Hammer of God by Bo Giertz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is a collection of three loosely related novellas about the “cure of souls” in Lutheran Sweden. It is all very good, and parts of it are glorious. I think it would be particularly encouraging to pastors involved in the hard slog of pastoral care.
“… pastors involved in the hard slog of pastoral care”
Good to hear some might be.
What’s so hard about being a pastor?????
I’ve been told by the preacher types that pastoring beyond hospital visitations is beyond their call.
I’ve read you troll this nonsense before. I was in the full time ministry for 17 years and never once from Philadelphia to the Poconos to central Pennsylvania to rural Indiana did I ever hear or know any ‘pastor types’ of which you troll.
Good to hear that Philly and the Pocs have good coverage.
Are you willing to engage for a couple follow up questions, or did you want to just throw out the anti-troll beatitude?
Sure. And I am sorry that your experience with a limited number of pastors has seemingly embittered you against all pastors.
What in your case could put an end to a 17 year long full-time ministry?
If it had been pastoral, then I might want to troll a bit as to how a shepherd can stop feeding the sheep around him.
That is not something worth rehearsing. I currently serve a very small congregation of about a dozen people.
Is this full time?
Do you get paid?
How much time do you spend preparing for messages / sermons vs meeting the individuals and families at times other than worship services?
You really seem to have a very narrow view of what a pastor does. Might I suggest you read Timothys and Titus as a start. Underline every item Paul encourages those men to do.
It is a job just like any other. At least that’s what one self identified pastor on the forum believes. Yes, the care of men’s and women’s souls is equivalent to the chiller plant I need to program next week. Both have their dificulties and trials but they are merely jobs.