The Solo Pastor, Gary L. McIntosh
The Solo Pastor, Gary L. McIntosh
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The Solo Pastor
Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges of Leading a Church Alone

Author: Gary L. McIntosh

Narrator: Jason Vu

Unabridged: 5 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/31/2023

Synopsis

Being a pastor is a complex and demanding role, especially for someone leading alone. The majority of pastors find themselves in this position, leading their smaller church with no additional professional assistance. The challenges are many, including loneliness, isolation, self-doubt, overwhelm, feelings of inadequacy, and a constant search for additional resources and volunteers. Where does a solo pastor turn for help and encouragement?

With compassion and plenty of proven, practical strategies, church consultant and former solo pastor Gary L. McIntosh steps in to fill the void. In this book he helps the solo pastor understand the strengths and challenges of the solo-pastor church, develop effective leadership skills, build and maintain vital relationships, manage expectations, spot and neutralize "bullies" who seek to control the church, communicate clearly, make the most of limited resources, establish healthy priorities and boundaries, and more.

About Gary L. McIntosh

Gary L. McIntosh is president of the Church Growth Network and distinguished affiliate professor of Christian ministry and leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is an internationally known speaker and church consultant who has written many books, including Biblical Church Growth, Beyond the First Visit, What Every Pastor Should Know, Growing God's Church, Building the Body, and The 10 Key Roles of a Pastor. He lives in California.

Reviews

Goodreads review by George P. on February 15, 2023

Solo pastors, whether full- or part-time, lead 56% of American churches, according to the 2015 National Congregations Study by Duke University researchers. Leading a church alone presents obvious challenges, as well as unexpected opportunities. Gary L. McIntosh examines both in his new book, The Solo......more

Goodreads review by Kenneth on March 30, 2023

This is a great book--in some ways groundbreaking, in that it is not written from the perspective that (and I write as a 20-year solo pastor of a small, urban church in Portland, OR) solo pastors (almost always pastors of smaller churches) spend their lives pining for the "big time," the wildly grow......more

Goodreads review by Tim on March 21, 2023

This was a very pragmatic book directed at pastors of small congregations. The book takes an imaginative series of conversations between a young pastor and an older experienced pastor. The young pastor has repeated struggles and questions and the older pastor helps by answering his problems. Then wh......more

Goodreads review by Michael on December 07, 2023

Much of the book I could relate to after being a solo pastor for most of my 36 years of ministry. Pretty solid and realistic. I cringed at the chaplain idea, but for many it is true. Helpful that someone understands what we go through, but didn’t always fully agree with his advice. Worth a read for......more

Goodreads review by Will on December 08, 2023

Very pragmatic, but written creatively. Would definitely be helpful for anyone serving in the context of a solo pastorate.......more

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