Put on Your Own Oxygen Mask First: Rediscovering Ministry

"We live in a time when God doesn't need any more caretakers of the institution. God needs called and equipped leaders who can bring the kingdom to bear on this earth." This is a book about leadership in the church -- and what it has to do with calling and equipping. Easum hopes that the book will help readers to "rediscover that primal, naïve, original moment with God that left us feeling as if we could change the world," or "discover for the first time the indescribable experience of feeling called by God to serve the mission." The heart of the book is about identifying within yourself a mission worth living and dying for. "Pastors spend the bulk of their time visiting hospitals and shut-ins, doing the priesthood of all believers, going to meetings, writing sermons, counseling, arbitrating church fights, and at best trying to get a few souls to follow their lead. Such action is not what Jesus intended. . . . Making disciples who do God's will is the bedrock passion of authentic Christianity. Pastors are called to equip God's people. And God's people are called to transform the world. Somewhere along the way, too many of us have lost this passion. In its place we put a desire to care for others and help them achieve whatever it is that they desire to do with their life and church. Like Aaron, we help them build a golden calf." The bulk of the book is about authentic and effective leadership. Most of the chapters directly bear on matters of vocation. Exercises are provided to help the reader discover or re-discover her/his sense of call. The book concludes with an exercise in which the reader develops his/her own personal mission statement. The whole book is helpful (I am still processing what Easum had to say on pages 48 and 49 about what a pastor should do in her/his first year), but I found two of the appendices to be particularly helpful: one entitled "The Problem with Mercy Gifts," which discusses unhealthy patterns of behavior that pastors can get stuck in, and a second entitled "The Small Dysfunctional Church," which discusses why it seems to be the case that small churches are so much more prone to dysfunction than larger churches. A good read -- one that challenges you to do some difficult internal work.

This book is one of the most powerful I have ever read in ministry. Easum succinctly and evocatively describes effective pastoral leadership in a way that is both inspiring and humbling. The appendixes, questions for reflection, and examples from his practice would be worth the price of the book even without the clear thesis, compelling writing, and practical advice. I was encouraged by a pastor friend to buy this book and I encourage every minister to do the same.