Douglas O’Donnell, now senior lecturer in biblical studies and practical theology at Queensland Theological College in Brisbane, who serves as this book’s contributing editor, is a man of many talents. He is the founding pastor of two churches, an accomplished Bible expositor, and an expert in biblical Wisdom Literature, having authored The Beginning and End of Wisdom: Preaching Christ from the First and Last Chapters of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job; the Preaching the Word commentaries The Song of Solomon: An Invitation to Intimacy and Matthew: All Authority in Heaven and on Earth; and the Reformed Expository Commentary volumes Ecclesiastes: Enjoyment East of Eden and 1–3 John: A Gospel-Transformed Life. In addition, he has written God’s Lyrics: Recovering Worship through Old Testament Songs, in which he includes some of his own original songs. Doug contributed three chapters to this book, “Sunday Worship,” “The Historic Christian Creeds,” and “Hymns and Songs,” as well as the last half of the chapter on baptism, and he made many other additions and improvements. I am grateful not only for his contributions, but also for his patience, humor, wit, and elevated style, all of which have made this a better book.
I must also express my appreciation to my longtime friend, Milton scholar, and prodigious author Dr. Leland Ryken, retired Wheaton College professor of English, who researched and selected some of the finest Christian poems in the English language for inclusion in the enrichment section titled “Poetry to Enhance Worship and Preaching,” and also supplied select poems for Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter, and the love poems and epithalamia for weddings. Lee’s work will enrich many a wedding, special service, and sermon, and will grace some grateful hearts.
Deepest thanks must go to another close friend, Dr. Bob Evans, pastor of Christ Church in Pleasanton, California, for the superb chapter on pastoral counseling. Also, I have deep appreciation for Chuck King, who collaborated with me as music pastor for many years at College Church and is architect of many of the beautiful orders of service in the “Annual Services” chapter. Special thanks go to Tom Buck, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lindale, Texas, for his baptism protocols and liturgies; Dr. Niel Nielson, for his confirmation liturgy; Dr. Matt Newkirk, for a number of the congregational prayers; K. Edward Copeland, for providing New Zion Baptist Church’s order of service; and Dr. Gary Rownd, for allowing us to print his wonderful song “Gift from the Lord.” Lastly, I am so grateful to those who provided the many homilies, as noted in the following pages: Tom Buck, Bob Evans, Randall Gruendyke, W. Carey Hughes, Arthur Jackson, Jim Johnston, Jay Thomas, and Todd Wilson.
This book was written during the early months of 2014 in Jupiter, Florida, where my wife, Barbara, and I wintered as I taught at The Expositor’s Seminary on the campus of Grace Immanuel Bible Church. I am most grateful to the seminary’s dean, Bob Whitney, for doing everything possible to make our stay pleasant and productive, and to Pastor Dr. Jerry Wragg, for his superb expositions and corporate worship under the direction of Dr. Dan Kreider, who provided his personal canon for many of the hymns in this book. Indeed, these pastors modeled much of what The Pastor’s Book is about. Barbara and I must also express our gratitude to Jim and Sandy Koepnick, for opening their remarkable home to us during those warm winter months.
Many thanks also go to Dr. Lane Dennis and the editorial staff of Crossway Books, including Ted Griffin and Greg Bailey, for their superb, painstaking editing of this volume.