Pastoring in a Pagan World

Pastoral ministry is in crisis—and the ancient church has something to say about it.

Pastoring in a Pagan World: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Ministry by Leland Brown and Stephen O. Presley draws on the wisdom of early Christian pastors to equip today’s church leaders, ministry students, and laypeople for faithful ministry in a decreasingly Christian culture.

As paganism rises and trust in pastoral leadership erodes, the church’s most important resource may be its own past. Drawing on Scripture and careful historical research, Brown and Presley identify five convictions at the heart of effective ancient pastoral leadership: virtue, authority, work, suffering, and cultural engagement. Each conviction is grounded in the witness of ancient pastors who faced hostility, maintained authority, and kept their communities faithful. These convictions shaped faithful ministry then—and this book reveals how they can shape it now.