Between Two Worlds

The latest 9Marks eJournal (available also in PDF) is now available online. It's devoted to young pastors, and seeks to answer four questions: (1) Where do you begin? (2) What did you inherit? (3) How do you lead change? (4) How do you persevere?

Here's the table of contents:

Editor's Note

Young Pastors: Where Do You Begin?

A Pastor's Priorities For Day One

So you're a brand new pastor. What do you do when you show up at the office on Monday?
By Bob Johnson

The Goals and Benefits of an Installation Service
More than a formality, an installation service gives you a chance to set the tone for your pastorate and begin the work of shepherding.
By Aaron Menikoff

Young Pastors: What Did You Inherit?

8 Steps for Dealing with Difficult Leaders
What do you do when influential members of your church are—shall we say—less than helpful?
By Ken Swetland

Dealing with Bad Documents
You're the pastor now, but the church constitution is clunky and the statement of faith is almost heretical. What do you do?
By Greg Gilbert

Young Pastors: How Do You Lead Change?

Is This a Hill Worth Dying On?
Some pastors make every dispute a hill to die on; others wouldn't fight to save their grandmother's life. Schmucker offers some guidance.
By Matt Schmucker

What I CAN and CANNOT Live With as a Pastor
What issues are worth fighting—or leaving—over? Are there any criteria?
By Mark Dever

Love the Church More than its Health
Pastors need to love the people in their church more than their dream of a healthy church.
By Jonathan Leeman

Should Pastors Change Anything in the First Year?
An old maxim says, "If you don't change something in the first year you never will; and whatever you change in the first year will be a mistake." Is that right?
By Phillip Jensen

One from the Vault: Mark Dever's classic article from 2000, How to Change Your Church

Young Pastors: How to Persevere

WWJD—What Would Jim Do?
James Montgomery Boice's successor shares a few lessons he learned from watching a master.
By Philip Graham Ryken

Shepherding and Trust
A church doesn't learn to trust its pastors overnight; he better be in it for the long haul.
By Robert Norris

A Pastor For Now
Why Mark loves the pastorate, but will be happy to proceed to what’s next.
By Mark Dever

Miscellaneous Book Reviews

Book Review: Evangelism: Doing Justice and Preaching Grace, by Harvie M. Conn
Reviewed by Greg Gilbert

Book Review: Jesus the Evangelist, by Richard D. Phillips
Reviewed by Byron Straughn

Book Review: The Heart of Evangelism, by Jerram Barrs
Reviewed by Geoff Chang

Book Review: Vibrant Church, by Thom S. Rainer & Daniel L. Akin
Reviewed by Jonathan Leeman

Book Review: Simple Church, by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger
Reviewed by Graham Shearer