Benedictions: A Pocket Resource

If you are in a church that is in the practice of the pastor pronouncing a benediction (which is not a closing prayer called a benediction, but a real blessing) to the people as the church goes from corporate worship to the "mission field," I highly reccomend this small book for a pastor, or anyone for that matter, to read the rich promises in Scripture that God gives his people.
My Hebrew Professor, Dr. Robert Vasholz, put together 109 different benedictions that draw from Scriptural promises to be used in corporate worship. I think the real upshot to some of the benedictions are the way he combined portions of Old Testament scriptures with New Testament scriptures and they work well together in such a way that you are reminded of God's love for his people throughout the ages.

Here is an example of one particular benediction:
May the Lord of Hosts be with you
So that you will become greater and greater still,
Until you recieve that crown of life
Which the Lord has prepared for those that love Him.
2 Sam 5:10 & James 1:12 (pp 48)

He also combines OT with OT, single verses that are not often used as benedictions and aditionally Scripture combined with great lyrics of hymns and poems from Christian history. The language is such that it provides a depth and richness to understanding and recieving God's blessing at the close of corporate worship. And it certainly gives pastors a greater breadth of material than the standard Aaronic Benediction and the three or four which are typically used from the New Testament. Instead of a congregation hearing the same benedictions month by month until they run the risk of being "vain" in their repetition; the pastor has a resource for over two years without a repeat!


I cannot reccomend this book enough. It is published by Christian Focus publications and can be purchased through amazon.com.

If you are looking for a nice hardbacked, practical gift for a pastor or chaplain, then I suggest this book.