Paul David Tripp. Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry. Wheaton: Crossway, 2012. 240 pp. $14.17.
Dangerous Calling is the best book that I read in 2012. I didn’t’ expect that. Paul Tripp has done the ministry a great service by writing a book that should be read by pastors, those entering ministry, and those who care about pastors or those entering ministry.
To summarize this book would be to diminish the work it does. Chapter by chapter, Tripp is open, honest, real, hard-hitting, and gracious as he challenges those connected to ministry to guard their hearts and souls as they serve the Lord. Tripp’s advice is practical, his insights piercing, his stories relevant, his theology sound, his challenges strong, his humility clear, and his counsel solid.
I found this book to be so helpful that I immediately recommended that our church planting network purchase copies of Dangerous Calling for its planters and for the students being trained in church planting. Pastoral staffs could benefit by reading this together. Deacons could learn to better love and help their pastors by reading this book. As I recently said to a friend of mine about this book, “It’s just that good.”
I received a free audio copy of this book from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. The book is clearly and well read by Maurice England.
Pastor Travis Peterson 