As a pastor, you are called to serve people in a number of ways. You can be called on to exposit the text, shepherd the flock, counsel the broken, visit the dying and a number of other roles at any given time. And you perform these functions at the church, at home, at the hospital, really anywhere you go. As pastors, and ultimately as disciples of Jesus, you need to be prepared to be an ambassador for Christ at all times.
Our friends at Crossway have just released a Bible, packed with resources, that is designed to come alongside you and help you serve in whatever situation you may find yourself in.
Features
In the new ESV Pastor’s Bible, produced under the editorial oversight of R. Kent Hughes and Douglas Sean O’Donnell, you will find reading plans, invocations, prayers of confession, historical creeds, sample wedding, funeral, and graveside services, benedictions, verses appropriate for hospital visitations, articles and more. These are great resources to have with you at all times.
Articles
The 40+ articles contained in this volume are nuggets of gold provided by pastors such as Alistair Begg, C. H. Spurgeon, Martin Luther, John MacArthur, J. Ligon Duncan III, J. I. Packer, Sinclair Ferguson, and more! R. Kent Hughes’ article on “Disciplines of a Godly Pastor” is a powerful reminder to us as pastors in our fast-paced culture, to adopt certain disciplines in our lives in order to grow in godliness. Another stand out article is called “Expounding the Pure Word” by Gary Millar and Phil Campbell. It gives an eight point description of expository preaching, and reminds us that our role as expositors is to sit under the authority of the text, and communicate its message faithfully and clearly. This alone should alleviate the pressure that our culture places on us to “wow” people with our oratorical skills and dynamic personalities.
Look & Feel
In terms of feel and look, it is an outstanding choice. I love that I can open the Bible to Genesis 1, Psalm 119, or Revelation 22 and it won’t close on me. It stays open and lays beautifully so that I can focus on reading, writing, typing, etc. I love that! The text is presented in a two column format with a highly readable, 9.0 size font. This edition includes a terrific cross-reference system, section headings, and textual footnotes. It features a double ribbon which is nice to maintain your place in multiple texts.
Recommendation
I have enjoyed using this Bible and is one that I recommend to you. It is a great resource that I think you will find highly beneficial.
You can pick up your copy from Crossway or Amazon: ESV Pastor’s Bible (Cloth over Board)