Hull believes and teaches that it is the primary ministry of the pastors of local churches to make disciples. Few would argue with this in principle, but in practice the time and energies of many a pastor is fragmented into so many areas that the task of discipleship making gets lost in the shuffle. Hull’s book is an attempt to call pastors back to this ministry and to help equip them for the job.
The Disciple Making Pastor is a book well worth reading. It lays out the Scriptural teachings and guidelines for a discipleship ministry, and gives practical suggestions for implementing such a program. The book is not without its problems, however. I felt the author was a little too caustic toward pastors who have not caught his vision. Coupled with this is the simple fact that the pastor of an established, traditional church may find it very difficult to easily, and quickly, change his job description. Churches have expectations and those expectations are not easily adjusted. It may take decades for a pastor with a heart for discipleship making to bring his church to his position. I feel that Hull also minimizes the place that preaching and teaching play in the role of the pastor. Small group discipleship is important, but without biblical instruction it will flounder. Hull does not discount preaching, but the sense I gather is that it is secondary to the pastor’s small group ministry. I disagree. I would also hesitate to endorse some of his methodology and a few of his biblical positions, but overall this volume is very helpful.