Concerning the True Care of Souls

Concerning the True Care of Souls
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Author: Bucer, Martin
ISBN-13: 9780851519845
Binding: Hardcover

Sample Pages

Publisher’s Description: First time ever available in English, this “Reformation handbook of pastoral theology … sets out in a vivid and persuasive way, biblical principles for church life, ministry, and discipline.”

For more than twenty-five years Martin Bucer was the undisputed leader of the Protestant Reformation in the city of Strasbourg. Yet he never managed to achieve all that he wished due to the opposition of the city’s political leaders. In 1548 he moved at the invitation of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to England, where he spent the last few years of his life as Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge.

Ten years earlier, in 1538, Bucer produced what he called ‘this little book’. A Reformation handbook of pastoral theology, it sets out his ideal of a godly Christian society, and was ‘written solely for the Lord’s glory and the improvement of his church at this time when Christ’s sheep are so deplorably scattered’. He commended it ‘to the Christian consideration of all God’s children, asking only that nothing should be judged according to carnal standards, but everything according to the word of the Lord.’ And added, ‘May the Lord grant that it will be of much use for his kingdom.’ Although largely rejected by the government of Strasbourg, Bucer’s Concerning the True Care of Souls met with much more success further afield and was to exercise a vast influence in later history. In Hesse, for example, a church order was introduced based on Bucer’s ideas, and in Strasbourg itself they were implemented in the French refugee community pastured from 1538 to 1541 by the young John Calvin, who had a great respect for Bucer and worked closely with him.

Nearly 500 years later we can still benefit greatly from Bucer’s spiritual wisdom as he sets out, in a vivid and persuasive way, biblical principles for church life, ministry, and discipline. Translated into English for the very first time through the labours of Peter Beale, the publishers send it forth, reechoing Bucer’s prayer: ‘May the Lord grant that it will be of much use for his kingdom.’

258 pages
Published January 2009

“This is THE pastoral theology that John Calvin implemented in his own pastorate in Strasbourg, from 1538 to 1541. Nearly 500 years later we can still benefit greatly from Bucer’s spiritual wisdom as he sets out, in a vivid and persuasive way, biblical principles for church life, ministry, and discipline. Never before available in English, until now!”
- Steve Burlew, Manager, The Banner of Truth North America

Filed under: Banner of Truth, Book Recommendations, Books, Books and Resources, Pastors

A Letter from a Pastor: Spiritual Guidance for a Young Christian

Deborah Hatheway, an eighteen-year-old convert who was without a pastor in her home town of Suffield, Massachusetts, turned to a known, trusted adviser for spiritual counsel and advice. Responding to her inquiry, Jonathan Edwards wrote this guide for a young Christian, with emphasis upon attitude and behavior.  Every new and old Christian alike needs to read this letter and heed this wise pastoral advice.

Northampton, June 3, 1741

Dear Child,

As you desired me to send you in writing some directions, how to conduct yourself in your Christian course, I would now answer your request. The sweet remembrance of the great things I have lately seen at Suffield, and the dear affections for those persons I have there conversed with, that give good evidences of a saving work of God upon their hearts, inclines me to do anything that lies in my power, to contribute to the spiritual joy and prosperity of God’s people there. And what I write to you, I would also say to other young women there, that are your friends and companions and the children of God; and therefore desire you would communicate it to them as you have opportunity.

I would advise you to keep up as great a strife and earnestness in religion in all parts of it, as you would do if you knew yourself to be in a state of nature and was seeking conversion. We advise persons under convictions to be earnest and violent for the kingdom of heaven, but when they have attained to conversion they ought not to be the less watchful, laborious and earnest in the whole work of religion, but the more; for they are under infinitely greater obligations. For want of this, many persons in a few months after their conversion have begun to lose the sweet and lively sense of spiritual things, and to grow cold and Hat and dark, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows, whereas if they had done as the Apostle did, Philippians 3:12-14, their path would have been as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day. Don’t leave off seeking, striving and praying for the very same things that we exhort unconverted persons to strive for, and a degree of which you have had in conversion. Thus pray that your eyes may be opened, that you may receive your sight, that you may know your self, and be brought to God’s foot, and that you may see the glory of God and Christ and may be raised from the dead, and have the love of Christ shed abroad in your heart; for those that have most of these things, had need still to pray for them; for there is so much blindness and hardness and pride and death remaining, that they still need to have that work of God wrought upon them, further to enlighten and enliven them; that shall be a bringing out of darkness into God’s marvelous light, and a kind of new conversion and resurrection from the dead. There are very few requests that are proper for a natural person, but that in some sense are proper for the godly.

Filed under: Jonathan Edwards, Letters, Pastors, The Christian Life

Edwards Speaks to Pastors

On September 19, 1746, Jonathan Edwards preached at the installment of the Rev. Samuel Buel, as pastor of the church and congregation at East Hampton on Long Island. The sermon was entitled, “The Church’s Marriage to Her Sons, and to Her God.” In this marvelous sermon, Edwards lays out the marital relationship that Christ shares with his Bride, the church, and the relationship each Pastor shares with the same Bride. Listen as Edwards speaks on the Pastor’s role on the day when the Bride enters her heavenly glory.

“We trust, dear Sir, that you will esteem it a most blessed employment, to spend your time and skill in adorning Christ’s bride for her marriage with the Lamb, and that it is work which you will do with delight; and that you will take heed that the ornaments you put upon her are of the right sort, what shall be indeed beautiful and precious in the eyes of the bridegroom, that she may be all glorious within, and her clothing of wrought gold; that on the wedding-day she may stand on the king’s right hand in gold of Ophir.The joyful day is coming, when the spouse of Christ shall be led to the King in raiment of needle-work; and angels and faithful ministers will be the servants that shall lead her in. And you, Sir, if you are faithful in the charge now to be committed to you, shall be joined with glorious angels in that honorable and joyful service; but with this difference, that you shall have the higher privilege. Angels and faithful ministers shall be together in bringing in Christ’s bride into his palace, and presenting her to him. But faithful ministers hall have a much higher participation of the joy of that occasion. They shall have a greater and more immediate participation with the bride in her joy; for they shall not only be ministers to the church as the angels are, but parts of the church, principal members of the bride. And as such, at the same time that angels do the part of ministering spirits to the bride, when they conduct her to the bridegroom, they shall also do the part of ministering spirits to faithful ministers. And they shall also have a higher participation with the bridegroom than the angels, in his rejoicing at that time; for they shall be nearer to him than they. They are also his members, and are honored as the principal instruments of espousing the saints to him, and fitting them for his enjoyment; and therefore they will be more the crown of rejoicing of faithful ministers, than of the angels of heaven.

So great, dear Sir, is the honor and joy that is set before you, to engage you to faithfulness in your pastoral care of this people; so glorious the prize that Christ has set up to engage you to run the race that is set before you.”

(Taken from, “The Works of Jonathan Edwards,” vol. 2, The Banner of Truth)

Filed under: Jonathan Edwards, Pastors

Q and A with John MacArthur – Ministry Threats

In the book Rediscovering Pastoral Ministry John MacArthur is asked the following question:

What do you see as the greatest threats that may undermine a man’s ministry today?

One threat is laziness.  We live in a really busy and fast-paced culture.  many men run fast, but I’m not sure they go very deep.  By that I mean it is easy to be busy with the short and easier tasks but leave the long, hard jobs undone.  We are raising a culture, for example, that does not do the manual labor, at least in the major cities.  You hire people to do that.  It’s a service-oriented culture in America, it’s moving away from farming and manufacturing, and it’s all automated.  Many men do not know how to work hard, especially those who have been in school for a long time.  They know how to stay busy doing a number of little things, but they do not know how to focus with discipline on the main thing – diligence and discipline in the Scripture.  The result is often a failure to attend to the priorities and resultant superficiality in the ministry – the things that take time and prayer and intense study of the Word – are often not done well.

Second, there are constant threats in the area of personal purity.  We all have to guard our hearts and strengthen the inner man to remain pure, devoted to Christ, and dedicated to things that are holy.

Filed under: John MacArthur, Ministry, Pastors

Pastors: Beware of Building Edifices to Yourself

The great pastoral temptation today is pride. Pride is an epidemic of grand proportions that has swept through a vast number of churches destroying the lives of countless pastors. The temptation is to be popular, adored, and liked by those to whom we minister. The temptation is to be accepted and loved by all at the expense of truth. The truth about being liked is that we often view ourselves very differently than we should. We begin to view ourselves as having arrived at a particular place in the kingdom of Christ and His church. Perhaps we have “arrived” when we finally have that large church to which we have been striving. Perhaps we have “arrived” when we finally have that following of people that we so desire. Whatever the case, we begin to view ourselves in a much different light than Scripture shines upon us.

When the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus and requested that her two sons sit on His right and left hand in the kingdom, Jesus asks a question in Matthew 20:22, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” Then Jesus says that you and I should not desire greatness like the rest of the world. The secret of greatness is found in verse 26-27, “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.”

Filed under: Pastors