Date
4-2020
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
P. Adam McClendon
Keywords
Pastors, Obedience, Heart, Soul, Mind, Love
Disciplines
Leadership Studies | Religion
Recommended Citation
Smith, Herbert Kenneth, "How Evangelical Pastors Manage the Four Areas of the Greatest Commandment—Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind—and Practical Applications for Obedience" (2020). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2404.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2404
Abstract
The researcher was called to pastoral ministry at age fifty. Five decades of life outside ministry lends a unique perspective. The trappings of ministry were not unknown to the researcher, but living out a called ministry, combined with the determination and stamina needed for successful execution, was an unforeseen challenge. Senior pastors of evangelical churches lead busy lives personally and professionally. The pace of life in current culture, secular and religious, impede pastors from observing the greatest commandment with full effort (“all”) as Jesus directs every Christian to do. Obedience to the commandment is directed by Jesus as to employ the heart, soul, strength (or might), and mind (Matt 22:36-38, Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:25-38).1 The whole of human existence is to be utilized in keeping the commandment. Accordingly, the four areas of heart, soul, strength, and mind are to be used as conduits of love toward God. These areas of our being drive us emotionally (heart), spiritually (soul), physically (strength), and intellectually (mind). A research of the health of evangelical pastors in these four areas is being conducted and reported here. Data from scholarly writings, media, experience, and scripture; each researched to render findings, address the problems, and identify practical, proven strategies and applications. An IRB approved long term question/response survey for further research was launched March 1, 2020.
