encounter (including the person to whom you witnessed, where it
occurred, and how it occurred). The second page must focus on the following items:
a) How to follow up with this individual at a later date. In this part, focus on addressing some of the
questions this person had during the initial conversation, and consider how/when (be specific) you will
continue your dialogue.
b) How you will establish evangelism as a spiritual discipline throughout the remainder of your life (again,
be specific).
Bibliography Entry
MacArthur, John and The Master’s Seminary Faculty, Pastoral Ministry. Nashville, TN: Thomas
Nelson, Inc, 2005.
Summary
The book is centered on a running theme of character that is above reproach as a pastor in
the call to lead the church. Two broad views are expounded on and broken down into four
perspectives from which he gives a more detailed discourse. Integrity and leadership are two
themes which are interlinked and which of necessity cannot be divorced from each other.
Integrity must be above reproach (1 Timothy 3: 2, ESV), implying deadness to self and not moral
perfection .He says “anything else is an abomination to God and spells doom for the life of the
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church”. 1 Leadership is elevated to giving moral direction and also providing spiritual protection
as a shepherd. The pastor has the responsibility to invigorate the church by inspiration and
motivation with himself as the role model. Alex D Montoya writes: “It is not enough to be at the
front of the pack; the leader must do also inspire the pack and do it with a willing and
enthusiastic attitude.” 2
The above themes are the foundational themes on which the perspectives are expounded.
Biblical, Preparatory, Personal and Pastoral perspectives are discussed and the way they affect
leadership in the church. In the preparatory perspective, sexual morality is emphasized as being a
cornerstone in benchmarking the character of a pastor. The ability of a pastor to effectively
govern his household is given prominence in Personal perspectives, as failure to do so would
affect the ministry negatively The importance of living by example off the pulpit is highlighted
in Pastoral perspectives. Practical Christianity by the pastor brings a good image to the church. 3
Critique
I agree with the author’s position of leadership and humility which is a trait frowned
upon in the American society today. He emphasizes the need to lead by serving with humility as
Christ taught the church. This is lacking in todays so called “mega churches” where pastors are
taken as small “gods”.
Sexual sin which is damaging to the image of the church is another point in which I
concur with him. This sin has made many churches to diminish in congregational membership as
well as retiring once promising clergy who fell into sin. Impurity of the sexual nature is not only
1 MacArthur, John and The Master’s Seminary Faculty, Pastoral Ministry. How to Shepherd Biblically. Thomas
Nelson, Inc, 2005. Pp. 68
2 Ibid, pp. 30.
3 Ibid. pp. 230-231
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limited to sex, but also watching pornography and “sexting” which all sins are. Public integrity is
equally important to private integrity, as one is interlinked with the other. Pastors need to
embrace and practice both of them.
Two points of divergence are on the radical position taken on sexual purity before
ministry and children who may reject the truth. The author states that there must be no sexual
immorality even before one got saved. Then where is mercy and grace applicable, since all have
sinned and fallen short of the glory of God? (Romans 3:23, ESV).The essence of Christianity is
based on a fallen humanity which needed a savior. The call into ministry is followed by a process
of justification and perfection. (Romans 8:29, ESV) Impure sexual thoughts would disqualify all
pastors if an honest survey was to be undertaken to gauge purity before ministry.
Another point I differ with the author is if children of a pastor reject the truth, then he is
disqualified from serving as a pastor. Many good men would fall short of this bar, yet the same
children can reform and embrace Christ down the line. The family is the smallest unit of the
wider church and differences in opinion between a pastor and his children will be expected.
Rejection of the truth could be as result of rebellion against authority as a teenager, but later
accepts Christ with maturity and introspection.
Evaluation
MacArthur and his team have contributed to academic discourse which is both practical
and pastoral. This book has value in reading by both the church congregants and pastors, but can
also be used in Bible Colleges and Seminary in their course work. His book adds value in the
preparatory perspective of leadership training with concise and academically and reasoning. The
book is not a long and boring academic presentation of facts and figures, but it challenges the
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reader to take action. Its approach enriches the academic literature on leadership with a strong
emphasis on integrity. His work carries the hallmark of excellence academically, since the author
is both a pastor and a tutor in a Seminary and his work-life balance can be practically
interrogated. Many scholars base their work on theory, majoring on the academic treatise only,
having value only inside the classroom and nothing else. 5 This author has balanced academic
quality with practical significance.
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Bibliography
DISSERTATION NOTICES. The Journal of Applied Christian Leadership, 8(2), (2014). 110-
MacArthur, John and The Master’s Seminary Faculty, Pastoral Ministry. Nashville, TN: Thomas
Nelson, Inc, 2005.
