Over the next few weeks, there will be guest posts by each of our four LifePoint interns. They were each assigned a book on Pastoral Ministry to read and review.
Dangerous Calling: A Book Review by Wes Litton
Thoroughly heartbroken, Paul Trip takes us step by step through the unique, devastating challenges and mistakes that modern-day pastors fall prey to. As evidenced in his own personal life, Tripp identifies key points of pastoral culture in which church leaders, like himself, have fallen short or been subject to temptation. Not pulling any punches, Dangerous Calling, strips down the confusion behind the scandal, exposing major heart issues behind failing churches, organizations, and leadership structures. Without any hesitation we’re taken directly to the heart of the author, seeing a clear picture of failure: “I was a very angry man” (1). Tripp’s open, honest, and convincing recitation of personal failure opens the eyes of the reader to a man who has not only been there, but he’s done that. Because his approach is incredibly personal, his passion bleeds through every subject, theme, idea, and question. Without a doubt, Dangerous Calling should be a pillar in any Christian leader’s library.
Although Tripp’s work is written personally, cultural expression of heart-felt gospel motivations are also called into question. He brings to light issues that today’s churches condone, yet fail to see the temptation that the pastor is introduced to. For instance, Tripp addresses church leadership, worship styles, community orientation, church planting, and even styles of preaching. However detailed he may get into each subject, he stays true to his theme: “There are thousands of gospel ministers whose lives and ministries are shaped by a functional gospel amnesia…and the ministries they serve are paying the price that comes when you look for life where it cannot be found” (222). Tripp continues to operate off of the fact that pastors, like everybody else, are still grinding out life in the cursed “already/not yet”. Because of this, he writes to address three specific pastoral issues: letting ministry define identity, letting biblical literacy and theological knowledge define maturity, and confusing ministry success with God’s endorsement of lifestyle (21-28). By identifying each area of failure in his personal life, Tripp pierces the heart of all leaders and readers by examining pastoral culture thoroughly and addressing the temptations to lose their awe of God, replacing it with the skewed perception of arrival.
As I attempt to dive into and respond to the depth of Tripp’s work, we must keep in mind that he largely builds upon one simple assumption: the reader is saved by grace through faith alone in the atoning work of Christ.
Not failing to surprise (every review I received prior to reading was more of a warning than recommendation) Tripp immediately pulls out the scalpel. In identifying the common themes of failure in his own life, he successfully exposed many false gospels in my own life. In his statement, “You are most loving, patient, kind, and gracious when you are aware that there is no truth that you could give to another that you don’t desperately need yourself”, Tripp addressed a major heart issue of mine: justifying a lack of daily reading, praying, and meditating (23). Far too often I function based off of the flawed self-serving and prideful fact that my gospel-knowledge is enough to get myself through each day. This flawed mindset not only hinders my gospel-intentionality in the students I disciple, but it also hinders my own personal growth. This has become and issue that I am battling daily. Like Tripp addresses, numerous times, pastors tend to combine their times of preparation and devotion. This has become a major issue within the church because it’s leaders are preaching the very thing that they aren’t practicing! How hypocritical! As Thomas Watson says, “What good is a rock painted gold?” Rather, the daily thrust of the pastor should be a passion for experiencing God in daily, deep, personal devotion. As leaders and future leaders, our here-and-now matters more than we often realize. Ideally, we should be reflecting the David’s heart for the Scriptures in Psalm 19: “The rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold…” As leaders, if our devotional life burned with passion, how much greater would our preaching?
Working through the practicality and the functional instruction in Tripp’s writing was intense. However, no portion of this book impacted me more than the following section. He writes, “Pastor, to these beaten-down ones you have been called as an ambassador of glory. You have been called to rescue those who are awe discouraged and awe confused. You are called to represent the One who is glory, to people who, by means of suffering and disappointment, have become glory cynics. You have been called to be God’s voice to woo them back. You are placed in their lives as a divine means of rescue, healing, and restoration. You have been called to speak into the confusion with gospel clarity and authority.” (140). Sunday morning, May 11th, I read this before Pastor Lane preached on James 4. Over the past few years I have been flirting with the fact that God has been calling me to ministry. My way of avoiding the responsibility and justifying my spiritual laziness was to say that I felt called to bi-vocational ministry or to the role of ministry/church plant support. As Lane wrapped up the service, tears filled my eyes and these words filled my ears. I have been called. I have been given a mission and a work to be done. I am responsible to bring gospel clarity and gospel authority to the hurting, lost, and abandoned. For the second time of my life, I can honestly say that the Spirit took complete control. He broke my stubbornness, softened my heart to His work, and he impressed a call on my life. The moment of clarity brought me crying to Lane, asking his forgiveness for taking the internship opportunity lightly and asking the Lord’s forgiveness for loving money more His Son. Obviously I cannot attribute life-change to either Paul Tripp or Pastor Lane, but the combination of the two allowed the Spirit a great opportunity to alter the course of my life forever. For that, I rejoice. I rejoice for the pointed honesty found in Dangerous Calling, along with Lane’s pastoral care. I rejoice for the opportunity to serve Christ and to study at MBTS. I rejoice for he has given me a clear direction in my life.
While this book was laced with intense gospel truth and trenchant instruction on its application, Tripp did waste a lot of space in this book. Out of the three sections of this book, Tripp packed the first section with heaps of beneficial insight. However, the next two steadily declined in both content and application. In fact, many paragraphs were either Tripp repeating the same material he has previously addressed (sometimes to the point of beating a dead horse!), retelling stories, or simply asking pages of questions. What was missing, was his detailed opinion on how to properly structure a church’s leadership team. Although he did a good job criticizing the pitfalls of many churches, he never recommended or suggested how to implement a healthy leadership community within a local church. The theory was there, but the functionality wasn’t–a trait that is not familiar in Tripp’s writing.
When I first picked up Dangerous Calling, I was skeptical. After all, I come from an educational background that would rather dig into puritan or ancient language than pick up any modern author. However, I was more than surprised to find an author who is brave enough to write with decisive conviction. Every theme that Tripp unpacked was intentionally crafted to challenge, instruct, and encourage the heart of a leader. This book deserves the heartiest recommendation possible. Tripp’s writing not only helped lay the foundation for a true spiritual change in me, but it also opened my eyes to common pitfalls and needs of modern church laymen, leaders, and pastors. To cap this review, Tripp sums things up nicely: “The pastor must be enthralled by, in awe of–can I say it: in love with–his Redeemer so that everything he thinks, desires, chooses, decides, says, and does is propelled by love for Christ and the security of rest in the love of Christ.” (63). Indeed, our calling is dangerous. He requires every part of us. Indeed, our Savior is worthy. Our failings require every part of Him.