In this series of postings, I’m slowly working my way through Charles Bridges’ classic book Christian Ministry.
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Christian Ministry (Charles Bridges) – Chapter 7a
In Chapter 7 Bridges writes about preparation for leadership of God’s people. Chapter 7 in his book is longer than the previous six chapters combined. Bridges bases this chapter on the proposition that
A season of preparation – employed in storing the mind with Scriptural doctrine and in directing it to devotional and practical purposes, – in habits of self-communion and converse with God and in the exercise of active godliness, will turn to most profitable account throughout the course of a protracted ministry (pg 44).
Bridges identifies four aspects of preparation as important and devotes a section of chapter 7 to each of these aspects: Habits of General Study (pg 44-67), Special Study of the Scriptures (pg 68-80), Habits of Special Prayer (pg 81-85) and Employment in the Cure of Souls (pg 85-89). In this posting I summarize his first section.
Habits of General Study
A time of concentrated study is useful preparation for a lifetime of ministry both for knowledge gained through that study and for the habits formed during the course of study. Bridges writes,
Even when the pursuit of academical distinctions is passed by, the daily exercises of regularity, discipline, and self-denial, furnish an effectual safe-guard against the detrimental influence of mental and possibly also religious dissipation (pg 48).
Bridges singles out the study of Scriptural doctrine, Church history and especially Pastoral Theology as crucial subjects of study in preparation for leadership of God’s people. In urging the importance of study on younger potential Christian leaders, Bridges uses the apostle Paul as an example. Disciplined study, notes Bridges is important, not just in preparation for ministry but as an ongoing practice in ministry, "It is of great moment, that the habit of study as far as possible, be maintained through life. For the most part, the ground work only has been laid – "If we live only on old stores, we shall never enlarge our knowledge" (pg 65). Bridges commends President Edward’s advice to us:
My method of study from my first beginning the work of the Ministry, has been very much by writing; applying myself in this way to improve every important hint, pursuing the clue to the utmost, when anything in reading, meditation or conversation has been suggested to my mind that seemed to promise light in any weighty point; thus penning what appeared to me my best thoughts on innumerable subjects, for my own benefit. The longer I prosecuted my studies in this method, the more habitual it became and the more pleasant and profitable I found it.
Bridges ends this section with a great quote,
Not to read or study at all is to tempt God; to do nothing but study is to forget the Ministry; to study only to glory in one’s knowledge is a shameful vanity; to study in search of the means to flatter sinners, a deplorable prevarication; but to store one’s mind with the knowledge proper to the saints by study and by prayer, and to diffuse that knowledge in solid instruction and practical exhortations – this is to be a prudent, zealous and laborious Minister (pg 67).
