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This product will be available on January 19th, 2027
Description
Stay Faithful. Finish Well. Embrace the Beauty of Ordinary Ministry.
In a culture that celebrates bigger, faster, and more visible success, Staying the Course offers a refreshing and biblical call to long-term faithfulness in the ordinary local church.
Drawing from years of pastoral experience, Andy M. Baker challenges the assumption that ministry success is measured by attendance figures, influence, or platform size. Instead, he demonstrates that God often accomplishes His greatest work through pastors who remain steadfast, investing deeply in the people and places He has entrusted to their care.
With honesty, theological depth, and practical wisdom, Baker addresses the unique joys and struggles of shepherding smaller congregations. He encourages pastors to resist the lure of “greener pastures,” redefine success according to Scripture, and embrace the enduring fruit that comes from patient, faithful ministry.
Whether you are discouraged by slow growth, weary from ministry challenges, or seeking a renewed vision for your calling, this book will remind you that God’s kingdom advances through faithfulness more than fame.
Inside this encouraging guide, you will discover:
- A biblical vision for long-term pastoral ministry
- How to measure church health beyond numbers
- Encouragement for navigating difficult seasons
- The power of presence, perseverance, and patient discipleship
- A renewed confidence in God’s purposes for ordinary churches
Stay the course—and discover the eternal impact of faithful ministry where God has planted you.
Endorsements
I just love Andy's mature, godly, practical perspective on the life, times, and future of the ordinary pastor—which is almost all of us. I want my students preparing for ministry to share his realistic yet hopeful determination to stay the course, for the sake of the church and the glory of God.
Collin Hansen
Editor–in–Chief, The Gospel Coalition; author, ‘Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation’
With empathy and practical fortitude, Andy Baker takes you into his own struggles with sympathy and understanding but motivates you to take the higher road. Every pastor, ministry leader, and elder board needs to read this immediately.
Derek W. H. Thomas
Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries; Retired Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church (ARP), Columbia, South Carolina
Perhaps more than ever, pastors face the temptation to covet more followers, larger numbers, and increased visibility. Andy Baker offers us a timely reminder that Christ has called his servants to faithfulness over flash and to a miraculous ministry in the ordinary church.
Obbie Tyler Todd
Pastor of Teaching and Theology, Cross Community Church, Beaufort, South Carolina
This book is the vision of ministry that I’ve given my entire life to. Read it prayerfully and with a fellow pastor.
Sean DeMars
Pastor, Glory Community Church, Decatur, Alabama; host, Room for Nuance podcast
Author
Andy Baker (PhD, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary) is lead pastor of First Baptist Church Oloh in Sumrall, Mississippi, where he resides with his wife and their three children.
Specifications
ISBN 9781527114685
Author Andy M. Baker
Imprint Focus
Category Ministry
Release Date 19 January 2027
Format Paperback
Page Count 144
Width 130 mm
Height 198 mm
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