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Book ReviewsCommentary

Doing Right while Doing Good

By May 23, 2013July 16th, 2014No Comments

Kenneth Bickel and Kevin Vanderground
BMH Books, $15.99

“When ministry leaders grievously fail, the ripple effects often extend well beyond what any one person can comprehend,” say the authors of a new book on ministerial ethics.

Kenneth Bickel is a retired pastor and seminary professor who taught for many years at Grace Theological Seminary. Kevin Vandergound is a lawyer who is a member of a GARBC church in Indiana. Together, the two provide information from a pastoral and legal perspective, offering a code of conduct that addresses the new situations confronting ministry leaders.

The book’s greatest strength is its broad scope, covering subjects such as financial integrity, part-time jobs, pornography, abuse of power, retirements, faithfulness to doctrinal statements, and outside commitments.

Readers may raise an eyebrow at occasional references to the church’s “governing board” (probably reflecting the Brethren heritage of one coauthor). But the devotional tone and practical advice make this a must-read for ministerial leaders and students.

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