Avoiding Pastoral Pitfalls: A Guide to Surviving and Thriving in Ministry

by James P. Osterhaus

Publisher:

Hendrickson

, 2021

Overview

More and more, men and women who minister find themselves depressed. Their marriages are often in trouble. Their families are negatively affected. Often, they have few if any close friends. Over the years, Osterhaus has coached and counseled hundreds of these ministers from various traditions on four continents. As he sat with ministers who have been nearly crushed by the burdens of ministry, he came to learn that the average training of ministers across the globe is woefully deficient in the very areas that allow ministers to avoid many of the pitfalls. This guide is a result of those countless conversations.

Avoiding Pastoral Pitfalls is an attempt to fill some of the void left in the training of pastors. It offers down-to-earth, practical guidance in areas of ministry that are often neglected: understanding yourself (both strengths and weaknesses), what effective leadership looks like, the complicated organizational makeup of the church, how to deal with conflict effectively, how to make sense of your governing board, and how to both enter a new ministry and leave a ministry effectively.

• Offers practical guidance in areas of ministry that are often neglected.
• Deals with conflict effectively.
• Advices people who are new ministry and how to leave ministry effectively.

Product Details

• Title: Avoiding Pastoral Pitfalls: A Guide to Surviving and Thriving in Ministry
• Author: James P. Osterhaus
• Publisher: Hendrickson
• Print Publication Date: 2021
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• ISBNs: 9781683073703, 1683073703
• Resource ID: LLS:VDNGPSTRLMNSTRY
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2023-03-10T22:27:16Z

About James P. Osterhaus

James P. Osterhaus is a senior partner with TAG Consulting. He is a clinical psychologist, a dynamic executive coach and public speaker with extensive experience in helping individuals move through change, conflict, and reorganization. He brings a depth of understanding of systems and relational network thinking to his work developed from years practicing as a highly respected psychologist in Northern Virginia in addition to consulting.

James’ experience includes a special commission established by the Vice President of the United States to consider the emotional effects of government downsizing, facilitation of the “Organizational Culture” component of the Army Staff Redesign, and workshop development and implementation for clients from the East Coast to the West Coast. He has worked extensively with the FAA, coaching managers and leading workshops and seminars on various aspects of leadership. He was recently interviewed by Sam Donaldson (ABC News) as a leading expert in organizational issues. He has been quoted in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times, and many other leading publications.

He has facilitated groups and taught seminars in numerous settings including the University of San Francisco, Georgetown University and American University. He has also taught graduate level classes on four continents on various subjects ranging from organizational systems, to communication and conflict management. Jim has authored nine books and written articles for magazines and trade journals around the country.