Dr. Gilmore provides honest reflections on the pros and cons of current Protestant church policies. With both humor and honesty, he deals with such manners "when to leave," "why one is asked to leave" and "principled-protest resignations" are necessary. These bumpy pastoral exits also have both their horror and humor. A key feature of this book is its ability to see good and genuine humor in grueling experiences. This is not a grudge-book, nor is a payback for current and past mistreatment. The author does not advise a pastor to quit just because he is facing conflict. This book provides the church board and the pastor valuable insights--theologically, psychologically, and procedurally--enabling pastors and members to be more flexible and charitable. This book is necessary reading for church board members, seminary students with a pastoral calling, and every pastor who has and could face the prospects of moving on.
Author: Dr. John Gilmore
Located in: Cincinnati, OH
Submitted: October 23, 2002
Tell us a little about yourself. I'm a seasoned published author with 36 years pastoral experience: 25 years as a Congregationalist and 11 years as an American Baptist. The book goes into select instances from these years without making the book a collection of "look at me" events. Pastoral Politics is my 6th book. The others are in the areas of eschatology, senior studies, and Gospel history. These works are: Probing Heaven (Key Questions on the Hereafter)--4 printings in US; reprinted in UK in 2000; in Korean from 1995 on); Too Young to Be Old (Secrets from Bible Seniors on how to Live Long and Well), Harold Shaw publisher, now out of print, but many of the comments can be found in the Zondervan Senior Devotional Bible. Ambushed At Sunset (Coping with Mature Temptations), came out in 1998. It deals with temptations especially strong to those over age 50. Lotto: Fun or Folly? was published by Paternoster Press, UK. It is 315 pages with discussion questions after each of the 12 chapters, ideal for small groups. It deals, as other Christian books don't, with the casting of lots in the Bible, with Puritan comments (88 pages), with the matter of stock investments and gambling. Best seller # 6 in the Paternoster line. The Trials of Christ (Moral Failings in 4 Judges) is the result of 30 years reflection and study. It deals with the evils of the elite. In its 175 pages the significant exegetical questions on the trials are handled in a comprehensive, yet concise and compelling way. Published in Scotland (Christian Focus) it will well reward any reader.
What was your motivation behind this project? Seminaries frequently only skim over pastoral closure. Laypeople, however, discuss pastoral effectiveness, often weekly. More recently many books have come out on church conflicts. Much of the stuff is helpful, but slides over the spiritual conflict behind the organizational snags. I wrote Pastoral Politics because so much has been left unsaid about leadership conflicts that stem from the conflict between light and darkness. My book deals with pastoral closure over many centuries and in different countries. The more autocratic polity systems as well as the autonomously ordered church histories are explored. The book takes a second, deeper look at those who have too much say, or too much pull and push. Nevertheless, each tight situation has its humor, too. The ridiculousness of the power struggles is balanced with the humorousness of the games of territorial tangles.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? Pastoral Politics is a see through the gloom and pick-me-up kind of book. Pastors will get their second wind or a whiff of energizing spiritual oxygen from it. Various theological orientations get exposure. And there is the lighter stuff as well--humor is indexed for quick reference. I identify with the local pastor at many levels and the reader will find in the book much encouragement as well as practical tips on what to do. I have other material related to the subject which could be shared in a visiting professor capacity if any seminaries would wish me to present a course on pastoral closure. Email me at KeruxKabin@aol.com, write (P. O. Box 24064, Cincinnati, OH 45224), or call (513)-522- 3278.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? Pastoral Politics is unique. It deals in detail with significant pastoral dismissals. It is the only book on the market that shows famous and less well-known pastors forced out of churches. It is meant to spare prospective, new pastors needless pain. It deals especially with the spiritual battle that takes place when the Gospel is presented and pressed. It abounds with insight and ways to cope when "the going gets rough." Church polities play a significant role in the process of entrance and closure. It deals with the ouster of ministers in congregational, Presbyterian, and Episcopal polities. It has the statistics, but more importantly the stories. The book describes how difficult situations have been handled. Blame is equally shared for ministerial ousters. I don't hammer on one particular church officer, such as a church treasurer. The book explores and exposes the all-too-frequent, feeble denominational support of pastors sometimes unjustly ridiculed and removed. The book is a rapid read. Lay members and clergy can find needed insight and inspiration.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: Pastoral Politics has received enthusiastic endorsements from D. James Kennedy, Jay Adams, John Armstrong, and Warren Wiersbe, who wrote the Foreword. A recent commendation was placed on the website of Asbury Seminary's Online Institute. The book is indexed and includes a bibliography of dissertations, pamphlets, journal articles and books on the subject listed by year, rather than alphabetically by author.
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