The Passing of a Great Man

Many will have heard by now of the passing of Donald N. Bastian, originator of this Just Call Me Pastor blog. Dad went to be with the Lord on April 6, 2024. He was 98.

Dad was born and raised in Saskatchewan by English immigrant parents who left the coalfields of Lancashire in search of a better life as landed immigrants. They accumulated between them a total of six years of formal education (six years by his mother, and six weeks by his father). His parents had known destitution in England, and they therefore possessed profound “immigrant vigor” and a boundless work ethic, which Dad “inherited.” His insistent traits were motivation, wedded to a kind of daring and entrepreneurialism, energy and a strong work ethic, curiosity, a sense of humor, and a relentless drive for righteousness and justice in all his dealings.

Dad’s story is profoundly intertwined with Mother’s. She was a remarkable person in her own right, the infrastructure of family life, and left us for her eternal home with the Lord in November 2023, at 97 years of age.

Dad’s initial plan was to be a singer. A recording from approximately 1945 revealed a surpassingly beautiful and musical voice. His calling from the Lord changed to pastoral ministry, however, and Dad and mother together pastored churches in Lexington, Kentucky, New Westminster, British Columbia, and Greenville, Illinois. The remaining 19 years of their ministry were spent in the bishopric of both the United States, and Canadian branches of Free Methodism.

One of Dad’s books is The Pastor’s First Love: Reflections on a high and holy calling. Dad’s first love was indeed the Lord and his holy Word. Immediately thereafter came his love for Mother. He told me perhaps two years ago: “I want everyone to know that your mother and I lived out a real love story.”  Next came the family. He cared about the details of our lives, right down to his great-grandchildren.  And finally, he loved writing, music, cars, and chocolate.

His final book is a memoir: From Kitchen Chair to Pulpit.

Dad is interred next to Mother in a family cemetery near Dunnville, Ontario. What should go on their headstone? Righteousness and Justice are the Foundation of Your Throne? For Our Citizenship is in Heaven? Home At Last with the Lord? Absent From the Body is Present With the Lord? If only the entire Bible could be written there…

For those interested, Dad’s (and Mother’s) funeral services can be found on the website of Wesley Chapel Free Methodist Church Toronto: https://www.wcfmto.com/.

PS: Dad wanted some editing done to some of his later blogs, and JCMP may not shut down quite yet… R. Bastian

What should a Christian think about the following story?

Prior to her passing on November 26, 2023, Mom was fading fast. Near the end, at 97, she was bedfast and in hospice care in hers and Dad’s little apartment. It was a difficult time for family and most of all, for Mom, who was uncomfortable, but thankfully not in a lot of pain. I had my last visit with her just weeks before she went to heaven; Jan was in Kingston with her dad, who was also fading fast. 

Mom and I had some very nice conversations. She almost always had her eyes closed or maybe she squinted through just one eye when talking to me, because she was experiencing double vision. And her face was often mildly furrowed with … what was it? Anxiety? Discomfort? Deep thought? 

But one morning when I arrived, Mom’s face had a distinctly serene appearance, with even a slight and faintly active smile.  I greeted her and asked what she was thinking.  She paused, her beatific smile increased slightly, and still with eyes closed, she said something like: 

“This is such a wonderful film!  So wonderful.  And it’s true!  It’s true!”

“What’s true?” I asked. 

She replied, slowly and deliberately, with her continuing smile, “….. Kindness …. Overwhelms… Suffering.  Kindness and … that other word…”

After waiting for her to find it, I offered, “Maybe “love?”  

She seemed to assent and continued with, “It would be such a service to the human race to see this film. I can see the whole human race and it gives me a new perspective.”

I asked, “It would serve humanity to know that kindness and love overwhelm suffering?”   

She agreed, then after a pause, asked me, “Where is this film?” 

I said, “I think it is in your head.” 

Really? She asked. 

After a pause during which she seemed to be still considering that idea, I said, “I think maybe you are being given a vision from heaven.” She seemed pleased. 

She remembered this “vision” later in the day, and the next day too, and I got the sense that it continued to nourish her spirit.         

We can’t of course know the entire meaning of this kind of experience. We somehow want a vision of heaven to include correct doctrine, a statement of the Gospel, a vision of Jesus our Lord. She was weak enough that our conversation went no further, but I find it immensely comforting that her vision is no longer double or fragmentary, but now full. Complete.

The Lord’s Presence, Here and Hereafter

On November 26, 2023, Kathleen Grace Bastian (nee Swallow), beloved wife to Donald N. Bastian (Dad); mother/mother-in-law of seven, grandmother of seven (and their spouses), and great-grandmother of sixteen, made her journey to heaven. She was 97.

Hers was a consequential life, beginning as a “pioneer farm girl” on the prairies of Saskatchewan. After losing her father at age 7 1/2 life became even more difficult. Along with her widowed mother and siblings, she rose to the challenge of difficult circumstances, eventually becoming an elementary school teacher. After marrying Dad, they together overcame the many additional obstacles that were woven into lives of joy and service.  Her story and their story, is inspiring and cherished by the family.

Her creativity, culinary skills, and eye for the aesthetics of life, were gifts to her family, friends, and the faith communities she served with Dad. She lived a life of order that made life gracious, secure, and comfortable for everyone around her.

She thought structure and routine were helpful. Among her habits:  Each morning, as soon as she came to consciousness, she would say, 

I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord…
…I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to thee.

And upon retiring each evening, she would raise her hands towards heaven and say, 

Father, I stretch my hands to Thee,
No other help I know;
If Thou withdraw Thyself from me,
Ah! Whither shall I go?

She is gone from among us, but her ways, and wisdom continue to guide. She is with the Lord; free from her infirmities; and forever in our hearts…

The funeral service is available on the Wesley Chapel Free Methodist Church (Toronto) YouTube channel, for any who would like to watch.

High-Level Living — Made Possible By Grace

The New Testament calls Christians to live with excellence. Here are segments from Romans 12:9 — 21 in bold italics. Comments from various scholars or translations of the Bible follow.  

Love must be sincere. “Let not your love wear a mask” (The Message). “Let us have no imitation Christian love” (J.B Phillips). 

Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. “Hate sin as you would the hell to which it leads. Be cemented or glued to that which is good” (Adam Clarke). 

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. “Love a brother/ sister Christian with the affection of a natural sibling.” “Consider all your brethren as more worthy than yourself” (Adam Clarke).

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fuelled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant” (The Message). 

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Keep clearly before you that your long term future is heaven. This will help you to take the sufferings and ills of the present with patience. Keep the fires of daily private prayer stoked daily. (DNB) 

Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Keep alert to fellow believers who have material needs — whether next door or across the seas. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat …. I was a stranger and you invited me in” (Matthew 25:35). 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and don’t curse. “Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath” (The Message) “Give good words; or pray for them that give you bad words …. Have the loving, forgiving mind that was in your Lord” (Adam Clarke).

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Have empathy in both of these directions in the family of God. However, “To weep with those that weep is easier than to rejoice with those who rejoice” (The Expositor’s Greek Testament). 

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with people of low position. (That is, those who do menial work or are unemployed or even disabled.) Do not be conceited. “Do not pass by the poor man to pay your court to the great man …. Do not suppose that wisdom and discernment dwell alone with you” (Adam Clarke). “Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.” (The Message)

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. Don’t let yourself get into the “tit for tat” mode. And, it is not enough to do what is legally right; we must do what appears to others to be right — that is, do what meets the generally accepted standards drawn from the written law. Paul: “For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but in the eyes of men” (2 Corinthians 8:21).

If it is possible as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Living at peace with everyone is sometimes not possible, but the burden is on us to try, and never to be the responsible party in the breaking of the peace or living in alienation from others. (DNB)

Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord. The evil actions of others can cause deep hurt often seemingly beyond repair. In our fallenness, personal revenge may appeal. But knowing that God is the judge of all the earth restrains our impulse to seek revenge. We can say “God’s righteousness will prevail.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. “However frequently he/she may grieve and infuriate you, always repay him/her with kindness; your goodwill in the end may overcome his/her evil” (Adam Clarke). “Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good” (The Message).

Each of these admonitions is a tall order; together they are impossible to attain by human effort alone. Still, the grace extended by the Spirit allows us to pursue life on this high ground. And, we find that these words lead us along the least stressful and most productive path — a life of minimal regrets. Grace and peace to us all as we travel together on high ground.

Originally published September 15, 2014; Reposted November 13, 2023

Photo credit: vastateparksstaff (via flickr.com)

When Must We Turn the Other Cheek?

Jesus taught his disciples that if anyone strikes them on the right cheek they were to turn the other cheek also.

This doesn’t seem logical: your one cheek is already stinging and you’re to say, “Go ahead; hit me again?”

But our Lord’s words (Matthew 5:39b) are lodged in the Sermon on the Mount, the manifesto of Christ’s kingdom (Matthew 5 – 7) that Christians take seriously. But this saying may not have been fully understood by many believers.  

Commentator David Hill explains that the Greek word for strike means in this case to strike with the back of the hand. It’s not a fisted blow. I’ve heard this action referred to as a “backhander.”

Visualize the act as follows. Suppose A is facing B. A intends to insult or demean B. He uses the back of his right hand to deliver a quick slap to B’s right cheek.

According to Hill, Jesus is using the image of a backhander to represent the insults that may come our way because we are Christians. These insults are annoying, and when they come, Jesus says to us, according to HIll: “If a man insults you, let him insult you again, rather than your running off to the court seeking reparation at law.”

It appears Jesus is not thinking of a physical offense at all. He is creating this verbal picture of a backhander to represent the insults that may come our way because we are believers. He means to receive them as an annoyance and nothing more.

Elsewhere Jesus gives different advice regarding what to do about greater offenses that disturb relationships, threatening the health and harmony of the church. His sequence is, first go alone directly to the offending brother and present your complaint; then, if not effective go with one or two witnesses; then if more is needed take the matter before the church. (Matthew 18:15-17). Such offenses should not be “overlooked” like the backhanders already considered.

Did the early church understand this backhander message, that had been so carefully preserved by Matthew? Probably not in every case. In the early church, interpersonal issues arose and there were insults from outside too. Consider the carnal offenses within the Christian community that surfaced in the Corinthian church, such as playing favorites and behaving like immature children.

But the word of Christ as reiterated by Paul remained the same. When addressing the churches in Galatia, he composed the list of nine graces he calls collectively the fruit of the Spirit. These include, “long suffering,” more recently translated “patience.” His reference is not to patience when we can’t find our car keys. The reference is to patience when others offend us.

And even years after Jesus’ ascension the Apostle Peter wrote to believers who had been dispersed by persecution and were taking undeserved mistreatment in society. He reminded them of Jesus who, “… when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead he trusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23b).

In summary, turning the other cheek is a distinctive response of Christians to moments of “mere” humiliation and scorn. We take this instruction as a key element in discipleship and Christian behavior.

And at the same time we pay attention to Jesus’ other teachings about more serious offenses, and stand resolute in the face of evil, speaking up for truth and fighting valiantly in solidarity with the saints and even heroes of many centuries past.

First published September 22, 2014; Revised Oct 30, 2023.

Image info: The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1877)

Moral Awakening and National Regeneration: A Methodist Example

Gin Lane, a print issued in 1751 by English artist William Hogarth — depicting the misery caused by widespread consumption of gin among England’s poor.

In the 1950’s, Mary Alice Tenney, then head of the English Department of Greenville College (now University), in Greenville, Illinois, wrote a little book called, Living in Two Worlds: How a Christian Does It.

It was abstracted from her doctoral work on John Wesley and the Methodist Revival in Eighteenth Century England, when society was in tatters. She intended it for lay readers.   

For background, Wesley is considered to be the founder (along with others, including his brother, Charles) of Methodism. 

The Methodist Revival was heaven-sent to regenerate desperate moral decline in the England of that time. Dr. Tenney describes an even worse state of affairs in England at the time of the Methodist Revival than we see today in North America.

She says that life in England in Wesley’s time was almost unimaginably coarse and dehumanized. For example: 

“As for family life in England, divorce, of course, could not be obtained. But a double standard of morality wrecked full as many homes as divorce would have. Prostitution was an accepted, and even protected, institution among all classes, a subject of humor in the literature and art of the intellectuals and the aristocratic, and a heavy contributor to the beastliness of the lower classes.”

“Hanging was the punishment for 160 different sorts of offenses. Many a day saw ten or fifteen hangings – spectacles attended by mobs of sensation–mad men and women. Grandstand seats were provided; hawkers peddled broadsheets recording Dying Speeches. Gin was sold at stands; pickpockets and prostitutes circulated freely.”

Dr. Tenney’s book subsequently focuses on the dramatic contrast of the lifestyle practices of the early Methodists who had been converted to faith in Jesus. Dr. Tenney writes about the changed lives wrought by conversion. She says, 

“The surest evidence that God is [who] the Bible claims him to be…is the moral transformation which he works in a sinner … [It is] a supernatural event.“

And Tenney pinpoints major characteristics of those who came to faith in the Methodist movement that should be evident in the lives of Christians today, too:  

“Four attainments clearly distinguish the early Methodists from the modern professing Christian. First he seems to have found the secret of soul serenity. Second, he gave convincing witness to his business and social world. Thirdly, he contributed amazing amounts to the work of his church. Fourthly, he lived a life of such appealing simplicity that the concept of ‘plain living and high thinking’ finally penetrated the thought of the whole nation.”

Methodism was a Heaven-sent awakening. It was God’s doing. John and Charles Wesley, George Whitefield and others were only God’s instruments, making themselves available to him. Would anyone question that it is time for another such awakening on this continent to bring both moral grounding and joy back to many lives?

It could start with us who are already Christ followers: more daily attention to the Book; greater time commitment and intensity for that daily prayer time; rebuilt family altars for our children; increased devotion to the ministries of the church; cleared up unfinished business with family or fellow believers; partnership with other believers concerned for renewal.

Of course renewal is God’s work. It always begins with Him. But there is an interesting challenge in the Scriptures which is repeated often and points us to our part: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

Transition …

Dear Readers,

Just Call Me Pastor was launched nearly 15 years ago, in March 2009, when Dad (Donald Noel Bastian) was 80. In the past few years, as he reached his middle-to-upper 90’s, my brother Don and I have been putting finishing touches on his writing.

And all the while his grandson-in-law, Richard Hicken, has seen to the logistics of uploading and maintaining the technology of the blog.

With sadness, we notify readers that on October 3, just a few days short of his 72nd birthday, brother Don (Donald Gregory Bastian) has left us and is with the Lord. Mom has said, “I never expected to outlive one of my children.”

Don’s wife June, Mom and Dad, and the entire family are heartbroken, and at the same time, we are celebrating his release from suffering and his new life in heaven. The funeral service is available on the Wesley Chapel Free Methodist Church (Toronto) YouTube channel, for any who knew Don.

So what is to happen with Dad’s blog? He has requested that Richard and I continue to find older blogs to trim/edit. Or that we occasionally write a guest blog. And so, from time to time, possibly not every week, we will continue Just Call Me Pastor. 

Thank you, readers, for your forbearance during these past few weeks of silence as we dealt with our loss of Donald G Bastian (October 9, 1951 – October 3, 2023).

Photo credit: Kindred Spirits Orchestra

Airline Terminals and Heaven

As a frequent traveler across my working life, I sometimes thought of airline terminals as an allegory for the two worlds Christians live in: the one we live in here on earth, and the one to come: heaven. 

Airline terminals surge with people of all ages, ethnicities and dress. They stand patiently in long lines, browse in shops, wearily scan newspapers, or catch naps in boarding areas.

Each activity is “important” yet fleeting: And then, after an announcement over the public address system, all in the waiting area form into lines, show their tickets, and disappear from sight, one at a time.

We know that they have entered a long corridor that leads into a waiting airplane. The travelers will stash their carryon baggage, fasten seatbelts, and after takeoff, disappear again, into the sky.  

By analogy, this earth, with its variety, beauty and allure, is nevertheless also our point of departure for a life beyond. And just as we know that airline travelers continue their lives after “disappearing” into the ramp and then the sky,  most people sense intuitively that there is life beyond our present human existence.

It is God who plants that awareness in our hearts, and he gives us the freedom to grapple with and welcome the mystery of life to come, or insist that this world is all there is.    

For Christians, the New Testament shines a bright light on our heavenly destination. It promises “life” and “eternal life” again and again in exchange for our believing and availing ourselves of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And those struggling through the “terminal” of earthly life due to grave illness, can live with this assurance from 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

God gives us eternal life in heaven when we confess our sin and believe, heart and soul, in Christ Jesus as our Savior, and Lord. It is a new mode of life and it is the supreme gift of the Gospel. What happens to Christians when they depart this life depends upon Jesus. 

As found in 1 John 5:11,12: And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life. And this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11,12).

Originally Published June 8, 2014

Revised October 2, 2023

Image credit: Andrei Dimofte (via flickr.com)

My new memoir, FROM KITCHEN CHAIR TO PULPIT: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Ministry, has just been published. I hope you will click on one of the links that follow to be taken to the page on these sites that enable you to view and potentially purchase the paperback or ebook. My book shows just how extraordinary the pastoral life can be, describing how I prepared for ministry and ministered to three congregations and then, as a bishop, to pastors as a bishop, with the help of my wife, Kathleen, and the support of our children as they grew up from children to adults.

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Does God Care?

On a walk, years ago, I came upon a dead sparrow at the edge of the sidewalk. I knew that none of its relatives would come forward to mourn.   

I recalled Jesus’ words about the value of sparrows. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. (Matthew 10:29).

A penny in Jesus’ times set a sparrow’s value at next to nothing. Yet Jesus said that no sparrow’s death was beyond the knowledge and care of the Father who rules the universe.

His point was to declare with a picture that even the most common and insignificant things in our world are within God’s purview and care. He is all-knowing and everywhere-present, and he is engaged.

For Jesus to make his point even more compelling he added, And even the hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:30) What could be less consequential than the individual hairs on our heads? Yet this daring word further underlines vividly our Lord’s assurance of God’s care even over each of our lives’ slightest detail.

It is called Providence, which means “God governs and guides in all the affairs of his universe.” He is not only sovereign over all; he is actively engaged in all. Thus his assurance to those who believe and submit to his will: “Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31)

Jesus’ words are bracing when grasped in faith. Our God is not an absentee landlord who has set the world in place but leaves it to run by itself. The world is not ruled by Chance, nor governed by the Fates. He takes note of its every detail, though in our times of trouble in this fallen world, we don’t always understand his ways.

Yet, for some sincere believers who aren’t always sure of God’s care, can we further outline the path of faith?

Remember that God is the “maker and sustainer of all things.” The Psalmist affirms: He sets the earth on its foundations; And also:  It can never be moved.” (Psalm 104:5). 

Still more, remember the crucifixion on Calvary. Our Lord’s physical suffering was brutal. Even beyond this, however, was the suffering of being separated from the Father as he bore the sins of the world. He cried out: My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1). Bystanders could be excused for thinking God did not care.

But, the Father did not forsake him. In due time he resurrected him from death, bringing him forth from the grave triumphant (Acts 2:25-28). And God’s care is just as certainly there for us, whatever troubles afflict us–even unto death!

Jesus assures us that God our Father sees every sparrow that falls.  So don’t be afraid; he says to the beleaguered, you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31)

First published June 16, 2014

Revised September 25, 2023

Photo credit: Renee Grayson (via flickr.com)

My new memoir, FROM KITCHEN CHAIR TO PULPIT: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Ministry, has just been published. I hope you will click on one of the links that follow to be taken to the page on these sites that enable you to view and potentially purchase the paperback or ebook. My book shows just how extraordinary the pastoral life can be, describing how I prepared for ministry and ministered to three congregations and then, as a bishop, to pastors as a bishop, with the help of my wife, Kathleen, and the support of our children as they grew up from children to adults.

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When Two Become One

Pastors are to bring theological substance to events they administer. That is one of the expected benefits of their years of pastoral training.

Consider marriage. In a time when its definition is increasingly fuzzy in society at large, a pastor’s first task in the conduct of weddings today is to reflect what the Scriptures teach about marriage.

In my book, The Pastor’s First Love: And Other Essays on a High and Holy Calling, I summarize a Christian understanding of marriage, as follows:  

When a man and woman come to the altar, what happens there in a few minutes changes them forever. They approach the altar as two single persons, legally unrelated; they leave as a married couple; a new unit in society. Their status will be forever altered, and so will the church community of which they are a part. Should not anything so crucial deserve appropriate celebration in the setting of Christian worship? The event is more than a legal moment; it is a sacred moment of life-changing significance.

For a Christian couple, a wedding may be a very personal matter, but it cannot be a private one — limited to two people only. It is the couple’s wedding for sure, but it is also the church’s, meaning it also belongs in the context of a particular unit of the body of Christ.

So, the Christian church has a large stake in the wedding: its sanctuary provides the setting; its congregation provides the witnessing community; its ministers provide the authorized officers; and its rituals provide the theological content concerning what the event means. It can be argued that all of this is brought together best and most coherently when the couple meet at a Christian altar and the people gather with them in a setting conducive to the worship of the God who is the creator of marriage.”

I recognize that across a lifetime of ministry spanning well over 60 years, secular influences have had their effect on Christians.  On occasion, two people raised in a church setting may therefore still need gentle and loving instruction as they approach their wedding — such as, on what the parts of the ceremony mean. And of course, pastors need to teach their people basic theology regarding weddings, even when none is in the offing.  

One example of Christian doctrine is that marriage is an “institution” ordered by God at the time of creation (Genesis 1&2). Therefore, the couple must not appear at the altar as though they were creating something new. They may be demonstrating a fresh version of the event but they are entering into the timeless, created order.  This should make the moment for them not only joyful but also humbling and worshipful. That’s why we are not so likely to speak of “performing” a wedding as “solemnizing” the event.

Given marriage’s profound attachment to creation, the words spoken should contain deep Christian substance.   Rituals that are designed by the couple are not nearly as useful as rituals that begin by proclaiming that the event is ordained by God.  Next, the couple is asked to pledge to each other (and God) their lifelong support and faithfulness to each other.  Finally, the wedding concludes by asking God in deep earnestness for his blessing on the couple at the altar. Repeating, to accomplish these three things in the face of today’s secularizing influences may require some teaching and counsel by the officiating minister.

It seems to me that, as never before, Christians ought to give special attention to each wedding’s content and meaning. Weddings, insofar as possible, should be shining reflections of the grace of God which enables two — a man and a woman — to become one, and profoundly united in all aspects of their life together!

Originally published April 14, 2014

Revised and reposted September 11, 2023

Photo credit: Marco Verch Professional Photographer (via flickr.com). CC License.

My new memoir, FROM KITCHEN CHAIR TO PULPIT: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Ministry, has just been published. I hope you will click on one of the links that follow to be taken to the page on these sites that enable you to view and potentially purchase the paperback or ebook. My book shows just how extraordinary the pastoral life can be, describing how I prepared for ministry and ministered to three congregations and then, as a bishop, to pastors as a bishop, with the help of my wife, Kathleen, and the support of our children as they grew up from children to adults.

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