Deus Misereatur

Heal Us, Emmanuel: A Call for Racial Reconciliation, Representation, and Unity in the Church Doug Serven, general editor White Blackbird Books (Storied Communications) 1937 N.W. 17 th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73106 www.storiedcomm.com ISBN:  978-0997398403; $14.80; May 2016 Reviewed by the Rev. Dr. Michael Philliber for Deus Misereatur Shrill with a Side of Sane; 3 stars of 5 I couldn’t believe what I was just hearing. I had recently retired after spending 20 years of enlistment in the U.S. Air Force, working side-by-side with men and women from all kinds of ethnic backgrounds, and was about to become ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). And here was an elder in what would be my first PCA church, surrounded by the whole eldership, telling me I was not allowed to invite “any of those people to this church”! The same elder later told me that he was not convinced that “those people” were fully human! Then some time later another elder stood ...

The Organized Pastor: Life, Love, Caring, Systems, Organization, and the Gospel Message by Doug Serven My rating: 3 of 5 stars "God calls both introverts and extroverts into the pastorate. He wants us to extend ourselves but not to burn out and hate people" is one of several penetrating observations made by Doug Serven, Senior Pastor of City Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oklahoma City, in his Kindle book "The Organized Pastor: Life, Love, Caring, Systems, Organization, and the Gospel Message." This short, quickly readable piece is all about pastors extending themselves without burning out, giving up, hating people, or forgetting Christ. Serven, with the editorial help of his wife, Julie, takes the reading pastor on a fast-paced ride through the woods, addressing your time, your people, your church and you. Most of the material is on managing time, with loads of helpful hints, suggestions and challenges. The author promotes employing organizing systems and using...