Book Name
Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again‍

Author: Barton, R. Ruth
Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Introduction:

There are twenty-four hours a day and people, especially in the contemporary world, need a few more hours a day in order to handle their work, school, family, personal life, as well as church activities. It seems that the supply and demand of time can never reach their balance. Living under pressure is part of many people’s lives; however, it is not God’s intention to have His servants work under extreme pressure until burnout. God cares about His people; therefore, He gives the fourth commandment to His people reminding them they need rest. The meaning of the Sabbath, according to the author, is more than we can imagine. People of God who don’t practice the sabbath religiously and psychologically may lead to inability to forgive and unable to simply enjoy life. In the book Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again, the author emphasizes how important the Sabbath is to the people of God. The book is divided into two parts. Part One of the book describes the origin, principles, meanings of the Sabbath, and why it matters. Part Two of the book called “Sabbaical.” The author in this part provides suggestions or plans to promote extra spiritual rest and growth apart from the regular Sabbath.

Book Name
Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams‍

Author: Bonem, Mike, and Roger Patterson
Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Introduction:

Being a leader is not easy. Being the first chair leader is even harder as the job involves a tremendous amount of administrative and managing decisions. Even though the ultimate Leader of the Church is the Almighty God Himself, His earthly representative in the church, the pastors, always find running a church is full of challenges and often not pleasing. The bigger the church is, the more the leaders in the management hierarchy are needed. The roles and responsibilities of the second chair leader are different from the first chair (Sometimes a second chair leader does not have to fit a particular mold or hold a particular title in an organization). Herein, the second chair leader plays a crucial role in successfully operating, especially in a medium or large church. There are many books that introduce directions and skills to lead the church as the primary leader; however, not many books talk about the role of a second chair leader. The authors of the book Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams are both experienced in serving as second chair roles in their businesses and congregations. The book introduces many second-chair leaders who shared their stories (both positive and negative) and confirms the challenges of second-chair leadership. Being in the second chair is the ultimate leadership paradox. The authors claim “It is the paradox of being a leader and a subordinate, having a deep role and a wide one, and being content with the present while continuing to dream about the future.” If you are the second chair leader of your congregation then this book is for you.

Book Name
Resilient Ministry: What Pastors Told Us About Surviving and Thriving‍

Author: Burns, Bob, Tasha Chapman, and Donald Guthrie
Publisher: IVP Books

Introduction:

Pastor is the representative of God on earth who nourishes the church of God. Pastoral ministry is always full of challenges. More than running a business, pastoral staff are responsible for the number of church attendants, balancing and handling the annual budget, all the church issues (both big and small), and even the spiritual and emotional health of the church members. In other words, the role and responsibilities of a pastor in a church are similar to the prime minister of a country. Therefore, it is important for pastoral staff to have proper ongoing learning and development on various aspects for themselves and for the healthy development of the church. The book Resilient Ministry: What Pastors Told Us About Surviving and Thriving presents the summary and analysis of a seven-year-long research regarding heartfelt discussions about the challenges of vocational ministry. The topics discussed in the book include but are not limited to Life in Pastoral Ministry, Spiritual Formation, Burnout, Emotional Intelligence, Marriage and Family, and Leadership. The book aims to help foster resilience for all those in vocational ministry.

Book Name
The Microstress Effect: How Little Things Pile up and Create Big Problems - and What to Do about It‍

Author: Cross, Robert L., and Karen (Editor) Dillon
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press

Introduction:

The accumulation of numerous tiny ripples becomes a big wave. Similarly, prolonged stress brings anxiety and even burnout. The sources of stress come from our personal and professional lives through the hyperconnected 24-7 world. Research reveals that people across the world are under unprecedented levels of stress and the cumulative effect of stress can derail even high performers both personally and professionally. The authors explain “The relentless accumulation of unnoticed small stresses in passing moments is what was drastically affecting the well-being of these people who otherwise appeared to have it all. We call these small pressures microstress.” People should not ignore the adverse effects of prolonged and accumulated microstress. The book The Microstress Effect: How Little Things Pile up and Create Big Problems - and What to Do about It is a comprehensive report after interviewing about three hundred high performers. It aims to provide suggestions to help structure the reader's life in ways that not only help minimize microstress but also improve one's overall well-being. Several topics will be discussed throughout the eight chapters, such as the definition of microstress, how microstresses drain our capacity,  how microstresses affect our emotional reserves, how microstresses challenge our identity and affect our personality and motivation, and of course how to properly handle microstresses.

Book Name
Pastors at Greater Risk‍

Author: London, H. B., Neil B. Wiseman, and H. B. London
Publisher: Baker Books

Introduction:

Being a pastor is never easy. Jesus says that many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). Many Christians hesitate to step forward to pastoring the church as they know that pastors are always at great risk. The author describes how a pastor in the twenty-first century feels like embarking on the most amazing roller-coaster ride of life since the risks in ministry are greater than ever in the contemporary world. It is not difficult to know that pastors are working harder as fatigue always shows in their eyes. If you are a pastor, you also realize that worry slows your stride and vagueness dulls your preaching. The book Pastors at Greater Risk attempts to listen to the anguish of pastors, to scrutinize their frustrations, and to propose some answers. The authors wish readers through the book to become whole individuals who balance being and doing, family and church, person and profession, worship and work. The book is divided into three parts. In the first part of the book, the authors will discuss the risks in the ministry. The risks in the family life will be discussed in the second part and the ways to overcome the risks in pastors’ personal life will be discussed in part three of the book.