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Living in the Presence of God: A Theology of Spiritual Formation
By Edgar R. Lee

What the minister does is an urgent and important matter. Misguided and uninformed activity, even if sincere and energetic, will quickly put a promising career on the rocks. With these dangers in mind, pastoral theology and professional training are designed to prepare the minister to do the right things with reverence, dignity, and competence. Modern leadership theory and administrative training have also been a boon in preparing men and women for Christian service. Without doubt, clergy are better educated than ever to undertake the multifaceted challenges of modern ministry.

Prior to the question of what the minister does, and how he or she does it, should be the question of who the minister is. Is there a mature Christian spirituality at the minister’s very core that gives meaning, purpose, and a sense of direction to all that must be done? Is he consciously a man of God, or is she a good example of a woman of God? Do ministers go about their work with a sense of the presence of God in all they do?

As we work to upgrade the professional education and skills of the minister, we must give renewed attention to his or her spiritual formation. A basic approach is to focus anew on the nature of the meaning of the presence of God in the life of the Christian in general, and the minister in particular.