Shepherding Time - by Rush Witt & Joe Keller (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Time is a precious and finite commodity. Are you stewarding it well? As a pastor, your work moves fluidly between study and solitude, counseling and crisis care, administration and leadership, plus a series of daily interruptions, not to mention your family and home life. How do you manage time effectively in a role without predictable hours, where you encounter the needs of others at every turn?

With biblical principles and pastoral care, Shepherding Time enables pastors to serve their congregations faithfully while maintaining their own spiritual health. It equips pastors to use time with intentionality and humility, so they can serve their people well without losing themselves, their families, or their first love for Christ.

Offering a pastoral, practical, and deeply theological vision, the book reframes time as a matter of worship, discipleship, and gospel freedom while addressing common struggles such as time guilt, distractions, and overwhelming expectations. Through biblical insight and actionable guidance, it provides practical tools to help pastors plan their ideal week and steward their time with greater faithfulness and clarity.

Review Quotes

"Most pastors don't have a time problem--they have a theology problem. Rush Witt and Joe Keller make the argument that most productivity books never attempt: Your view of God directly shapes your use of time. Get that wrong, and no system fixes it. Get it right, and the framework they provide actually holds. Buy this book."
Brian Howard, President, Acts 29; adjunct professor, Talbot School of Theology

"Church leaders, your fruitfulness and joy are shaped by how you steward time. Shepherding Time moves beyond productivity hacks and efficiency metrics to show how faithful time stewardship flows from a well-ordered soul. Readable, crisp, insightful, and effectively concrete, this is a book worth the time of every leader who wants to redeem it."
Dave Harvey, President, Great Commission Collective; author of When Sinners Say I Do and The Clay Pot Conspiracy

"Everyone is busy, especially hardworking pastors. But pastors don't need another productivity hack. They need encouragement from the Scriptures for stewarding the time God has entrusted to them. In Shepherding Time, Rush Witt and Joe Keller offer exactly that. Blending a theology of stewardship with pastoral wisdom and practical counsel, they help shepherds think clearly about one of the greatest challenges in ministry. This is a timely resource for pastors who want to faithfully shepherd both their people and their calendars."
Nate Akin, Executive Director, the Pillar Network

"I wish I could put a copy of Shepherding Time into the hands of every pastor, seminarian, and lay elder. Rush and Joe have presented a wise, realistic, and deeply pastoral guide to stewarding time for the good of Christ's church."
Reagan Rose, Author of Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God

"I could not be more grateful for Rush Witt and Joe Keller's timely work on the pastor and time. They have given pastors something rare: not another set of productivity hacks, but a deeply pastoral vision for stewarding our limits well. In a ministry culture often driven by urgency and efficiency, this book offers wisdom, clarity, and freedom. Shepherding Time is a needed reminder that how a pastor uses his time reveals what he loves, values, and believes about God, himself, and others."
Jonathan D. Holmes, Executive Director, CCEF

"All pastors are busy. Not all pastors know how to manage their time. Personally, I've found Rush Witt to be a helpful guide for better organization and time management. Now, he and Joe Keller have put their counsel to paper. If you're like me, trying to balance a number of responsibilities while wearing multiple hats, you will benefit from Shepherding Time. With brief chapters, helpful reflection questions, and clear action steps, you will be well served."
Juan R. Sanchez, Senior Pastor, High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin, TX; coauthor of Reaching Your Child's Heart

"Joe and Rush are pastors who produce. But productivity is not their driving motivation--they want to see the Lord glorified by his Word being faithfully ministered to his people. These men are faithful guides to working well in ministry. Take and read."
Jeremy Pierre, Dean, The Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Ministry, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"Unlike most books on time management which focus only on practical tips, Shepherding Time helps pastors examine their heart motives and relationship with God when stewarding both their callings and their time in light of ultimate and eternal purposes. With great insights from church history, this book will encourage and equip today's pastors for greater joy and effectiveness in ministry."
Mark Tatlock, President, The Master's Academy International

"Pastors rarely lack work; they often lack a wise plan for the abundance of good work in front of them. Rush Witt and Joe Keller offer meaningful counsel to the church leader trying to be faithful at home and in his local church at the same time. Their fifty years of combined ministry experience show in a book that is accessible, honest, and full of practical action steps. Any pastor who wants to grow in shepherding his time would do well to pick this up."
Ryan Robertson, President, Reaching & Teaching International

"I wish I had this book when I started ministry. The pressure of the clock has been constant, but I've never looked at time as something to shepherd. Rush and Joe give busy shepherds a theological framework combined with genuinely helpful tools that I have not found anywhere else. I will make it required reading for every man I train for the pastorate."
T. J. Freeman, Senior Pastor, Christ Church, Wellsboro, PA; executive director, The Brainerd Institute for Rural Ministry

"Pastors don't struggle with time management because they're lazy. They struggle because everything matters and everyone needs them now. Witt and Keller finally wrote the book that addresses that real tension. This is not another productivity hack. It builds a theology of time before it gives you a strategy. Every pastor needs this book."
Chris Kouba, Lead Pastor, United City Church, Humble, TX; podcast host, Step Up

"Ministry is a fulfilling calling, and one that fills every day with more opportunities than any pastor can possibly pursue. Shepherding Time helps pastors think wisely about how to steward their limited hours for the sake of their people, families, and mission."
Scott Zeller, Executive Vice President of Churches, Acts 29

"This book is not just about time--it teaches you how to wisely manage your life and ministry as a pastor. If your time is overrun by the busyness of ministry and the tyranny of the urgent, Joe and Rush are very capable guides."
Deepak Reju, Senior Pastor, Ogletown Baptist Church, Newark, DE; author of On Guard and The Pastor and Counseling

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book! We all struggle to make the most of our time. We wonder, Should we do this? Or should we do that? Rush Witt and Joe Keller have set a wise course of action for pastors. By being proactive and thoughtful, pastors can redeem precious, God-given time."
Benjamin L. Gladd, Executive Director, The Carson Center for Theological Renewal

"Every minute matters, especially for pastors who feel that time is a burden to manage rather than a blessing to steward. Witt and Keller bring fresh biblical wisdom to productivity, helping pastors shepherd time without false guilt or neglect. Ecclesiastes reminds us that God ordains every season, and this book helps pastors serve faithfully. Make the time to read it."
Dwayne Milioni, Lead Pastor; seminary professor; cofounder, the Pillar Network

"I often describe my life as 'gracious people waiting for me to get back to them.' I can feel like I'm perpetually behind schedule. In Shepherding Time, Keller and Witt helped me see how deeply the fear of man can shape my calendar and commitments. More than that, they provided practical, Christ-centered tools that have helped me become a wiser and more faithful steward of the time God has entrusted to me."
Timothy St. John, Counseling Pastor, Lighthouse Community Church, Torrance, CA; author of After Church Hurt

"Joe Keller and Rush Witt have written a much-needed book on time. They challenge the reader to think about it in terms of stewardship, accountability and eternity. As I get older, I realize that good is often the enemy of excellent. As I read, I was reminded that how we use time is a great measure of our character. You will be convicted, encouraged, and helped as you rethink how you use your time to maximize ministry effectiveness and do all for the glory of God."
Garrett Higbee, President, Soul Care Consulting International; director, Lead Healthy Retreats

"Shepherding Time introduces categories that every pastor needs in order to finish well. I believe pastors need a steady diet of books that speak about categories of shepherding, time management, pastoral priorities, and rest. Witt and Keller give insight and care to these areas. Take a personal retreat and prayerfully read this book--it will serve you."
Mike Seaver, Lead Pastor, Risen Hope Church, Summerville, SC; church plant coordinator, Sovereign Grace Churches

"This book is a rich source of both biblical wisdom and practical suggestions for how pastors can steward their time well. It will serve pastors well to read and think about this essential topic so that they can use their time in ways that honor the Lord and serve the people of God."
Matthias Lohmann, Pastor, FEG Munich, Germany; chairman, Evangelium21; 9Marks speaker

"No more time can be added to the day, but opportunities abound for improved stewardship of the time we have been allotted. Rush and Joe have developed a thorough understanding of time management and our common struggles with it, and they deliver helpful strategy from pastors for pastors. Your ministry and Master will be blessed by your timely engagement with this book!"
Adam Bailie, Senior Lead Pastor, Christ Church, Greensboro, NC

"I am grateful for these two gospel-shaped men who are passionate about using their time for the glory of God. Read it. Every single word, and apply its message to your every day as you seek to redeem your time with the one life you have to live."
Daniel S. Dumas, CEO, Red Buffalo

About the Author

Rush Witt, MDiv, DMin, is Lead Pastor of Paramount Church in Bexley, Ohio and a certified counselor. Rush and his wife, Kathryn, have three daughters and two sons.

Joe Keller, MDiv, DMin, has served in Christian ministry and leadership development for over twenty-five years and serves as the Executive Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Santa Clarita, California. Joe and his wife, Heidi, have four children.