PEOPLE IN PRINT
January 1, 1984
Bringing Barnabas to Sunday Morning
How to Encourage Others by Bill G. Bruster and Robert D. Dale, Broadman, $6.95
Reviewed by Steve Harris, pastor, Evangelical Baptist Church, Sharon, Massachusetts
"Encouragement-we all need it, and we need it all the time." That premise led Robert Dale and Bill Bruster to combine their efforts in a practical and extremely helpful book for pastors and laymen. Subtitled "A Resource for Preaching and Caring," it offers advice and inspiration for all who seek to be better Christian encouragers, especially pastors who want to deliver that encouragement from the pulpit.
How to Encourage Others finds its success in its unique format. Each chapter focuses on a specific human situation or need: stress, grief, worry, anger, depression, suicide, facing tragedy, developing friendships, family pressures, and reaching spiritual maturity. In the first part of each chapter, Dale, professor of pastoral leadership and church ministries at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, gives background material on the need and "how-to" helps for the encourager. The second half of each chapter presents a sample sermon addressing that subject, prepared by Bruster, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The two approaches combine to give both helpful counseling tips and fine examples of pastoral preaching. "Our goal in the book," say the authors, "was to illustrate the strong link between biblical preaching and Christian care."
Those beginning in ministry will appreciate Dale's practical helps in approaching some of the most difficult times, including "How do you help a couple whose child has died?"
Another example is his treatment of grief. "Be aware that a 'ministry of presence' is crucial; just ...
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