There are, of course, innumerable books that focus on pastoral ministry. Some focus on the pastor himself- his character, his spiritual life, etc. Others focus on the actual practice of ministry- preaching, counseling, praying, and so on. Many (certainly not all) of these works we ought to be thankful for. As pastors or those aspiring to the pastorate, we should read and absorb them.
But, to state the obvious, these books are not Scripture. Based on Scripture though they may be (some more than others), still they are not the Word of God.
But the Pastoral Epistles are. These writings- First and Second Timothy, and Titus- are God-breathed portions of Scripture.
As such, I believe the Pastoral Epistles ought to form the basis of pastoral ministry. In these epistles we find, from God's vantage, what the man of God ought to be and what he ought to do. In them, we have from the Lord's point of view what a pastor ought to focus on and devote his energy and attention to. Of course, it takes the whole Bible to make a whole minister, but I suggest we ought to embrace the thesis that God has spoken clearly and concisely in the Pastoral Epistles concerning his will for pastors and pastoral ministry. Let us then build our ministries first upon these sacred texts, these sure foundations.
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