In June, as part of preparing for the pastoral theology course in September, I picked up Richard Baxter’s classic work, The Reformed Pastor. Like I said, I picked it up in order to prepare to teach others, but as I was reading it, it became more for my own soul and my own ministry than it did for anyone else. The book is the fruit of Baxter’s exposition of Acts 20:28, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” He planned to preach the text at a pastors’ meeting in 1654 but fell ill and was unable to attend. He prepared the book at the request of the pastors that had anticipated hearing his address.
Baxter divides the book into three sections, “Take Heed to Yourselves,” “Take Heed to the Flock,” and “Application,” this third section being devoted to challenging the pastor in his work of personally counseling and catechizing the members of his church. I found the book penetrating, and I pray that I will walk away from the book changed. I certainly walked away challenged and convicted.
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