Pastoral Ministry: Pocket Puritans series (Richard Baxter)

Pastoral Ministry

In the Pocket Puritans series

Drawn from Baxter’s The Reformed Pastor, the book arranges the material topically as one month of brief daily readings.  31 days cover topics such as preaching, watchfulness, soul-care, discipline and much more.

The maxims and meditations in this little book will both challenge and encourage every pastor to pay careful attention to himself and to the church in which the Holy Spirit has placed him (Acts 20:28).

Includes an excellent introduction by J.I. Packer

Endorsements of the Pocket Puritans:

To read the work of a Puritan doctor of the soul is to enter a rich world of spiritual theology to feed the mind, heart-searching analysis to probe the conscience, Christ-centered grace to transform the heart, and wise counsel to direct the life. This series of Pocket Puritans provides all this in miniature, but also in abundance.’

— Sinclair B. Ferguson, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia PA

About the Author 

Richard Baxter (1615-1691) is chiefly remembered for the transformation his pastoral ministry effected on the town of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, during two periods of pastoral ministry there (interrupted by the English Civil War, in which he served as chaplain to the Parliamentary forces) between 1641 and 1661.

Born in Rowton, Shropshire, Baxter attended Wroxeter Grammar School but most of his study was done through his own private reading. He was ordained by John Thornborough, Bishop of Worcester, in 1638. After a short time as a school-master in Dudley, became an assistant minister in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, before moving to Kidderminster in 1641. After leaving there in 1661, he preached in London, but was ejected from the Church of England the following year.

When almost fifty, Baxter married Margaret Charlton, one of his converts, who was in her early twenties. In spite of the difference in ages, they had an excellent marriage. Margaret shared her husband’s passion for Christ and the salvation of souls. Baxter suffered much ill-health, and the last twenty-nine years of his life were further ’embittered by repeated prosecutions, fines, imprisonment, and harassing controversies.’ (Ryle). But there was some respite with the accession of William and Mary in 1689, just two years before his death.

Pastoral Ministry