Description
Delve into the depths of Paul’s experiential and godly wisdom in 2 Timothy and Titus, and find encouragement for your own ministry These are difficult days for those who pastor God’s people. In many parts of the world, especially in the West, culture and society have turned away from their Christian past, as if from something both passé and repulsive. Churches are profoundly divided over how to cope with this disorientating situation, and there is much unseemly confrontation. It is no wonder then that many people who might previously have considered giving their lives to full–time ministry in the church are now uneasy and uncertain at the prospect. And yet it is at just such a time — when huge swathes of the population are ignorant of even the basics of the faith, and churchgoers are often left confused and bewildered by the deep public rifts in the church — that we need trustworthy spiritual guides. Paul, an apostle, missionary church planter, and a pastor of great experience, wrote to Timothy and Titus, his trusted younger colleagues in the ministry. They were facing huge challenges in serving the gospel, trying to keep their churches safe from charlatans and false teaching while doing the work of an evangelist in places famously full of idolatry, immorality, and entrenched opposition. Paul’s letters gave them the guidance they needed in such a moment, to keep them on track. And his words contain vital instruction for those in the ministry today. • Shamelessly Suffering for the Gospel (2 Timothy 1:1–10) • Unashamedly Standing by Paul (2 Timothy 1:8–18) • Soldiers of Christ (2 Timothy 2:1–13) • Protecting the Flock (2 Timothy 2:14–26) • Keep Calm and Carry On (2 Timothy 3) • Fulfil Your Ministry (2 Timothy 4) • A Remedy for Plague (Titus 1) • What Accords with Sound Doctrine (Titus 2) • The Mercy and Grace of God (Titus 3) Whether you are considering going into gospel ministry of some kind, training for it, or already engaged in it, this is a book to help you “fulfil your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5), discharging all its many difficult duties — for the glory of God and the good of the world.