A comprehensive overview of the development of Christian ministry, revised from the original 1992 edition to deal with developments and new questions in ministry in recent decades. Bernier shows how church ministry developed and changed in response to specific social or cultural needs, and discourages placing blame for practices promulgated in good faith and for the common good. A useful textbook (proved by two decades of use), this books illustrates the fluidity and form of Christian ministry, and its place both in and outside the institutional Church. It will be a valuable resource for adult education as well as for pastoral ministers seeking to broaden their understanding of their roles.

Ministry in the Church will complement Orbis' existing offerings in the fields of missiology and practical theology, and will provide a valuable resource to professors in ministry, parish educators, and seminaries seeking an up-to-date guide to the history, development, and implementation of ministry in the church.