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Practical Suggestions for Successful Ministry
BOOK REVIEW

By Stanley O. Williford
Director of Publications

Unless you’re a minister of the Gospel or a minister in training, Apostle Frederick K.C. Price’s book Practical Suggestions for Successful Ministry may not be a book for you. But if you think you may be called, you need to read it.

However, if you’re sure you’re called, but haven’t quite gotten started, the first chapter – God Wants Us to Be Victorious – will fire you up and send you on your way.

Practical Suggestions is also an important book on ministry success that can benefit those who have been in ministry for years but haven’t quite gotten to the level where they feel they should be. The fourth chapter outlines ten practical suggestions that will benefit any minister, followed by a question- and-answer section where Apostle Price answers questions asked by other ministers.

In Chapter One, he writes:

“You may never have a ministry of five hundred thousand or even twenty-five thousand members. But that is not the point. The point is that you are fulfilling what God has called you to do, and you know when you are and when you are not.”

He points out four principles in the order that God gave them in Joshua 1:8:

Don’t stop speaking God’s Word.
Meditate day and night.
Observe.
Do.

After those four things, the scripture says: For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. “Too many ministers are waiting on the Lord to do something in their ministries,” Apostle Price writes.

“No, God says if you are successful, it is your fault. If you are a failure, it is your fault. If you’re mediocre, it is your fault. Whatever the status is of your ministry today is not God’s fault, not the devil’s fault, not the congregation’s fault, and not the people’s fault. It’s your fault!”

“God needs role models, and ministers are to be God’s role models. Unsaved people judge God by God’s so-called representatives. That is why I made it up in my mind years ago that I was going to represent God on a level that would be above reproach. If any man rejected Jesus, it would not be because I was so sloppily dressed, smelling bad, or driving some old beat-up, broken-down, junky car. I determined in my mind that I was going to represent God to the best of my ability.”

The second chapter, titled The Word of Faith Is the Key to Success, he writes:

“Once a person becomes a Christian, the most important thing he or she needs to learn is how to walk by faith, because everything else in the Christian life operates by faith. Everything! That is why Satan fights the faith message so much.”

Wouldn’t love be more important, you ask.

No, he says. “Love is the motive. It is the greatest reason for speaking with tongues . . . . It is the greatest reason for operating by faith and seeing the sick healed, but it is not the greatest thing in itself.”

If love were the greatest thing, then Hebrews 11:6 should say, “But without love it is impossible to please God.” But it does say, without faith it is impossible to please God.

He goes further into the crucial concept of faith in Chapter 3, Walking by Faith – A Way of Life, by reminding the reader that faith is a way of life for the Christian. There is a difference between walking by faith and walking by what your five senses tell you.

“Faith and the Word of God are synonymous terms,” he writes. “You cannot have one without the other.”

“In many churches today, the Word is not being taught, and that is why many people are not experiencing the supernatural manifestations of the Spirit. Faith has to be generated in order for the Spirit to confirm the Word.”

“God wants us to succeed, but we do it by faith. Once the faith principles are comprehended, we can then move on from there to achieve God’s best.”

Chapter 4 is titled Ten Practical Suggestions for Successful Ministry. Those suggestions come under the following headings:

Living a Disciplined Life
The Word of God Must Have First Place in Your Life
Prayer
Exercise
Be an Example
Endure Persecution and Criticism
Competition in the Ministry
Know the Difference Between Bragging and a Good Report
Take Time with Your Spouse and Children (He stresses the importance of this.)
Feed the Flock

For many ministers, the second half of the book, which makes up the question-and-answer period may be the most important. This is where Apostle Price answers questions from other ministers.

He deals with questions on spiritual and physical discipline, the pastor’s salary, balancing family and ministry, maintaining order in services and a host of other crucial topics.

https://eifm.netviewshop.com/shopDetail/FPB18



*Practical Suggestions for Successful Ministry* BOOK REVIEW By Stanley O. Williford Director of Publications Unless you’re a minister of the Gospel or a minister in training, Apostle Frederick K.C. Price’s book Practical Suggestions for Successful Ministry may not be a book for you. But if you think you may be called, you need to read it. However, if you’re sure you’re called, but haven’t quite gotten started, the first chapter – God Wants Us to Be Victorious – will fire you up and send you on your way. Practical Suggestions is also an important book on ministry success that can benefit those who have been in ministry for years but haven’t quite gotten to the level where they feel they should be. The fourth chapter outlines ten practical suggestions that will benefit any minister, followed by a question- and-answer section where Apostle Price answers questions asked by other ministers. In Chapter One, he writes: “You may never have a ministry of five hundred thousand or even twenty-five thousand members. But that is not the point. The point is that you are fulfilling what God has called you to do, and you know when you are and when you are not.” He points out four principles in the order that God gave them in Joshua 1:8: Don’t stop speaking God’s Word. Meditate day and night. Observe. Do. After those four things, the scripture says: For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. “Too many ministers are waiting on the Lord to do something in their ministries,” Apostle Price writes. “No, God says if you are successful, it is your fault. If you are a failure, it is your fault. If you’re mediocre, it is your fault. Whatever the status is of your ministry today is not God’s fault, not the devil’s fault, not the congregation’s fault, and not the people’s fault. It’s your fault!” “God needs role models, and ministers are to be God’s role models. Unsaved people judge God by God’s so-called representatives. That is why I made it up in my mind years ago that I was going to represent God on a level that would be above reproach. If any man rejected Jesus, it would not be because I was so sloppily dressed, smelling bad, or driving some old beat-up, broken-down, junky car. I determined in my mind that I was going to represent God to the best of my ability.” The second chapter, titled The Word of Faith Is the Key to Success, he writes: “Once a person becomes a Christian, the most important thing he or she needs to learn is how to walk by faith, because everything else in the Christian life operates by faith. Everything! That is why Satan fights the faith message so much.” Wouldn’t love be more important, you ask. No, he says. “Love is the motive. It is the greatest reason for speaking with tongues . . . . It is the greatest reason for operating by faith and seeing the sick healed, but it is not the greatest thing in itself.” If love were the greatest thing, then Hebrews 11:6 should say, “But without love it is impossible to please God.” But it does say, without faith it is impossible to please God. He goes further into the crucial concept of faith in Chapter 3, Walking by Faith – A Way of Life, by reminding the reader that faith is a way of life for the Christian. There is a difference between walking by faith and walking by what your five senses tell you. “Faith and the Word of God are synonymous terms,” he writes. “You cannot have one without the other.” “In many churches today, the Word is not being taught, and that is why many people are not experiencing the supernatural manifestations of the Spirit. Faith has to be generated in order for the Spirit to confirm the Word.” “God wants us to succeed, but we do it by faith. Once the faith principles are comprehended, we can then move on from there to achieve God’s best.” Chapter 4 is titled Ten Practical Suggestions for Successful Ministry. Those suggestions come under the following headings: Living a Disciplined Life The Word of God Must Have First Place in Your Life Prayer Exercise Be an Example Endure Persecution and Criticism Competition in the Ministry Know the Difference Between Bragging and a Good Report Take Time with Your Spouse and Children (He stresses the importance of this.) Feed the Flock For many ministers, the second half of the book, which makes up the question-and-answer period may be the most important. This is where Apostle Price answers questions from other ministers. He deals with questions on spiritual and physical discipline, the pastor’s salary, balancing family and ministry, maintaining order in services and a host of other crucial topics. https://eifm.netviewshop.com/shopDetail/FPB18

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