Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor

by Jared C. Wilson, Raymond C. Ortlund Jr. (Foreword)

From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus called and equipped individuals who would serve his community of followers. These "shepherds" are called to preach, pray, and care for the needs of God's people. But what does it mean to be a pastor? And what is the nature of this ministry, according to the Bible? In Gospel-Driven Ministry, Jared Wilson begins by looking at the qualifications for the pastorate, addressing the notion of a call to ministry and how an individual--and a church community--can best identify the marks of maturity and affirm a call. In each chapter, Wilson looks at one of the core practices of pastoral ministry, In addition, Wilson provides practical resources including theological insights on baptism and the Lord's Supper, guidance for wedding and funeral sermons, outlines for leading elder and deacon meetings, tips for interviewing new pastors, questions to ask at ordination, and advice on knowing when and how to leave a pastor role. This is a comprehensive, practical guide to pastoral ministry that prepares new pastors and equips those currently serving for long-term, healthy ministry.

Genres: Christian, Church, Theology, Leadership, Ecclesiology, Christian Living, Christianity

256 pages, Hardcover

Published March 2, 2021

About the author

Jared C. Wilson is the Director of Content Strategy for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Managing Editor of For The Church (ftc.co), and Director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author of numerous books, including "Gospel Wakefulness," "The Prodigal Church," and, most recently, "The Imperfect Disciple." Wilson blogs regularly at gospeldrivenchurch.com, hosted by The Gospel Coalition and is a frequent speaker at conferences and churches around the world.

Reviews

[H.b. Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a biblical, practical, gospel-driven overview of pastoral ministry. Great introduction for young ministers. Great refresher for seasoned veterans. I will be going through this will guys at my church.

[Ronni Kurtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read a PDF of this book a bit before the publication date for a podcast episode. It is everything you'd expect from a Jared Wilson book--gospel-centered, church-focused, pastor-admiring. If I could only assign one book for pastoral training and development, there is a real chance I'd choose this one. It is grounded in the gospel while being theologically robust and discusses so many avenues of pastoral ministry. Readers will get insight into calling, preaching, discipline, emotional health, discipleship, deacons, division, weddings, funerals, the ordinances, and more. Bottom line, I *highly* recommend this volume to anyone considering pastoral ministry or who just simply wants to learn more about what faithful Christian ministry looks like.

[Brenden Wentworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took this one and long and slow. I’m glad I did.
The Lord has used this book to give me a truly raw, real, and redemptive view of pastoral ministry.

It’s a calling I fought against for a long time due to my own selfishness.
It’s a calling that the Lord has continued to use to break me down in order to build me up in the strength of his might, instead of my own.
It’s a calling that has given me sleepless nights as I lie terrified of my own inability in light of the required responsibility.
And yet…it’s a calling I’d love to partake in til the day I die should the Lord, the chief Shepherd, allow for me.
It’s a calling that is both supremely exhilarating and exhausting all for the glory of God.

Jared Wilson understands this deeply and is similar in my opinion to Tim Keller, in that he truly knows how the frailty of the human condition requires nothing less than the sufficiency of Christ & Him crucified.
Only Jesus plus nothing will do.

In that light, this will be a book I plan on reading every year indefinitely, I think. It’s filled to the brim with biblically sound, doctrinally rich, gospel rooted, grace filled, Christ centered truth regarding ministry, calling, preaching, leading, & personal Christian living that I know, year after year, I will need to be reminded of.

The heart is fickle and we often forget the grace of our Father that is needed for the care of souls.
This book gets that.

[Thomas Duell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps a helpful review of this book could be found in it's own concluding sentences:
"Christian Ministry is the overflow of the mystery of God in Christ coming to bear on your soul, and through yours, on the souls of others. Pastoral ministry is the intentional and careful stewardship of the mystery of the gospel. When you feel intimidated by that reality, you might be ready."

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilson's latest is the articulation of what it means for pastoral ministry to be "Gospel Driven." This volume follows his Gospel Driven Church, which was a creative journey of gospel awakening in an imaginary, but oh too familiar church. He pressed the case for ditching pragmatism and the seeker model and hopefully many were convinced.

With Gospel Driven Ministry Wilson gets down to brass tacts and walks the reader through ministry shaped by the gospel. There is much worthwhile here and while I think men embarking on the pastoral preparation will benefit most from these chapters, even after more than a decade of ministry I found the insights helpful and acting as an invitation to step up my game, from the basis of my identity in Christ that is!

Chapters cover who the pastor is, how we worship, practicalities of preaching, loving the congregation, leading, standing firm, and living for others to see. Some moments felt like I was in class again, but Wilson writes with a winsome and genuine voice that can be heeded.

He also packs the book with rich suggestions for further reading that any ministry will find appealing. All throughout there is a sense of earned humility. Through years in the trenches Jared speaks. He can be trusted.

Of all the practical insights throughout, however, the final chapter, the chapter on dying is worth twice the price of the book. Wilson bears his soul and savors the gospel. A model of embracing Christ for all of life. I commend it to you.

Gospel Driven Ministry will help those in the pastorate and those praying about it. And it will do so with the grace you have come to expect from a man committed to gospel centrality whether it is popular or not.

As Jared says, "When you have tasted and seen that the Lord is good and it has ruined you for everything else, you are ready. By his grace, then, brothers, you are ready to pastor when weakness and fear and trembling actually make sense to you."

[Bobby Bonser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is easy to read, practical, helpful, and you can really see Wilson's heart for local pastors especially in this book. He experienced much suffering in 25 years of ministry and shares this "practical" wisdom with aspiring and current pastors as an encouragement to keep persevering.
The wisdom is helpful, Biblical, heart-felt and very easy to understand. I particularly benefitted from the sermon preparation chapter, as I work to fill in every now and then in our adult SUnday School and study and prepare expositional sermons.

The superficial critique I have of the book is the cover colors. It initially turned me off because of the design/cover, but after awhile I decided to give it a try, and it was well worth it!

The content critique I have is simply that at the end of the book, and in several places throughout the sentiment was that of a weary pastor who was basically conveying the sentiment "I'm out." While I know everyone's call is different and certainly this was right for him, the way it came across was likely a bit discouraging for any aspiring pastors. It left a negative or intrepid tone to the book instead of one of positive encouragement at the end. Perhaps this is a good thing though, since it paints a realistic picture of what the ministry is actually like.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jared's books are simple, concise, and gospel-focused. If you have enjoyed Jared's previous work, then you will enjoy this one as well. This book functions much like a sequel to "Gospel-Driven Church." The previous book was focused on church ministry as a whole, while this book is laser-focused on the pastor. I liked GDC more because of its larger focus, but still enjoyed this book for what it was. It is never longer than it needs to be. The book primarily serves as a reminder of the gospel and how that should make a difference in the pastor's work and life. It's a worthwhile reminder that every pastor needs. It will not blow your mind with new ideas, but hopefully, it will impact your heart.

I think this will be most useful to newer pastors, or those who are about to enter the ministry. But those who have pastored for a while will find much fruit. I read through this book with another pastor on staff and we both got a lot out of it.

[JT Stead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will be my go to intro book for training pastors. I was challenged, encouraged, inspired, and informed of many things in pastoral ministry. What I love most about the author is his candid real approach to pastoral ministry and emphasis on walking with Christ and the need for the gospel in the pastors life. Wilson has many great applications for pastors today while drawing on the rich history of pastoral ministry through the reformation of the early church. I will probably read this book every year.

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a confession…I love everything Jared C Wilson writes….okay second confession I have not read everything (but I have read his sci-fi, look it up it’s good) but what I have read are some of the best books on those topics. His Gospel work had been some of the best out there. This is his second Gospel-Centered book for ministers and I will be returning to this bool again and again! Very high quality and very useful! Highly recommended

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read everything Wilson writes! This would be a fantastic book for pastors and their wives, elders, pastor teams, interns, seminarians and committed church members to read, preferably in groups. It's honest, covers so many crucial parts of pastoral ministry, and comes from Jared's desire for pastors to pastor from the starting point of the good news that Jesus Christ came to save sinners.

[Kris Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would be a great book to work through as a pastoral staff. Gives clarity on how the Gospel should impact every aspect of pastoral ministry. I will come back to specific chapters of this book in the future.

[Adam Kareus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of the what and how of being a pastor. Would recommend to anyone curious of pursuing ministry or to new pastors.

[Drake Osborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshing almanac of gospel sanity for pastors. No individual chapter or section is trying to do too much, which is why it succeeds.

[Jordan Litts · Rating 3 out of 5]

good.

[Steven Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good introduction level pastoral ministry book! Jared covers all of the major topics of ministry life throughout! I think what sets this book apart as unique is his helpful connections between having a gospel centered theology in theory with having an actual gospel centered life as a pastor.


I also found the practical examples and transparency throughout helped set this book apart from others I have read.

[David Tarkington · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a few authors who are on my "buy the book as soon as it is available" list. Jared C. Wilson is one such author. His books focusing on the gospel and specifically on church and ministry leadership are golden. Most recently, he has released a book titled Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor. At first, I thought this may be a restructured or rereleased version of his book The Gospel-Driven Church. It is not. This book is focused more on the qualifications of the pastorate and the focus on gospel-centrality in ministry. (BTW - The Gospel-Driven Church is a must read as well.)

Gdm

I mentioned recently to some peers that Wilson's latest book is one I wish I had been able to read decades prior. The insight into the joys and challenges of pastoral ministry is so valuable. However, to be honest, even if this book was available a few decades prior, and even if I had been given it by a trusted pastor, and even if I had read it...I likely would not have been able to digest the depths of truth offered in needed and beneficial ways. The arrogance of my youth would have left me with a book full of highlighted phrases and healthy insight, but most likely not as impactful in my life and ministry as needed.

Nevertheless, I now have a stack of these books in my office. I have the honor of working with many church planters and new pastors in my city. Often over coffee or when meeting with one of these young men I give them a copy of Jared's book along with instructions to read, highlight, and think deeply on the insight offered. I am believing these men are more mature in their walk and less arrogant than I was at their age. I also have come to grips with the reality that I have shifted into the role of "older pastor" whom others believe may have some wisdom to offer. I may not have wisdom...but I do have a listening ear...and a free book by Jared C. Wilson.

What I love about Jared's writing is his clarity and boldness in declaring truth while also inviting the reader into his own stories of victory, pain, and pastoral calling. Jared writes about authentic situations and not just about ideal circumstances. He has a way of explaining the very true, challenging, fulfilling, and at times painful realities of serving as a pastor of a church while also seeking to be a godly husband, father, and friend. He reminds the pastor reading that church life is messy at times, but so very worth it as God is glorified when the gospel is central. I find myself reading through the book and pausing to say "Yep, that's true." It may not be new news, but it is comforting to know that the issues I face are not special, but are similar to what all pastors face (though certainly the context and circumstances may be unique.)

This book is a good read for all Christians, but a must-read for pastors and ministry leaders. The practical insight offered through easily understood story-telling, with real-life illustrations and stories remind the pastor/shepherd that ministry faithfulness is less on doing everything, but trusting that Christ has already done everything.

Being driven by and centered on the gospel is freeing and Wilson's writing is a breath of fresh air in an age of church-centered stress.

Here are just a sampling of quotes that I highlighted as I read Gospel-Driven Ministry. They're "tweetable" but ultimately are worth more than likes on a social media post. The wise will take these to heart:

"A call to pastoral ministry is the inclination to conform one's desires and direction to the aspiration of shepherding a church. it must not simply be a desire to preach." (p. 17)
"The pastorate is not a right or an entitlement. The pastorate is a sacred stewardship reserved only for the qualified, called, and commissioned men." (p. 24)
"If we do not preach Christ from the text, we are not preaching a Christian sermon." (p. 37)
"Ask yourself this: Could this sermon be preached in a synagogue? A Mormon temple? A Jehovah's Witness kingdom hall? Each of these religions affirms the moral uplift of the Scriptures. Each of them uses the Bible to make inspirational, spiritual points about doing god to others and honoring God. But the one thing that we have that they do not is the gospel. It is the gospel that chiefly distinguishes Christian preaching from unchristian preaching." (p. 65)
"Do not preach an illustration in search of a text." (p. 95)
"The heart of ministry is a heart that doesn't see people as the interruption to your ministry, but sees the interruptions as the ministry." (p. 121)
"Worse than an unfeeling, uncaring pastor is a sullen, whiny, sad-sack pastor." (p. 145)
"Be transparent. Be honest. Don't just share the what; explain the why." (p. 160)
"It may sound noble and godly to keep convenience store hours, but it's a fast track to physical exhaustion and gradual resentment of the flock." (p. 201)
"I used to think pastoral ministry was about helping people live. Then, I learned it was actually about helping people die." (p. 217)
"You are not ready to shepherd until you have been spiritual discombobulated by the gospel and essentially reconstituted by the gospel." (p. 226)
"Christian ministry is the overflow of the mystery of God in Christ coming to bear on your soul and, through yours, on the souls of others." (p. 227)
Certainly, it is clear by now. I highly recommend this book. Buy it. Read it. Highlight it. Thank God for the insight. Then, give a copy to another pastor or ministry leader. They will thank you for it.

And...in case you, like me, are now one of the "seasoned pastors" in your community. Read the book. Put it on your shelf. Then, in about a year, take it off the shelf and reread it. You will thank Jared for this.

[Josh Olds · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pastors should be aware that Wilson is Southern Baptist and Gospel-Driven Ministry reflects that background. In the opening pages of Wilson’s introduction to the calling and work of a pastor, he is overtly clear that he does not believe women can have this calling. Page fifteen states it clearly: “qualified pastors are to be qualified men.” This is to be expected from a conservative, Southern Baptist complementarian author, so I’m loathe to mark it as a criticism, but I really didn’t appreciate how glib Wilson is about the matter. I guess I’m not sure why it was a necessary inclusion at all. There’s not any other portion of the text that is gender-specific. There’s not any other portion that’s remotely controversial. I suppose that, for Wilson, it’s a matter of conviction and so it goes in—and I understand that even if I don’t agree.

However, since he addresses the issue, it behooves him to then choose his words carefully and exegete Scripture wisely, and Wilson does neither. Wilson first calls 1 Tim 2:11-14 “Paul’s most clear teaching” on the matter, then backtracks to say “this short passage is a complicated one” (pg. 15) within the space of couple sentences. Which is it? He defends his thesis saying that “Throughout the Scriptures, we see only men in positions of authority over the people of God” (p. 16). Apparently, Wilson is unaware of Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, Junia, Nympha, and other women who all led politically and/or spiritually. It’s an inept defense of complementarianism that poorly deals with the text and then extricates itself by saying there isn’t time to talk about it.

The rest of the book is…okay. It’s a perfectly serviceable undergraduate level textbook on pastoral ministry for any Southern Baptist university. Wilson writes simply, clearly, and concisely. The book is laid out well and the chapters lend themselves to reflection and study. It’s a very elementary, basic look at the foundational structure of being a pastor, leading a congregation, working with others, and remaining gospel-centered.

One thing that Wilson doesn’t do very well, however, is define with comes under the umbrella of “gospel-driven.” To me, my hope with that phrase was to see how the Gospel message drives how we as pastors enable our communities to work out their faith—to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Instead, Wilson’s definition is much vaguer, with the only overt implication that we need to make sure that the center of any teaching is Christ’s sacrifice. My problem with this is that, yes, people need to be told about what God has done for them, but discipleship is about teaching others what we can do, as Holy Spirit imbued vessels in light of what God has done.

The chapters on caring and doing a wedding and funeral and the other elements of pastoral service are fairly general and bland. There’s nothing wrong; there’s nothing exceptional. It reads like an employee handbook with some personal anecdotes. I didn’t feel like there was a lot of passion in the book. Everything just sort of seemed perfunctory, sterile—textbook. Even as an introduction, a lot of Gospel-Driven Ministry comes across as superficial, barely touching the surface of the real-life issues that one will get into in ministry. I had high hopes for this one and ultimately came away disappointed.

[Thatotherjoshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for Church Book #3 of 2021. Read as an assignment for Hector, my boss/the Worship pastor at my church. An enlightening read on the qualifications and lives of pastoral leadership that led me to a greater respect for those in my life/in my workplace at the church who lead pastorally. Very interesting, applicable information on a variety of points. Wilson’s personal anecdotes add a lot of depth to the book, it is clear the care he had in his pastorate and over his current occupation. This is also a 2021 release, so the information is up to the minute, it feels. Overall, a very good, educational read that opened my mind to a lot of things.

[Daniel Woodfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough overview with a good gospel heart

Wilson is able to cover masses in a short page count. In itself, his practical wisdom is enough to buy (and read) the book. However, it is the heart of the gospel of God's sovereign grace, spreading its veins to every part of the book, which makes this such a helpful work. It destroys the idea that ministry could ever be done without the gospel and Christ's power and presence in the driving seat. This would be a fantastic first introduction, and useful reference, for any and every minister and potential minister.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gospel driven ministry does not go in depth into what the Gospel is. It does not even go that deep into what ministry is. Imagine two circles with a little overlap. This overlap is where this book lives. This book is for the already established pastor. Maybe the new pastor who isn’t sure where to start. Or perhaps the man who has been a pastor for a while but is facing burnout. It’s not that deep and there’s nothing earth shattering in there but Jared Wilson gives pastors a reminder of the basics of their struggles.

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I wish I’d had a decade ago when I was starting pastoral ministry. It is a helpful guide to many of the basic and fundamental elements of being a pastor while also making clear that no one book, save the Bible, can truly prepare you for what will take place in ministry. As the title makes clear, this book is fueled and centered on Christ, reliant on His strength and urging the reader to rely on Him to the same degree. It sets a proper tone for any young (or old) minister to enter the ministry focused on serving Christ and caring for His people.

[Luke Seibert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were so many quotes I kept wanting to tweet out. Jered does an amazing job bringing us always back to the gospel and demonstrating how that truly effects every aspect of life. There are theological principles presented, but there is a great amount of intensely practical application. I would highly recommend this to anyone involved in pastoral or leadership work.

[Brandon Landis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the equivalent of a well seasoned Gospel-centered pastor pulling you aside and doing his best to provide an overview of what someone entering ministry needs to know in under 250 pages. Sure, Jared provides plenty of practical tips along the way, but the true focus of the book is on the heart behind the mission, the Gospel! Myself early in my own ministry, I found this book helpful and would definitely recommend it.

[Matt Goins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for Christian pastors! An edifying and enjoyable read on the theme of pastoral ministry that I would recommend for any pastor, old or young. Jared Wilson is the “common man’s theologian.” He is intelligent without being overly academic. His comfortability in who he is in Christ and his unique witticism are communicated throughout the book. This book is practical and laser-focused on letting the gospel of Christ shape pastoral ministry.

[David Horner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an excellent “handbook” on the different elements of pastoral ministry and what it means to be a gospel-driven pastor. I didn’t like it as much as Gospel Driven Church mostly because it felt a little disjointed at times and I got lost in some of the lists. But that being said, it was an excellent book and one that I would be happy to hand to any pastor. I especially liked his chapter about “Caring” and his personal stories about shepherding his congregations.

[G. Salter · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are books about ministry that give you a theoretical overview or focus on what's done wrong (what seminary doesn't teach you, etc.). Wilson focuses on the practical, describing what practices you need to cultivate to pastor well, using simple language and clear explanations. Probably one of the best recent books on pastoring!

[Landon Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many good things could be said about this book. I continue to come back to the realization of how much I needed this book as an aspiring pastor.
I will return to this book again, and hopefully will be able to take other aspiring pastors through it in the future.

[Andy Huette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jared C keeps the main things the main things. Just a good reminder of what ministry is supposed to be, despite what it sometimes becomes. Some of the chapters were maybe a bit basic and geared toward a beginning preacher or pastor, but even so I found the basics refreshing.

[Josiah Durfee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many books have been written on this subject. Can't say there is too much that is unique in this one. If you have been leading a church for awhile, most of what is given is fairly common knowledge, but I recommend this one as a refreshing take on the calling and work of a pastor!

[Zac Teston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read Jared Wilson in a class and I like his take on pastoral ministry. It does not sound like he had an easy time when he was a pastor, but still sees the pastoral role as important. This book gives practical ways of looking at and applying the role.