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Changing My Mind: The Overlooked Virtue for Faithful Ministry
Yes, pastor, you can (and should) change your mind!
The context of ministry continually changes, the surrounding culture changes and a living God demands constant movement and change. So, pastors and preachers must be prepared to change! Some of the current assumptions about how to persevere in ministry need to be questioned. What ideas and approaches do we need to change, in ourselves and in our ministries? And how, exactly, do we change our minds and practices, when we're called to be steady, stable, and sure?
Will Willimon narrates of some of the twists and turns in his own journey as a pastor. These stories and "change-of-mind-and-ministry" points can be helpful to new pastors who are negotiating their own way into future ministry. Novice pastors can receive guidance and encouragement from hearing how a prominent pastoral leader, bishop, author, seminary professor, and well-known preacher for nearly five decades changed, grew, and adapted in Christian ministry. And longtime pastors will find assurance and encouragement as the continue to grow and change, too.
The book consists of guidance from an older, experienced pastoral leader to other pastoral leaders, especially young and new ones. Willimon frames the material around the ways he has changed his mind and offers crucial ways that he once thought about ministry compared and contrasted with how he thinks now. He depicts the pastoral vocation as requiring adaptation and revision by its practitioners. Along the way, the book includes conversations with First and Second Timothy as the precursor of this book, an older, experienced pastor (Paul) offering advice to a young, unseasoned pastor (Timothy).
The context of ministry continually changes, the surrounding culture changes and a living God demands constant movement and change. So, pastors and preachers must be prepared to change! Some of the current assumptions about how to persevere in ministry need to be questioned. What ideas and approaches do we need to change, in ourselves and in our ministries? And how, exactly, do we change our minds and practices, when we're called to be steady, stable, and sure?
Will Willimon narrates of some of the twists and turns in his own journey as a pastor. These stories and "change-of-mind-and-ministry" points can be helpful to new pastors who are negotiating their own way into future ministry. Novice pastors can receive guidance and encouragement from hearing how a prominent pastoral leader, bishop, author, seminary professor, and well-known preacher for nearly five decades changed, grew, and adapted in Christian ministry. And longtime pastors will find assurance and encouragement as the continue to grow and change, too.
The book consists of guidance from an older, experienced pastoral leader to other pastoral leaders, especially young and new ones. Willimon frames the material around the ways he has changed his mind and offers crucial ways that he once thought about ministry compared and contrasted with how he thinks now. He depicts the pastoral vocation as requiring adaptation and revision by its practitioners. Along the way, the book includes conversations with First and Second Timothy as the precursor of this book, an older, experienced pastor (Paul) offering advice to a young, unseasoned pastor (Timothy).
- GenresTheology
204 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2024
5 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
William H. Willimon
171 books53 followersThe Reverend Dr. William H. Willimon is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at the Divinity School, Duke University. He served eight years as Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he led the 157,000 Methodists and 792 pastors in North Alabama. For twenty years prior to the episcopacy, he was Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 2, 2024
Challenging Perspectives, Strong Recommend
Willimon is always great. This book is no exception, challenging old ways of processing ministry and welcoming questions from younger brilliant, but greener theologians. I don't agree with all of his point but he sure does make them well and challenges me to reconsider some of my stances on preaching. I thank God for my friend Will.
Willimon is always great. This book is no exception, challenging old ways of processing ministry and welcoming questions from younger brilliant, but greener theologians. I don't agree with all of his point but he sure does make them well and challenges me to reconsider some of my stances on preaching. I thank God for my friend Will.
July 25, 2025
Bishop’s concept is insightful and even vital. His examples alternate between compelling, tedious, and concerning. His insight on the office of a pastor is well earned and articulated, grounded in reason, tradition, scripture, and experience. Some of his defenses are stuck in time and have more space to change.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews