15+ Best Resources for Senior Pastoral Ministries

As a senior pastor, your role is at the helm of the church. You are responsible to curate Biblically-based sermons, provide spiritual leadership, engage in pastoral ministries, assist in small group and discipleship development, conduct weddings and funerals, and much more. These duties take time and energy, both physically and spiritually.

Just as you take care of yourself physically by eating healthy, getting plenty of sleep, staying hydrated, and exercising, you should also value your spiritual wellness. This includes personal Bible study, sermon preparation, reading the work of other ministry leaders, and developing a heart of praise. Equipping yourself in these ways will help you continually connect with the Lord and serve from a place that flows from His love. The following are some of our top suggestions of resources for those in senior pastoral ministries:

Pastor Resources – Personal Bible Study

You are first and foremost a child of God. Therefore you should allow the Word to first penetrate your own heart prior to teaching your congregants. Your personal Bible study should be structured to maximize your ability to hear from and respond to God. It should also spark your mind towards seeing where you need to grow spiritually and help you make a plan of action towards that end. Here are some suggestions for resources to guide this time:

• 30 Life Principles Bible Study: An Action Plan for Living the Principles Each Day, by Dr. Charles Stanley

• The Praying Pastor, by David Busic

• Your God is Too Glorious: Finding God in the Most Unexpected Places, by Chad Bird

• Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners, by Dane Ortlund

Pastor Resources – Sermon Preparation

After you have heard from the Lord personally, it’s time to listen to His voice as you prepare your sermon for Sunday morning. The job of presenting the Word of God to others requires careful research to ensure you are being true to the text, as well as thoughtful in your application. Here are some suggestions for resources to bolster you as you prepare your sermon:

• Asking the Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible, by Dr. Matthew Harmon

• Pastoral Theology: Theological Foundations for Who a Pastor is and What he Does, by Daniel L. Akin and R. Scott Pace
• Fear God and Keep His Commandments: A Practical Exposition of Ecclesiastes, by Dr. Tiberius Rata and Dr. Kevin Roberts

• A Manual for Preaching: The Journey from Text to Sermon, by Abraham Kuruvilla

• Rebels and Exiles: A Biblical Theology of Sin and Restoration, by Dr. Matthew Harmon

• The MacArthur Bible Commentary, by John MacArthur

• The Bible Exposition Commentary – 6 Volumes, by Warren Wiersbe

Pastor Resources – Mentoring, Discipleship & Counseling

A pastor’s job is not a Sunday-only profession. Throughout the week, you will receive requests for pastoral ministries such as counseling and mentoring, as well as a call to cultivate discipleship in your church. These roles require a heart for sinners and sufferers and a desire to sit with them in their trials and call them to growth. Here are a few resources to help equip you for that task: 

• Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers, by Dane Ortlund

• The Emotionally Healthy Church: A Strategy for Discipleship that Actually Changes Lives, by Peter Scazzero and Warren Bird

• Counseling: How to Counsel Biblically, by John MacArthur and The Master’s Seminary Faculty

• A Theology of Biblical Counseling: The Doctrinal Foundations of Counseling Ministry, by Heath Lambert

• Christian Education: A Guide to the Foundations of Ministry, by Dr. Freddy Cardoza

Do you want to be a pastor who is well-equipped with resources and knowledge to be able to pastor with excellence? Grace Theological Seminary faculty strive to equip students for pastoral ministries through captivating lectures, enlightening textbooks, and practical internships. Check out our program offerings and fill out an application to get started today.