What does it take for a young minister in his first pastorate to thrive (not simply survive) in the local church? What personal, emotional, psychological, and spiritual issues must young ministers attend to in order to be successful in ministry? What role do character issues play in a successful ministry? These are just a few of the questions raised by Letters for Micah. Drawing on his ministry experience and study in the area of spiritual formation, Les Hardin blends practical, field-tested wisdom with sound, biblical advice to help ministry novices navigate the turbulent waters they often face in their first ministries. Letters for Micah allows the reader to enter into the conversation between a seasoned pastoral veteran and an apprentice who leans on him for guidance in the difficulties of his first days in ministry. Compiling letters written specifically for this project and actual correspondence with ministry novices, Hardin bridges the worlds of practical ministry training and spiritual formation to help novices grasp the responsibilities pastoral ministry entails. Rather than peddling contemporary, pop-leadership techniques to get the work done, this book encourages young ministers to form lifelong character habits and spiritual formation practices as the biblically ordained foundation for ministry. ""I've been a preacher for thirty-one years. The first five were easily the most difficult, mostly because I had a head full of knowledge gained in the classroom, but precious little insight into human nature and the nuances of professional ministry in the real world. As I read Letters for Micah, I realized I was holding in my hands the very information I desperately needed at that time. Even now, reading as a grizzled ministry veteran who's read more ministry and leadership books than I could count, I found the book fresh and enlightening."" --Mark Atteberry, author of The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do Les T. Hardin is Associate Professor of New Testament at Florida Christian College and an elder at Poinciana Christian Church, both in Kissimmee, Florida. As a pastor, he has served churches in Ohio, Michigan, and West Virginia.
