Pastors will find his comments on worship planning stimulating. He suggests selecting hymns that have meaning for the heart and not just for the head. Above all, I commend Esau s emphasis on the pastor working with others in worship planning rather than trying to do it alone. We should, as Esau suggests, promote a sense of awe in worship rather than overemphasize the familiar. Of special importance is the author s emphasis on the character and integrity of the pastor.
Pastors are mentors of holy living.
Esau emphasizes the importance of continued growth in the life of a pastor. His guidelines on tenure, accountability, relationships, vision, work patterns, and planning are insightful. I highly recommend this book as a clear, readable, and quite comprehensive handbook for pastoral ministry. While it is easy reading, its convictions are not easily assimilated. The reader will go back again and again to these essays.