Richard Baxter's View Of The Reformed Church

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Richard Baxter was a well-known English puritan church leader who challenged those who were called to the ministry to live a godly life. He was not only a pastor but also a writer, a poet, a hymn writer and a theologian. As a very gifted man, Baxter used all his skills to admonish and encourage those who were serving in the ministry. His eagerness on holiness in the ministry sometimes caused him troubles because he spoke with boldness against those who were misleading the church of God. In addition, he lived in a period of England’s history where many ministers lack commitment in their spiritual life and ministry. Nevertheless, this problem never discouraged him to pursue other pastors to follow the will of God.

Certainly, Baxter’s works had a great impact in his time and still making a huge influence in Christianity today. Therefore, the Reformed Pastor is one of the most important books that he wrote because it is a calling to pastors to have a high view of the pastoral ministry. In addition, Baxter makes a great effort on making clear through his book that pastors have been delegated with something that is beyond themselves …show more content…

Baxter warns those church leaders who belittle the ministry. In his book he writes, "The ultimate end of our pastoral oversight must be linked with the ultimate purpose of our whole lives. This is to please and glorify God" (68). This statement makes clear the strong desire that Baxter wants on his readers to pursue especially those who are in the ministry. The pastoral ministry needs to be taken with seriousness because there are many souls that are in risk, therefore, pastors have to prepare themselves in order to proclaim a clear and persuasive Gospel presentation. The author deals with two aspects that can enhance the ministry of any pastor: the first aspect is the importance of preaching and the second aspect is the necessity of shepherding the