Pastor Disaster
The subtitle of the book “Confronting the Growing Crisis Among Church Leaders” is a quick synopsis of the topic found within. The author divides the book into two main focus areas:  Section I - The Pastor’s Personal Life and Section II - The Pastor’s Professional Life.  The author; a former pastor and business leader, and now an author and head of Converge Coaching, seeks to help church leaders become more effective in their roles while maintaining personal health, balance in their ministry and healthy family dynamics.The book is a pleasant read at 160 pages and assists the reader with an outline design containing major headings bolded and practical tips offset in side boxes for emphasis.  Scripture text are in italics and personal stories and references liven up the topics.In Section I, the author begins by explaining his personal struggle with depression and despair, and outlines over the next six chapters his recovery and the lessons learned.  Many of the expectations of the life of the pastor are broken down; their weaknesses exposed, and then injected with true Biblical and lifestyle truths. Current contemporary societal issues are brought to light and explained, showing how these issues are affecting the church and in due course the pastor and church worker.Many who have chosen a calling in the ministry can take special note of Chapter 5,Refueling Emotionally, where the author talks about learning to match our “output with our input,” “committing to rest during the busy seasons,” and making sure to disengage for periods of solitude and rest.“When we work with pastors we encourage them to adopt a leadership model that includes a sound approach to mental and emotional health, proper boundary - setting in terms of relationships and schedule, and the priority of the leader’s family over his or her profession.”In Section II the book lays out a plan for the pastor to develop a functional working model to avoid the malady discussed in Section I. The author stresses the important of understanding God’s vision for his or her ministry and cautions about letting that vision be diluted by many worthy side traps.  The last part focuses on the pastor’s relationships with the integral parts of the church such as the staff, board and congregation and makes suggestions on how to improve those areas.The Pastor Disaster is a welcome addition and a good resource in a pastor’s library. This book is of particular importance as it addressed the whole person – mind, body and spirit – and explains that our churches will be no healthier than those who lead from the pulpit.Review conducted by Michael J. Johnson, a freelance writer who resides in Troy MI, he is a graduate of  Central Bible College and Evangel University and lay leader at Freedom Christian Church, located in Sterling Heights, MI