Book Review: Embracing
Shared Ministry: Power and Status in the Early Church and Why It Matters Today by
Joseph H. Hellerman
A fresh take on how pastoral ministry was done in the early
church, contrasting the contemporary senior pastor model with a multiple elders
model, which, the author contends was the way pastoring was done in the first
century. Furthermore, the author deals with authority abuse in churches,
advocating, as a solution, for a “cruciform” type of life modeled by those in
authority. He takes his clues from Paul’s letter to the Philippians in order to
cast a markedly alternative vision in a truly biblical theology of leadership.
The author also compares the single pastor model to the
plurality of elders one and makes a good case that the latter is, at the very
least, the practice in the early church, particularly as lived out in Philippi.
By giving modern day examples, biblical theology is brought into the realm of
practical theology and helps the reader to ascertain the prevalent weaknesses in
today’s popular pastor-as-CEO model.
It is possible that many pastors do not realize they have
come to see the church as their own playing ground where they exercise supreme
authority. It is possible that they honestly think that anyone not singing the
pastor’s praises is a carnal individual that would be better off attending
elsewhere. The book should at the very least help them think through how they
do church government. Maybe they would learn a thing or two about pastoring the
biblical way, and maybe other sheep will be spared the spiritual abuse that has
victimized countless souls.
Every pastor, minister, elder, deacon and member of the
board in the church should read this book!!!
4/5 Stars
4/5 Stars
Disclosure: The book was
received for free from Kregel Academic & Ministry book review program. The
program does not require a positive review, only an honest one.
