"15 Characteristics of Effective Pastors," Kevin Mannoia and Larry Walkemyer (Regal Books, September 2007)

While this book’s title is likely to concentrate most of its readership among pastors, they should recommend leaders of their churches study it. Readers will come away inspired and challenged, yet may also squirm over the deeper questions it raises.

Written by a pair of pastors (though one is now a chaplain), the book draws its insights from in-depth discussions with a panel of nine experienced church leaders. They include such figures as Foursquare President Jack Hayford, Asbury Chancellor Maxie Dunnam and Walter Kaiser, Jr., president-emeritus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

The strength of this volume comes from combining the diverse input of nine experts and two authors into one voice that speaks with authority and serves as a refresher course for mid-life leaders.

Indeed, one wonders how many ex-ministers would still be in the pulpit if they had heeded the phrase, "There is no greater detriment to effectiveness than a lack of personal integrity."

This work could have strayed into a multiple-person, Q&A format that rarely works. Avoiding that approach strengthens its appeal. So does the fact that the 15 qualities were distilled from a longer list of 64, which are included in the appendix.

The overriding theme that emerges from within its pages is "authenticity." While many pastors embrace the latest trends and church growth methods, the authors emphasize the key to ministry is a relationship with God.

"Without a strong, deep and personal love for God, ministry is in constant danger of devolving into careerism, and ministry as a ‘job’ hobbles the effectiveness of the pastor," they write in the chapter on love for God. "Love for God is the satisfaction and rest that every pastor craves."

The authors review all 15 characteristics with a skilled blend of anecdotes, instruction and teaching that bring pastors and church leaders back to the point of worshiping the Almighty.

Rather than striving for church growth, prestige and position, this book emphasizes that the faithful servant is more concerned with service than image. Easy to talk about grace; the effective pastor demonstrates it and preaches it to him- or herself.

Such basics as spiritual formation, personal integrity, holiness and a regular, growing prayer life are among the other qualities Mannoia and Walkemeyer review. With each topic, they explore truths that remind readers how modern, digitally-paced lifestyles can overwhelm one’s walk with God.

Many entries include lists that reinforce the teaching, such as "five big ideas of grace," "six key ways that spiritual disciplines make room for the Holy Spirit" or "five symbols that explain the integration of ministry and Spiritual empowerment."

Although the chapters are relatively short and easily digested, this book makes for fertile discussion and reflection. If part of a pastors’ support group, it would make excellent material for multiple sessions.

At the same time they glean instruction from this book, both pastors and church leaders who reflect seriously on its principles will have to ask themselves, "How am I doing?"

The chapter on strong marriage as part of the effective pastor’s makeup forces the question: is one reason the Church sees such a high divorce rate its leaders’ marital failures? Likewise for the element of godly character, which the panel rates as more valuable than ministry skills.

The only flaw is an inconsistency regarding leadership. In the introduction, the authors tell of an aging pastor who was an ineffective leader and had to leave a church in order for it to grow. Later, they praise a pastor whose congregations never surpassed 100, but because of his prayer life sent many people into ministry. Why is the first man’s leadership questioned, but not the second?

Also, those who don’t believe that women should be pastors may get upset over the book’s inclusion of a woman on its panel and its feminine references to that office. Considering the wisdom to be gleaned from this book, it would be wise to treat such potential drawbacks as one would watermelon seeds at a picnic.