From Throwing in the Towel to Staying in the Fight

Book Review by
Adam Brown

The pastor in the local church leads a life of ups and downs. Sunday can be a time of invigoration and joy, and then on Monday morning, the depression comes. The outside world may have a hard time grasping the world of the pastor. The highs and lows, ups and downs can take a toll on the pastor and his family. Many of those who enter the ministry excited and motivated to win the world for Christ may be found leaving the ministry years later. 

From Throwing in the Towel to Staying in the Fight by Harry Strauss, CreateSpace, 2010 .Harry Strauss has been a pastor for 30-plus years. He has experienced, firsthand, the life that a pastor and his family lead. He has been involved in leading both small and large congregations. Strauss has a doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., and a master’s from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

In his book, “From Throwing in the Towel to Staying in the Fight,” Strauss explains how the pressures and emotions that pastors experience are really quite common. In the introduction, he provides a list of common factors that lead to frustration and discouragement. Among these factors are the failure to see growth in the church, unrealistic expectations on the pastor by the church, the feeling that the work is never finished, the sense of living in a fishbowl, blurred boundaries of ministry and marriage and the emotional drains of working with high-need people. 

The validity of such a book is great. Researchers claim 90 percent of people who enter full-time ministry at age 21 are no longer in ministry by age 65. A study conducted by Focus on the Family found 80 percent of pastors and 84 percent of their spouses are depressed or discouraged. More than 40 percent of pastors are suffering from burnout; the number for spouses is even higher at 47 percent experiencing burnout. 

The 29 chapters in the book cover a myriad of topics related to the pastorate, such as calling, mentorship, suffering, heaven, preaching, sexual purity, servanthood and endurance. 

For example, in the conversation about sexual purity, Strauss describes what he calls the three main points of temptation for the pastor –  “the three G’s – girls, gold and glory.” He points to research that has found that 20 percent of pastors view pornography once a month, and 20 percent admit to having affairs while in the ministry. 

The layout of the book is user-friendly; the sections are short with encouraging quotes at the beginning, and Strauss has included 13 cartoons with which the pastor can identify. The book describes each section as a conversation and ends each section with ideas and questions that could be utilized in a group study of the book. Strauss includes ideas and suggestions for media and other books that the reader might use for further benefit. In his endorsement of the book, Henry Blackaby (author of “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God”) says, “In this book, Pastor Harry shares keen insight out of his many years of rich pastoral experience. … I know you will be blessed as you read it.”  

This book was written to encourage pastors and to help them stay in the fight. Built around the biblical truths of 2 Timothy, the conversations will awaken dreams and rekindle the vision for making a significant and joyous contribution to the kingdom of God. In reading this book, expect to find encouragement for the journey.