Center for Pastor Theologians Journal 12, 1 (2025)

The Center for Pastor Theologians Journal (formerly the Bulletin of Ecclesial Theology) is published bi-annually by the Center for Pastor Theologians.

The latest volume carries the below essays on a theology of the word.

These have arisen from the reflections of the community on a theology of the Word and preaching, in which three themes have taken on a central importance in their thinking: (1) The word of God is always God’s word; (2) the preacher as hearer of God’s word; (3) the community of hearers.

The essays are available from here, or the whole journal can be downloaded as a pdf from here.

Coleman Ford

“The Gospel Terrifies Me”: The Role of Scripture in Augustine’s Vision for Pastoral Virtue in Select Sermones ad populam

Aaron Friesen

Aimee Semple McPherson and the “This Is That” Character of Pentecostal Preaching

T. Michael W. Halcomb

Defining, Understanding, and Quantifying Love

Joel Lawrence

Pastors and the Church Struggle(s)

Benj Petroelje

Preaching and the Cross

Book Reviews

The Master’s Seminary Journal 34, 1 (2023)

The latest Master’s Seminary Journal has been posted online. This issue is a festschrift entitled ‘The Word of God and the Pastor-Theologian’, dedicated to John F. MacArthur.

A pdf of the journal can be downloaded here.

Nathan Busenitz and Iosif J. Zhakevich

Editorial: The Word of God and the Pastor-Theologian

Steven J. Lawson

The Pastor-Theologian and the Bloodstained Word of God: History of the English Bible and the Death of the Martyrs

The cost of the Word of God in English – the foundation of the pastor-theologian’s ministry – was the blood of the martyrs. Through the sacrifices of men such as John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, and John Rogers, the pastor-theologian now has access to the English Bible. With the Word of God in English, the pulpits have been fortified, the sinners regenerated, and believers sanctified. Reflection on the lives of these men who brought Scripture to the common man in his own tongue ought to make every believer appreciate the history of this bloodstained book. While the production of the English Bible came at a high price, it was well worth the sacrifice for the glory of God.

Charles Lee Feinberg

A High View of Scripture: Why We Know the Bible Is the Word of God

Feinberg demonstrates in this article that the bedrock of the pastor-theologian is Scripture. The pastor-theologian must view and teach the Bible not as man’s word, but as God’s Word. God has revealed this foundational truth within Scripture itself – in the unity of its construction, the continuity of its existence, the scope of its subject matter, and the influence of its power. In order to be true and faithful to the ministry of the Word of God, the pastor-theologian must hold to a high view of Scripture.

Austin T. Duncan

The Call to Ministry and the Plattered Head

The call to ministry must be received with all its ramifications, including the plattered head. John the Baptist is depicted in Mark 6 as a man of God who fulfilled his calling to the ultimate point of his death. With such an end in view, Mark describes Christ’s commission of His disciples and instructs the pastor-theologian in six areas of his ministry: 1) the preaching of the commissioned, 2) the authority of the commissioned, 3) the dependency of the commissioned, 4) the rejection of the commissioned, 5) the courage of the commissioned, and 6) the invincibility of the commissioned. In the end, even if the ministry of the man of God leads to his death, the work to which he is called will endure because it is the work of God.

Abner Chou

The Hermeneutics of the Pastor-Theologian

Every pastor-theologian stands in the succession of the men of God who have gone before him. The hermeneutic of the pastor-theologian is not one of his own making. Rather, it is one handed down by those who not only wrote the Scriptures but who themselves also handled the Word of God throughout all redemptive history. To truly uphold biblical hermeneutics as a pastor-theologian, one must humbly study the Scripture in its literal, grammatical, and historical context, just as the biblical writers did. Only then can the pastor-theologian ensure that every single word of the inerrant, inspired Word of God is upheld with the author’s true intent, as God intended it.

Irvin A. Busenitz

Lifting the Veil: Original Languages and the Pastor-Theologian

The task of studying the Word of God in its original languages is both a privilege and a responsibility for the pastor-theologian. God chose Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek to reveal Himself to mankind, and this fact alone should compel every pastor-theologian to pursue these languages so he could effectively pass along an accurate interpretation of the Scriptures to those he teaches. As the student of the Word labors over grammar, syntax, morphology, and vocabulary of the biblical text, abundant blessings rise to the surface for himself and for his people. While no doubt a difficult task, the rigorous study of God’s Word is the pastor-theologian’s greatest treasure, gift, reward, and obligation.

Robert L. Thomas

Exegesis and Expository Preaching

In this article, Robert L. Thomas outlines the description of a diligent and faithful pastor-theologian, demonstrating that exegesis is the foundation of exposition. Thomas explains the importance of preparing the sermon from the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), the wisdom it takes to treat properly theological and interpretative challenges from the pulpit, and the value of bringing out insights from the text for the congregation. In all this, Thomas contends that exegesis is so foundational to preaching that ‘if there is a breakdown in exegesis, the whole structure, of which expository preaching is the climax, collapses’.

Robert L. Thomas

The Pastor’s Study: A Conversation with John MacArthur

In the previous article… Robert L. Thomas outlined a description of a faithful pastor-theologian. In the present dialogue, Thomas interviews Dr. John MacArthur as an example who models the qualities of a faithful pastor-theologian. Thomas asks MacArthur about the preeminence of the Sunday morning sermon, the importance of the original languages for exegesis, the necessity of diligence in the pastor’s personal study, the value of seminary education, and other such essential questions. Towards the end of the interview, MacArthur exclaims that the pastor-theologian must focus on ‘the importance of diligence in study, discipline in establishing priorities, integrity in preaching the Scriptures, accuracy in interpreting the text, and the efficient use of the precious time given us to serve the Lord’.

Alex D. Montoya

Preaching and the Pastor-Theologian

Because the Bible is the revelation of God, every expository sermon is rightly a doctrinal sermon. Thus, the faithful preacher will be a doctrinal preacher, and in effect a pastor-theologian. The pastor-theologian’s mandate, embedded in Scripture itself, will dictate his manner of preaching, such that his congregation will rightly grasp theological dictum along with practical application. This responsibility endued upon each minister of the Word is of utmost importance to the life of the church, as each member endeavors to know God and worship Him ‘in spirit and in truth’.

Jesse Johnson

The Leadership of the Pastor-Theologian: Guiding the Church to Gaze upon Christ

The pastor-theologian’s leadership exists on two planes: horizontal and vertical. As a pastor, the church leader shepherds horizontally, through what Paul calls ‘the daily cares of life’. As theologian, the leader uses his understanding of God to draw people into a deeper relationship with their Creator. Skilled pastoral leadership is seen where these two planes intersect. For the leader to effectively navigate this intersection, he must be held captive by the truth of Psalm 27:4 and Luke 10:42 – there is only one thing necessary, and that is a desire to behold the glories of God in Christ. This conviction forms a ‘theological’ vision which should be particularly evident in the pastor’s preaching. The pastor-theologian explains his theological vision, invites his congregation to join him in that vision, and then they return to the horizontal world to live out the implications of it. This kind of leadership is modeled by Paul in Philippians 1, and by Jesus in John 13–17. Finally, this approach to leadership has been modeled in the ministry of John MacArthur, specifically in how he has used John 13–17 to lead his own congregation.

Phil Johnson

Guarding the Flock and Defending the Faith

A faithful pastor-theologian’s duty is perfectly illustrated by the role of a shepherd. He is among other things a guardian, responsible to defend the faith and to protect his flock. But in recent years the shepherd model has been disregarded, defamed, and even declared obsolete by church leaders who suggest pastors should function like corporate CEOs rather than shepherds. In this article, Phil Johnson evaluates that trend in light of the key verses in Paul’s farewell message to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:28–30). He highlights the integral connection between shepherding and the pastor-theologian’s duty to be set for the defense of the gospel and the protection of the flock against savage theological wolves and their influence.

James Coates

The Courage of the Pastor-Theologian

This article defines the essence of biblical courage for the pastor-theologian. It does so by identifying four critical features of courage found in Joshua 1:6–9 (confidence, content, catalyst, and comfort). These features define what courage is, where courage comes from, and how courage is cultivated, establishing that biblical courage is the resolve to obey God’s Word, regardless of the outcome or cost. The fourth feature of biblical courage finds a link in the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18–20 that bridges the historical and theological context of the Old Testament. From there, the features of courage identified in Joshua 1:6–9 are both reinforced and amplified in 2 Timothy 2:1–13, where the pastor is pictured as a soldier, and where the qualities of a good soldier are delineated. These qualities demand that the pastor-theologian be strong and courageous. Thus, this article is devoted to the courage of the pastor-theologian.

Ligon Duncan

The Pastor-Theologian and True Worship

The pastor-theologian is the worship leader of the church to which he is called as shepherd. This calling necessitates the proper understanding of the act of true worship. True worship is scriptural, simple, spiritual, and God-centered, focusing on the proper response to the revelation that God has given to His people. Resultingly, true worship will prioritize reading the Bible, preaching the Bible, praying the Bible, singing the Bible, and ‘seeing’ the Bible, each element being carried out to bring glory to God.

Carl A. Hargrove

The Private Life of the Pastor-Theologian: How John F. MacArthur Encourages Godliness in the Lives of Pastor-Theologians

This article highlights the importance of the private life of the pastor-theologian. Though the calling of the pastor-theologian involves heavy attention to the needs of his congregation, this ministry is founded on his own attention to his life and doctrine (1 Tim 4:16). Thus, rightly may it be said that he has an imperative in his private life to live in accordance with his message, not just for the benefit of his church, or evangelistic efforts, but ultimately for the glory of the Master. By giving proper attention to the essential components of his private life, the pastor-theologian’s ministry will have an eternal impact on the souls under his charge, bringing glory to the Triune God.

Richard Mayhue

The Importance of a Unified Doctrinal Statement for The Master’s Seminary and for Training Pastor-Teachers

This essay explores elements of integrity which explain why a unified theology is an imperative for The Master’s Seminary (TMS) and for training pastor-teachers. Biblical, educational, and ecclesiastical integrity all contribute to training pastor- teacher in accord with the primary purpose or intent of TMS. The concluding remarks prescribe both a preventative approach to avoid or correct doctrinal drift and a suggestive reading list related to this subject.

Sinclair Ferguson

John Owen: Pastor-Theologian

While John Owen is recognized as a towering, academic theologian, Owen also has much to offer as a pastor. Many of Owen’s theological contributions stemmed from a pastoral desire to shepherd the flock of God entrusted to him. In effect, his works on Christian doctrine emit his pastoral heart. At the same time, his pastoral commitments, such as preaching and shepherding the flock, bear notable theological emphases. Owen knew that both the knowledge of doctrine and the knowledge of people are essential components of the pastor-theologian, such that he accomplished his stewardship of being a pastor-theologian in a manner worthy of God.

Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley

William Perkins on the Calling of a Gospel Minister

William Perkins, known for preaching ‘one Christ, by Christ, to the praise of Christ’, held a robust perspective on the calling of a gospel minister. As evidenced by Perkins’s writings, to be called to gospel ministry is to receive the responsibility for an immense undertaking. This calling originates from God, comes through the Holy Scriptures, and is confirmed by the church and one’s desire for the ministry. It is a calling to serve as a steward of God’s Word. The minister’s life should manifest the working of the Spirit, sanctifying him unto God so that he may preach the truth experientially. In so doing, he will inevitably encounter opposition along his way, as he treads out the path which Christ Himself trod. Yet he perseveres in his calling, knowing that faithful is the One who has called him and will be with him to the end.

William D. Barrick

Ezra: A Preacher-Theologian in the Old Testament

Ezra provides an exemplary model for the preacher-theologian as he demonstrates a leadership reproducing itself with God’s guidance and blessing. His family heritage set him up for a life of serving the Lord. He committed his life to studying the Word of God and to practicing it in life. As the Lord brought him into a position of high standing, he displayed great courage and wisdom because the hand of God was upon him. These God-given qualities carried him through the journey with the Israelites back to their homeland to build the temple and restore the worship of Yahweh. Ezra’s example is one to follow for every pastor and leader in ministry today.

Brad Klassen

Paul as Pastor-Teacher:

Essential Qualities from 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12

In 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12, Paul delivers six essential qualities that the pastor- teacher is to live out and fulfill in leading the church. The pastor-teacher must communicate God’s Word regardless of the cost, for the approval of God alone, without ulterior motives, out of sacrificial love, without a demand for compensation, and for the eternal welfare of his listeners. Indeed, the apostle Paul himself serves as an example of this portrait of the pastor-teacher, since he describes how he carried out his ministry by fulfilling these six qualities.

H. B. Charles, Jr.

Jesus: The Ultimate Preacher

The Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of the living God, was a preacher. He was the Preacher. While Jesus truly and perfectly cared for the sick, the lame, and the blind, the primary focus of Jesus during His life was to preach. When people sought Him to see and experience physical healing, Jesus said in Mark 1:38: ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came out for.’ The message He preached was clear and exclusive: ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me’ (John 14:6). In this, Jesus stands as the example par excellence of the ultimate Preacher to every man called to the ministry of the Word of God.

Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies 3.1 (2018) on Pastoral Theology

It’s well worth taking a look at the online Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies.

The most-recent full issue is devoted to pastoral theology, containing several interesting contributions (see below). The essays largely flow out of the renewed interest in recent years on the role of the ‘pastor-theologian’, seeking to ground pastoral ministry within a theological framework.

The full issue, which also contains a sizeable collection of book reviews, is available as a pdf here.

Justin L. McLendon

Current Issues in Pastoral Theology: An Editorial Introduction

This special issue of the Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies features articles exploring current issues in pastoral theology. The articles within this issue address academic and ecclesial concerns across the evangelical spectrum. In keeping with the mission of JBTS – to relay content that is original and yet accessible – this issue contains articles uniquely formulated to speak to seminary students, busy ministers, and scholars academically engaged in the broad field of pastoral theology. This issue includes an even selection of articles from scholars working within various academic institutions, in addition to articles from pastors engaged in the trenches of everyday pastoral ministry. In sum, this issue offers a distinct set of voices from varied backgrounds, ministry methodologies, and denominational alliances.

Josh Branum

Elder as Shepherd: Implicit Use of the Shepherd Metaphor by the Apostle Paul

This paper analyzes the Pauline qualifications for eldership considering the shepherd metaphor. In this analysis, the author argues that Paul presents qualified elders as “good shepherds,” those of the utmost integrity, who are able to manage the flock of God well. The shepherd metaphor is utilized throughout both the Old and New Testaments, by various authors, and in a variety of contexts. From a New Testament perspective, the shepherd metaphor is used most frequently in reference to Jesus, but is later applied to elders. While one might expect the Apostle Paul, the author of the so-called “Pastoral Epistles,” to make much use of this metaphor, he only explicitly uses the shepherd metaphor on two occasions. This seeming omission has led some to dismiss it as a central aspect of his teaching. However, Paul demonstrates a heavy reliance on the shepherd metaphor implicitly, particularly in the qualifications for eldership in the books of 1 Timothy and Titus.

Gary L. Shultz Jr.

Theological Preaching and Preaching Through Theology: The Priority of the Pastor-Theologian

Over the last several years a renewed call for the re-emergence of pastor-theologians has occurred within Evangelicalism. The distinguishing mark of the pastor-theologian is that his broader theological ministry to the church and the academy is explicitly grounded in his pastoral ministry, and his broader theological ministry strengthens and reinforces his pastoral ministry. While pastoral ministry has many facets, its foundation is the ministry of the Word, and the heart of the ministry of the word is preaching. Therefore, preaching the Word should be the priority and aim of the pastor-theologian, not only in his pastoral ministry, but in his broader theological ministry. This article will establish this truth by demonstrating how preaching is the theological act that grounds all other aspects of pastoral ministry even as it is grounded itself by that ministry. It will then explore how that truth should impact the pastor-theologian’s broader theological ministry, leading it to be biblical, confessional, and culturally relevant, even when directed towards the academy. Preaching is the connecting center of the pastor-theologian’s ministry, resulting in effective pastoring and ecclesial theology that not only reinforce one other but together preach the good news of the gospel to the world.

Jonathan Master

Preaching Psalm 46 to the People of God Today

The preached word is the means that God has ordained for both the evangelization of the nations and for the building up of the church. As evangelicals, we are committed to the fact that all of scripture is inspired and profitable for the people of God: therefore, all scripture must be preached – including the Psalms. In Part 1, I present four recommendations for preaching Psalm 46 today. Each of these recommendations supplement the preacher’s regular homiletic preparation. These recommendations are intended to remind preachers of certain features of the Psalms in general and of this psalm in particular. In Part II, I present an example sermon, considering each of these guidelines.

Matthew Ward

What Worship Leaders Need Their Pastors to Know: A Call to Theological Leadership in Worship

Many pastors today do not understand their role in their church’s worship – they have not received training in the principles of corporate worship and someone else on staff has the title of “worship leader.” That elusive role is to provide theological leadership to the worship ministries of the local church. Theological leadership assumes that pastors have done the work of developing a theology of worship. It then involves two steps: contextualizing that theology to their unique local church and communicating it effectively with that local church. While there are many examples of a theology of worship available to consider, there are few examples of a contextualized theology; this article offers two that are still general enough to glean benefits and pitfalls. Communication is a two-way process. If pastors are to be effective theological leaders, they must cultivate meaningful relationships – particularly with their worship leaders, listen and learn, and not act out of fear.

Joshua D. Chatraw

A Way Forward for Pastor-Apologists: Navigating the Apologetic Method Debate

Benjamin D. Espinoza

Pastor Theologians, the Gospel, and the Ministry of Racial Conciliation

Evangelicalism has a historically tenuous relationship with racial conciliation. As our nation becomes increasingly diverse, we must rethink our approaches to racial conciliation. The purpose of this article is to give pastor theologians a vision and plan for developing a rich ministry of racial conciliation. The paper will situate racial conciliation as a gospel issue that demands a response. Next, the article will explore how scholars have reflected on the source, nature, and solutions to racism. Finally, I develop key practices and implications that will assist pastor theologians in being agents of racial conciliation in both ecclesial and academic spaces.

Owen Strachan

Light from the Third Great Awakening: Harold Ockenga and the Call to Future Pastor-Theologians

Something remarkable transpired in the mid-twentieth century. Just as the First Great Awakening reset the ecclesiastical paradigm along gospel-demarcated lines in the 1700s, and just as the Second Great Awakening redrew the Protestant map through the explosion of upstart groups like the Baptists and Methodists, so the Third Great Awakening of the neo-evangelical years fundamentally recalibrated and repositioned evangelicalism for unprecedented expansion and activity.

Many individuals contributed to this galaxy-formation. Upon close reflection, however, Harold Ockenga – with Billy Graham and Carl Henry – formed the three horsemen of the Neo-Evangelical Resurgence. It is the purpose of this article to first explore Ockenga’s significance for the current day, as the twenty-first century church’s experience mirrors that of the neo-evangelicals some 60–70 years ago. Ockenga offers us an example of a richly theological pastorate, and a pulpit that majored in doctrine over storytelling and sentimentality.

In what follows, we shall see that, in a doctrinally-deficient era like ours, Ockenga offers the rising generations of pastors a faithful model to which to aspire and, God allowing, assume. This model we call the pastor-theologian. After showing what the pastor-theologian is and is to be, we offer five considerations for the rising generation of shepherds of God’s flock, considerations that together urge the church to invest in the doctrinal formation, personal courage, and theistic confidence of its pastors.

Douglas Estes

Pastor-Scholar: The Pastor Theologian and Scholarship

There is a critical need today for pastor-scholars to serve the Church and to advance theological knowledge. The pastor who is a scholar will utilize the format of the written word to dialogue with an important part of modern society – scholars and educated readers – through the form of scholarly discourse. Though the pastor- scholar is not a common calling, once one embraces this calling, there are several essential characteristics that can positively impact the pastor-scholar’s profession and standing.

Michael W. Goheen

Pastoral Theology in a Missional Mode

In this article I argue for the renewal of pastoral theology from a missional mode. This approach to pastoral theology offers rich resources addressing critical areas of contemporary concern. This article is more than just academic reflection. In fact, this reflects a curricular work in progress at Missional Training Center, Phoenix, Arizona – an extension site of Covenant Theological Seminary, St Louis, Missouri. For the past six years we have been attempting some creative approaches to theological education based on the rich insights from the 1960s—1980s offered by Western mission leaders and Southern hemisphere church leaders on theological education in a missional mode. I am especially indebted to the insights of Lesslie Newbigin, Harvie Conn, and David Bosch, and will draw primarily on their work in this article. 

I begin by briefly exposing the roots of this problematic view of pastoral theology. I then sketch the missional turn in the 20th century and note its considerable impact beginning with ecclesiology, and then on theology and leadership. This understanding of mission provides a solid theological foundation for the renewal of pastoral theology. Finally, I work out some of the significant implications of this missional turn for rethinking pastoral theology.

Andrew Zantingh

Toward a Theology of Pastoral Care in a Missional Mode

For close to twenty-five years, I have been learning how to care for the congregations God has called me to serve. In this respect, I am like most other professional pastors who paid significant money to be trained by professional professors to gain the necessary skills and techniques to do specialized care in a congregational setting. In addition to being a pastor, I now also teach graduate level pastoral care courses for pastors. The following paper is my theological reflection on the task of training pastors to do pastoral care in a missional way. There are some significant problems with our current approach to pastoral theology. In this volume, Michael Goheen identifies three crucial assumptions that have negatively shaped pastoral theology’s historical growth as a theological discipline: a theory-practice dichotomy, a professionalized view of the pastoral ministry, and a non-missional understanding of the church. My pastoral care experience bears out how these three assumptions have led to a faulty pastoral theology. In this article, I wish to offer an alternative approach to pastoral care from a missional mode. In doing so, I offer a solution which overcomes the theory-praxis dichotomy, that properly positions the role of the pastors as lead discipler, and one that correctly locates pastoral care in the context of a missional understanding of the church. I will do this by sketching the problem of pastoral care from ministry experience, by constructing theological contours that reframe pastoral care in the missional mode, by offering a concrete example of this kind of pastoral care in action, and finally by sketching a dynamic approach to theological education that can equip pastors for such care.

Marcus J. Serven

The Care of Souls: John Calvin’s Shepherding Ministry

Many Christians today have distinct impressions of who John Calvin was, but most have never read a single line from his Institutes of the Christian Religion, or benefited from the careful exegesis found in his Commentaries on the Bible, or reflected upon a single salient point from one of his many published sermons. In brief, the reformer John Calvin (1509–1564) has been misinterpreted, misread, and misunderstood. He is, perhaps, best known for his views on the doctrines of election, predestination, and reprobation. He is also known for his pivotal role in the prosecution of the arch-heretic Michael Servetus (1511–1553) who rejected the Trinity and the deity of Jesus Christ. But none of these disconnected pieces of information can demonstrate, in my opinion, the true character of the man. And so, who really was John Calvin? Hughes O. Old, a noted scholar of Calvin’s life and theology, states the opinion that, “John Calvin is chiefly remembered as a biblical scholar and a systematic theologian.” Cearly, Calvin distinguished himself through his theological writing and teaching ministry. However, he also was the preeminent pastor of the city of Geneva during the time of the Protestant Reformation. John T. McNeill notes, “Jean Daniel Benoit, the expert on Calvin’s work in the cure of souls, states boldly that the Genevan Reformer was more pastor than theologian, that, to be exact, he was a theologian in order to be a better pastor. In his whole reforming work he was a shepherd of souls.” Thus, it is Calvin’s shepherding ministry that will be 

explored in this article – in particular, his pastoral care of souls.

Book Reviews