New Manual Helps Inform Those Who Are About to Go into Pastoral Ministry or Are Already There and Struggling

Pastor shares 40 years of ministry experience to help prepare new and seasoned ministers for real-world challenges

WAYNE, N.J., Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new book shares guidance and encouragement for new and existing pastors, all from an experienced pastor who created it as an instructional guide. It offers practical wisdom and insight gained from over 40 years of ministry experience to help navigate the challenges they will face.

In "What a Degree Didn't Prepare You For, But You Need to Know," author Pastor Lou Curcio explores ten practical topics, providing readers encouragement and insight into building necessary personal habits and family structures to thrive and persevere amid these challenges. It also features contributions from the author's wife, Patti, who offers a unique perspective on the challenges and joys of being a pastor's wife and raising a family in the ministry.

"After going through some tough times in my ministry," said Curcio, "I wanted to create a resource, so that I might share my experiences, good, and not so good, that others might avoid and learn from the pitfalls that I fell into and that the Lord brought me through."

Curcio has over 40 years of pastoral ministry experience and has served in many diverse ministries within the church. He went through a four-year period of clinical depression and ministry burnout where he experientially learned important lessons as well as the pitfalls to avoid.

"My prayer is that the knowledge and experiences with which God has blessed me," said Curcio, "might help save you and your family from some of the difficulties that ministry will inevitably bring."

"What a Degree Didn't Prepare You For But You Need to Know: A Ministry Application Handbook"
By Pastor Lou Curcio
ISBN: 9798385051274 (softcover); 9798385051267 (electronic)
Available at WestBow Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the author
Pastor Lou Curcio grew up in Wayne, NJ in a Christian home. He attended Northeastern Bible College, Bloomfield, NJ, where he received his BA in Bible with a Minor in CE of Youth. After pastoring for many years, he went back to school and received his MA in Theology from Biblical Seminary, Hatfield, Pa. He has been in the pastoral ministry for over 40 years in various capacities serving as Lead Pastor, Associate Pastor, Youth Pastor, Outreach Pastor, Sports Pastor, Counselor and Small Groups Leader. He is presently pastoring a small non-denominational church in Northern NJ where he lives with his wife Patti. He and Patti have four children and 7 grandchildren. When not ministering Pastor Lou enjoys reading and fishing. To learn more, please visit www.pastorloucurcio.com.

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SOURCE WestBow Press