This really is an “introduction to ministry.” Everything is in here and it is well-organized and well-said. This will become a standard for those considering professional ministry and others who want to understand the pastorate. Markham and Warder have point of view, but it is gentle and apparent and appreciative of ministry in diversity and complexity. ... Read moreDavid McAllister-Wilson, President, Wesley Theological Seminary Markham and Warder have boldly gone where no-one has quite gone before; writing a genuine introduction to ministry itself, not just pastoral care or liturgy or management, but about the extraordinary, messy and wonderful whole. This introduction is full of insight and wisdom. While it does not answer every question, it answers many of them, and it will provoke better questions and richer answers than readers might otherwise have obtained. It is also written from a fundamentally optimistic viewpoint, and gives a hopeful and faithful picture of how the “mainline” can not only survive but flourish amid changing realities. Andrew McGowen, Yale Divinity School Show Less