The Pastor’s Quiet Time (Part 2)

For me, a major part of my quiet time includes reading a daily devotional book. When I sit down for my quiet time, I usually read a passage from the Bible, keep a journal, and work my way through a devotional book.

I enjoy reading classics such as Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest, Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders, and Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman. Sanders’ book has been a major part of my quiet time for many years.

But one of my favorite devotional writers is David Roper. In the last 5 years his writings have become the keystone of my devotional time. David Roper currently directs  Idaho Mountain Ministries, a retreat dedicated to the encouragement of pastoral couples. He previously served as a pastor for more than 30 years, and he is a regular contributor to Our Daily Bread. David is the author of such books as The Strength of a Man, In Quietness and Confidence, Out of the Ordinary, and Teach Us to Number Our Days (an excellent resource for those further along in years).

David is not as well known as Chambers and Sanders, but he has been a great help to me in recent years. His book A Burden Shared addresses the practical side of ministry. In the past, when my wife and I traveled in the Middle East to pray with missionaries, this was the book I most often gave to these missionaries. This book includes helpful chapters on humility, compassion, burnout, dealing with criticism, finishing strong, and other relevant topics for pastors and church leaders.

I returned to the Middle East a year after distributing Roper’s book. While revisiting the missionaries there, one missionary pastor in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E, excitedly shared, “This book has become the centerpiece of my devotional life!”

What components make up your quiet time? Do you have a favorite devotional book that has been a blessing to you? If so, please let us know about it.