“In my first seminary class, we were asked to introduce ourselves and say why we enrolled. I’ll never forget what one student said…
‘My denomination wants me to have an M.Div., but once they see I can grow a big church, I don’t think they’ll make me finish the program.’”
The priorities of this future pastor were startling, but he’s not alone in them. In the years since that class, author and minister Skye Jethani has seen more and more pastors swallowed by the celebrity syndrome.
Not long ago, ministers were among the most trusted and admired people in our culture. But not anymore. A 2013 study from Gallop revealed that Americans’ admiration for clergy has reached an all-time low. That, taken with reduced trust of institutional religion overall, makes it easy to see why ministers feel insecure about their calling.
In response to this trend, some pastors have looked to emulate those who are praised by the culture—business leaders, entertainers, and social activists. This has led to a new understanding of what a minister should be. We’ve turned away from viewing our pastors as shepherds, and now expect them to be celebrities.
Immeasurable will help ministers recognize the cultural forces shaping their view of the calling, and then reimagine what faithful church leaders can look like in the twenty-first century. Through short essays and reflections on the pastor’s soul and skills, this book will help prospective pastors explore their calling to ministry, and it will help veteran pastors reframe their vision for the work.
Drawing on cultural dynamics, personal stories, and his own experience working in a church and with church leaders, Skye Jethani will address matters like ambition, anger, community, consumerism, fame, health, justice, platform, preaching, rest, simplicity, success, vision, and more.
There are endless resources to help pastors do the practical work of ministry, but there are far fewer that speak to the pastor’s soul and spirit. Immeasurable provides affirmation and encouragement for church leaders faithfully serving God. It commends the true work of ministry—shepherding, teaching, encouraging—while redefining what we mean by success in ministry. It’s a book church leaders can return to again and again for insight and inspiration.
This title won Christianity Today’s Pastoral/Church Leadership Book of the Year in 2017.
Immeasurable is packed with countercultural wisdom that resets our current ministry expectations and paradigms. In his distinct pastoral and provocative way, Skye speaks to the condition of current faith issues with clarity, conviction, and compassion. This is the kind of rootedness, wisdom, and perspective that every kingdom leader needs to grasp. Skye’s words are a gift. It’s his best book yet.
—J.R. Briggs Founder of Kairos Partnerships; author of Fail: Finding Hope in the Midst of Ministry Failure and coauthor of Ministry Mantras
Skye Jethani has not only been given a unique position to gaze under the hood of American evangelicalism, but also an incisive and prophetic gift to diagnose its ills, and recommend a potent dose of biblical correction. This is strong, needed and powerful medicine for churches and leaders.
—Mark Sayers Senior Pastor, Red Church, Melbourne, Australia. Author of a number of books including Disappearing Church and Strange Days
I love how Skye Jethani challenges our normal perspective of the modern-day church. He loves the church so much that he’s willing to take a deep, honest look into her soul in his new book Immeasurable. As always he challenges us to be the beautiful bride. Get this book!
—Dave Gibbons Founder of xealots.org and newsong.net. Author of Small Cloud Rising