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The Pastor: A Memoir
'This book is the story of my formation as a pastor, and how the vocation of pastor formed me. I had never planned to be a pastor, never was aware of any inclination to be a pastor, never 'knew what I was going to be when I grew up.' And then--at the time it seemed to arrive abruptly--there it Pastor. I can't imagine now not being a pastor. I was a pastor long before I knew I was a pastor; I just never had a name for it. Once the name arrived, all kinds of things, seemingly random experiences and memories, gradually began to take a form that was congruent with who I was becoming, like finding a glove that fit my hand perfectly-a calling, a fusion of all the pieces of my life, a Pastor. But it took a while.' In 1962, Eugene Peterson was asked by his denomination, the Presbyterian Church USA, to begin a new church outside Baltimore, in Bel Air, Maryland. And so was born Christ Our King Presbyterian Church. But Peterson quickly learned that he was not exactly sure what a pastor should do. He had met many ministers in his life, from his Pentecostal upbringing in Montana to his seminary days in New York, and he admired a few, but for all his study and all his experience, he soon discovered that the variety and quantity of the tasks put before him were overwhelming. The demands would drown him unless he figured out a way to measure what the heart of the job really was and whether he was living up to his calling. And that he was he set out to do. What Peterson discovered is that back then, just like now, few people understood what he meant to pastor a church, how he would measure himself, what he would do day to day after Sunday's service, how he would know if he was doing it well. After 29 years in the pulpit of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church, he found that being a pastor wasn't about how many people filled his pews each week but rather about 'paying attention and calling attention to 'what is going on right now' between men and women, with each other and with God. I want to give witness to this way of understanding pastor... I would like to provide dignity to this essentially modest and often obscure way of life in the kingdom of God.' The Pastor steers away from abstractions, offering instead a beautiful rendering of a life tied to the physical world-the land, the holy space, the people-all shaping his path as a pastor and his faith. We expect this book to be widely reviewed and discussed. Peterson takes on church marketing, mega pastors, and the church's too cozy relationship to American glitz and consumerism. We think it will become the definitive statement on the subject for years to come.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2011
About the author
Eugene H. Peterson
378 books896 followersEugene H. Peterson was a pastor, scholar, author, and poet. For many years he was James M. Houston Professor of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. He also served as founding pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland. He had written over thirty books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language a contemporary translation of the Bible. After retiring from full-time teaching, Eugene and his wife Jan lived in the Big Sky Country of rural Montana. He died in October 2018.
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July 9, 2024
Near the beginning of this book, Peterson says something which I found extremely intriguing.
He’s talking there about his Pentecostal Faith as a child (extremely old-fashioned in its premodern days), in the still-rugged Midwest, and how his fellow parishioners had an innate horror and aversion for “backsliders.”
Funny, that. Being, along with Kierkegaard, a rather affective believer in my youth and childhood (yep - it landed me in LOADS of trouble) I ended up a conflicted and angst-ridden adult. And WOW, did I see myself as a backslider!
But not Peterson. Moving to the Northeastern States for his extensive seminary studies, he developed a balanced, rational approach to homiletics - though he possessed the same underlying angst that I did.
For him there just Weren't any backsliders. That's just a ruse of the Enemy to make us give up. Cause Peterson tells us to just:
Pick yourself up
And get back
In the race.
Yeah, that's life! And it's common knowledge. :D...
He had abandoned his affective early enthusiasm for a rational evangelism, joining the reformed church. So what’s an uneasy Catholic see in Peterson’s quasi de-mythologizing faith?
Simple. He had an EVENNESS about him.
We see those late videos of him happily chatting with Bono (of U2 fame) in his self-constructed lakeside retirement retreat home, and though we still see evidence of angst, we know this man never OBSESSED about it.
And stressed-out Bono sure thought his host was One Cool Dude (Peterson soon became the Rock Star's spirit guide)!
But we Catholics bear a debtload of guilt for our errant ways. And Peterson has an equanimity about sin and guilt.
He sees sin as a necessary, unavoidable part of life (as T.S. Eliot said, “sin is behovely”)…
It BEHOOVES us to sin - we’re stuck in it.
And Everybody is up to their eyeballs in it at work.
Squeaky-Clean Saint Francis would have been peremptorily FIRED if he had worked in our ethical-short-cut modern office environment.
(It’s a good thing he begged for his food [but then of course, the prayers he offered up WORKED. And his donors were truly blessed! But he was good for sure... because he felt guilt.)
If a guy admits his guilt he's already half-way there. Conviction is the chapel of a Heavenly Cathedral!
Like Saint Therese said, we've just gotta zap those old affectively self-damning if-only's! Trash the guilt trip. Just be little.
Then heaven's door opens!
There's no if-only. There's only the present. Zen Catholicism, as one book writes.
So Peterson BALANCES us.
We may despise the evil in the world -
But so did he -
And WITHOUT our affective Guilt Trips, as the Little Flower taught.
He’s talking there about his Pentecostal Faith as a child (extremely old-fashioned in its premodern days), in the still-rugged Midwest, and how his fellow parishioners had an innate horror and aversion for “backsliders.”
Funny, that. Being, along with Kierkegaard, a rather affective believer in my youth and childhood (yep - it landed me in LOADS of trouble) I ended up a conflicted and angst-ridden adult. And WOW, did I see myself as a backslider!
But not Peterson. Moving to the Northeastern States for his extensive seminary studies, he developed a balanced, rational approach to homiletics - though he possessed the same underlying angst that I did.
For him there just Weren't any backsliders. That's just a ruse of the Enemy to make us give up. Cause Peterson tells us to just:
Pick yourself up
And get back
In the race.
Yeah, that's life! And it's common knowledge. :D...
He had abandoned his affective early enthusiasm for a rational evangelism, joining the reformed church. So what’s an uneasy Catholic see in Peterson’s quasi de-mythologizing faith?
Simple. He had an EVENNESS about him.
We see those late videos of him happily chatting with Bono (of U2 fame) in his self-constructed lakeside retirement retreat home, and though we still see evidence of angst, we know this man never OBSESSED about it.
And stressed-out Bono sure thought his host was One Cool Dude (Peterson soon became the Rock Star's spirit guide)!
But we Catholics bear a debtload of guilt for our errant ways. And Peterson has an equanimity about sin and guilt.
He sees sin as a necessary, unavoidable part of life (as T.S. Eliot said, “sin is behovely”)…
It BEHOOVES us to sin - we’re stuck in it.
And Everybody is up to their eyeballs in it at work.
Squeaky-Clean Saint Francis would have been peremptorily FIRED if he had worked in our ethical-short-cut modern office environment.
(It’s a good thing he begged for his food [but then of course, the prayers he offered up WORKED. And his donors were truly blessed! But he was good for sure... because he felt guilt.)
If a guy admits his guilt he's already half-way there. Conviction is the chapel of a Heavenly Cathedral!
Like Saint Therese said, we've just gotta zap those old affectively self-damning if-only's! Trash the guilt trip. Just be little.
Then heaven's door opens!
There's no if-only. There's only the present. Zen Catholicism, as one book writes.
So Peterson BALANCES us.
We may despise the evil in the world -
But so did he -
And WITHOUT our affective Guilt Trips, as the Little Flower taught.
November 7, 2021
One of my favorite quotes is by Amos Bronson Alcott. He once said, "That is a good book which is opened with expectation, and closed with delight and profit." Well, I found a book that thoroughly meets that description. Although I had never read any of his stuff, I had heard that Eugene Peterson's books were excellent. The moment I heard of this one, I knew I had to pick it up, and boy, I'm glad I did. Peterson held me spell bound for the last couple of weeks. I am in the process of finishing up a seminary degree and prayerfully considering my future. One thing I know for sure (whatever happens)... I will be taking this man on my journey.
Not only did Peterson write with such insight and seasoned experience, but his tone and demeanor is what struck in me some of the deepest chords. He is humble, unhurried, non-theatrical. He is not given to cliché and his answers come with texture and layers. He is extremely thoughtful and measured. Now, some of the greatest leaders I've been around in church life haven't always fit this description. Rather, they've been blazing bundles of energy and zeal. I was reared (like Peterson) within a Pentecostal context, where sermons were not crafted as much as anointed in an extemporaneous manner. Unction and spontaneity were usually practiced over and above careful exegesis and study. I wasn't sure that was quite me. But even more than that, it was the pastors schedule that seemed most conspicuous. Pastors seemed to go on very little sleep, they traveled much, kept budgets, raised money, built buildings, led meetings, solved problems, and then was expected to maintain a deep devotional life, and be an exemplary husband and father. Honestly, I've been around some pretty impressive people, but the thought of all that just made me tired. I have always wondered if my temperament could sustain such expectations. Then, I began to have concerns about conducting the typical personality-centered, program-heavy, and success-oriented church. Was that even me? Does it have to be this way? Must I wear every hat in the house to be a good pastor? And so you can imagine my excitement as Peterson began addressing these issues one by one. With clarity and even elegance he went through and beautifully articulated a vision of the pastorate that looks human... that looks doable. One that's not so demanding and unrealistic. Much hope and wisdom was infused into my bones. I needed this read. It did my soul good. As I sat reading in my easy chair, it seemed that Peterson sat directly across from me. We had a great conversation; he talked mostly, I listened. It was close to poetry. If nothing else shimmering nuggets of wisdom. Thanks Eugene for the excellent talk. You've been an answer to prayer. (Written in 2011)
---------
5 years later...
Listened to this on audio for a second time through. It felt a bit different this time. It felt slower than I remember. After reading nearly a dozen of his books, though, I'm realizing Peterson's a bit that way. So, it took me awhile to hit the nuggets this time. But, boy, let me tell ya, when Peterson starts hitting it there's no one better. I think he's the voice on pastoral ministry today. His prophetic insight is so good. Chapter 24 to the end of the book is worth going through time and time again. I do have one more tiny frustration with Peterson. He can be a bit indirect. For all his emphasis on being earthly and grounded, he can get rather lofty and abstract. But, I guess that's the poet in him. And I kind of like it. Peterson seems to put nothing out there; he gives you no tools, no concrete takeaways. Rather, he makes you grapple with his ideas because, I assume, he wants you to do your own thinking. Seldom do I read authors as intellectually satisfying and respectful to his readers as Peterson. One of my goals is to one day make it through his entire canon.
Not only did Peterson write with such insight and seasoned experience, but his tone and demeanor is what struck in me some of the deepest chords. He is humble, unhurried, non-theatrical. He is not given to cliché and his answers come with texture and layers. He is extremely thoughtful and measured. Now, some of the greatest leaders I've been around in church life haven't always fit this description. Rather, they've been blazing bundles of energy and zeal. I was reared (like Peterson) within a Pentecostal context, where sermons were not crafted as much as anointed in an extemporaneous manner. Unction and spontaneity were usually practiced over and above careful exegesis and study. I wasn't sure that was quite me. But even more than that, it was the pastors schedule that seemed most conspicuous. Pastors seemed to go on very little sleep, they traveled much, kept budgets, raised money, built buildings, led meetings, solved problems, and then was expected to maintain a deep devotional life, and be an exemplary husband and father. Honestly, I've been around some pretty impressive people, but the thought of all that just made me tired. I have always wondered if my temperament could sustain such expectations. Then, I began to have concerns about conducting the typical personality-centered, program-heavy, and success-oriented church. Was that even me? Does it have to be this way? Must I wear every hat in the house to be a good pastor? And so you can imagine my excitement as Peterson began addressing these issues one by one. With clarity and even elegance he went through and beautifully articulated a vision of the pastorate that looks human... that looks doable. One that's not so demanding and unrealistic. Much hope and wisdom was infused into my bones. I needed this read. It did my soul good. As I sat reading in my easy chair, it seemed that Peterson sat directly across from me. We had a great conversation; he talked mostly, I listened. It was close to poetry. If nothing else shimmering nuggets of wisdom. Thanks Eugene for the excellent talk. You've been an answer to prayer. (Written in 2011)
---------
5 years later...
Listened to this on audio for a second time through. It felt a bit different this time. It felt slower than I remember. After reading nearly a dozen of his books, though, I'm realizing Peterson's a bit that way. So, it took me awhile to hit the nuggets this time. But, boy, let me tell ya, when Peterson starts hitting it there's no one better. I think he's the voice on pastoral ministry today. His prophetic insight is so good. Chapter 24 to the end of the book is worth going through time and time again. I do have one more tiny frustration with Peterson. He can be a bit indirect. For all his emphasis on being earthly and grounded, he can get rather lofty and abstract. But, I guess that's the poet in him. And I kind of like it. Peterson seems to put nothing out there; he gives you no tools, no concrete takeaways. Rather, he makes you grapple with his ideas because, I assume, he wants you to do your own thinking. Seldom do I read authors as intellectually satisfying and respectful to his readers as Peterson. One of my goals is to one day make it through his entire canon.
January 17, 2021
If a rock tumbled from a ledge into a river, the current would slowly change its shape. Hard edges become softer from decades of staying in the stream. So it is in the life of a pastor.
Peterson’s story shows us the rounded rock of a soul set in the stream of a grace we cannot earn.
Careful—if you read it you might get splashed by something better than proving your worth and decide to stay that way.
Peterson’s story shows us the rounded rock of a soul set in the stream of a grace we cannot earn.
Careful—if you read it you might get splashed by something better than proving your worth and decide to stay that way.
February 9, 2017
I can't say I've ever before considered the distinction between an autobiography and a memoir. But reading them simultaneously, I can see the difference and fell in love with memoir style. It's more heart than head, more process than fact.
The only thing I really knew of Eugene Peterson before this book was his role in translating The Message. Through this book, I got a glimpse into the person and the process, the things that formed him and prepared the way.
I love that he started on a path (never wanting to be a pastor) that he allowed God to change.
It's not his profundity that makes this book great. I went through to look for good quotes, and the only ones I really loved were places he quoted other people. But this book is chock-full of concepts and issues he wrestled with. His normalcy captures me. He's a very down-to-earth guy I'd love to have as my own pastor. He invites the reader to join him as he reflects on issues he's wrestled with. He incorporates funny stories. I feel like an armchair theologian, engaged in his process as he explains what he's learned about Church and pastoring the hard way. I love how he constantly brings the "pastoral imagination" to the forefront as he reminisces what has shaped his own. In short, I feel so drawn in, seeing his pursuit of God and building a healthy church without personality, without politics, with reflectiveness, always asking the questions of himself and others as to what could make it better.
This was a fabulous read.
The only thing I really knew of Eugene Peterson before this book was his role in translating The Message. Through this book, I got a glimpse into the person and the process, the things that formed him and prepared the way.
I love that he started on a path (never wanting to be a pastor) that he allowed God to change.
It's not his profundity that makes this book great. I went through to look for good quotes, and the only ones I really loved were places he quoted other people. But this book is chock-full of concepts and issues he wrestled with. His normalcy captures me. He's a very down-to-earth guy I'd love to have as my own pastor. He invites the reader to join him as he reflects on issues he's wrestled with. He incorporates funny stories. I feel like an armchair theologian, engaged in his process as he explains what he's learned about Church and pastoring the hard way. I love how he constantly brings the "pastoral imagination" to the forefront as he reminisces what has shaped his own. In short, I feel so drawn in, seeing his pursuit of God and building a healthy church without personality, without politics, with reflectiveness, always asking the questions of himself and others as to what could make it better.
This was a fabulous read.
December 3, 2022
I really needed this book at this point in my ministry. I found it so life-giving, so encouraging, that I’m tempted to be frustrated with myself for not reading it sooner, but I guess God knew the timing. The need.
In my final semester at Asbury Theological Seminary I had my second preaching class with Dr. Ellsworth Kalas. I asked him if we could meet to talk about the writing life of a pastor, or how to be both a pastor and a writer at the same time. We planned to meet a few weeks after graduation for lunch at Panera. When we met, he gave me this book. Somehow or another, I never put together exactly what Dr. Kalas was doing in giving me this. I don’t know how it was lost on me that this wasn’t just a book for me in my ministry, this was a book about a pastor who wrote.
When I graduated seminary I had so much to say, but I increasingly found myself at a loss for what to write. I was going through the “Badlands“ as Peterson would say. I now understand more of the reason for that as the need to be effective and busy rather than contemplative and unbusy. I think I understand a little bit better now how to proceed in the life of ministry and as a writer. Both Eugene Peterson and Ellsworth Kalas are gone now, But I appreciate their guidance and encouragement all the more now.
In my final semester at Asbury Theological Seminary I had my second preaching class with Dr. Ellsworth Kalas. I asked him if we could meet to talk about the writing life of a pastor, or how to be both a pastor and a writer at the same time. We planned to meet a few weeks after graduation for lunch at Panera. When we met, he gave me this book. Somehow or another, I never put together exactly what Dr. Kalas was doing in giving me this. I don’t know how it was lost on me that this wasn’t just a book for me in my ministry, this was a book about a pastor who wrote.
When I graduated seminary I had so much to say, but I increasingly found myself at a loss for what to write. I was going through the “Badlands“ as Peterson would say. I now understand more of the reason for that as the need to be effective and busy rather than contemplative and unbusy. I think I understand a little bit better now how to proceed in the life of ministry and as a writer. Both Eugene Peterson and Ellsworth Kalas are gone now, But I appreciate their guidance and encouragement all the more now.
January 9, 2024
I will quote John Ortberg's praise for starters: "a burning bush of a book"
I found this memoir very inspirational. Though at times I did notice the time and especially the cultural gap,
I encountered numorous gem stones of wisdom and perspective on this vocation. The humbleness, patience and people
orientedness of Peterson approaching his vocation as pastor is a voice necessary to be heard now more than ever.
"The position in which the church has placed us by ordaning us to this vocation means
giving witness to what we dont know much about and cant explain -
living into the mystery of salvation and holiness."
I found this memoir very inspirational. Though at times I did notice the time and especially the cultural gap,
I encountered numorous gem stones of wisdom and perspective on this vocation. The humbleness, patience and people
orientedness of Peterson approaching his vocation as pastor is a voice necessary to be heard now more than ever.
"The position in which the church has placed us by ordaning us to this vocation means
giving witness to what we dont know much about and cant explain -
living into the mystery of salvation and holiness."
April 30, 2023
I have not read any other books on pastorship, but I could see this being one of the best! Peterson, through his life, articulates the true vocation of pastor. It is one of humility, reflection, prayer, and dependence on God. I will definitely have a lot to think on from this one.
May 16, 2016
I couldn't put this down. Peterson is such an approachable and compelling writer, but paradoxically, he has such prophetic insight and imagination. His message and call are far from comfortable, but they are communicated with such winsomeness and honesty that it is hard not be drawn in.
This is a very unusual memoir - he's open - but keeps the focus very clear on ministry. This seems to me a brilliant solution to the problem of Christian autobiography. As such it is simply an extension of his role as a pastor, whereby he shared not only the gospel but his very life with those he serves in print.
This is a very unusual memoir - he's open - but keeps the focus very clear on ministry. This seems to me a brilliant solution to the problem of Christian autobiography. As such it is simply an extension of his role as a pastor, whereby he shared not only the gospel but his very life with those he serves in print.
April 4, 2022
Peterson is a great storyteller and seems like a thoughtful pastor and writer, but this book was not one of his better ones. The stories lack a cohesive narrative unity, and Peterson often wanders off into sermonizing about stories that can easily lead a reader astray from the point.
The Pastor contains some fun anecdotes, and anyone looking for a light devotional from a faithful Christian minister would likely be served by this book.
The Pastor contains some fun anecdotes, and anyone looking for a light devotional from a faithful Christian minister would likely be served by this book.
September 30, 2018
I’m thankful to have these words as a guide for pastors who get caught up in busy. Peterson is a kind of sage for American pastors who, as he writes, serve in churches that do business with God in the background. He tells his own story in a way that points to dangers and delights for the rest of us on a similar journey.
April 15, 2023
I had never read any Eugene Peterson, but this was a great book! He’s a beautiful story teller, and does a good job in showing how his own life a work of God’s grace. He thinks deeply about how his own story is a picture God has been painting. I also never realized he was so well versed in biblical studies, I guess I thought the of The Message and didn’t assume he would be much of a biblical scholar, but he studied under John Bright and was invited to study under Brevard Childs. Interesting dude, even if a weird one!
He was a little cringe at times. If Matthew McConaughey was a pastor, this is how he would talk!
He was a little cringe at times. If Matthew McConaughey was a pastor, this is how he would talk!
July 21, 2024
This memoir is a little bit of a ramble, and wasn’t exactly what I expected, yet is richly rewarding and insightful. Peterson isn’t always precise or prescriptive, but that results in a path of holiness told as more approachable to a wider audience than, say (my favourite) an Elisabeth Elliot.
While I spent some of my time uncertain of what the author meant, and trying to determine if I agreed, there is no confusion when it comes to Peterson’s love for God or care for his congregation. A “this is one way to live a holy life” memoir, passionate and worth the read.
While I spent some of my time uncertain of what the author meant, and trying to determine if I agreed, there is no confusion when it comes to Peterson’s love for God or care for his congregation. A “this is one way to live a holy life” memoir, passionate and worth the read.
September 9, 2020
This book is a refreshing reminder of what faith looks like when all the niceties are stripped away. Filled with many beautiful and encouraging stories, this memoire has revived in me a desire for silence, a resilience in times of trouble, and hopefulness for the future.
January 1, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Peterson set out to write about his vocation, a pastor. His memoir touches on many aspects of his life in that role. We get a closer view of his heart and mindset for his calling and it is refreshing and thought provoking. If you are a pastor, I highly recommend this read to be reminded of what it is to be the pastor.
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March 1, 2024Peterson gives us a lucid look into what it was like to be him--a Presbyterian pastor, a Pentecostal born in the 30s, and the author of The Message. It's an enjoyable book to read and helps make sense of the guy who's so likeable but whose reputation is also shrouded in some perplexing controversy.
April 17, 2023
I think this is a good book; I just didn’t really enjoy it. I feel like most everything he said was insightful and a wise. Just nothing really stuck with me or really excited me.
December 8, 2023
Eher unstrukturierte Sammlung von Erlebnissen, Personen etc., die Peterson in seiner Entwicklung zum Pastor geprägt haben. Wenn man eine strukturierte und chronologische Biographie erwartet ist es eher enttäuschend. Wenn man einfach einige Impulse mitnehmen will kann es gewinnbringend sein.
March 15, 2024
The best way I could describe this book is that it kept me company in a way I needed.
July 10, 2024
Every pastor, from every denomination should read this book. Peterson has given us a gift by showing us, in detail, how he allowed Christ to develop his heart. He deals with his years of education, his marriage, and especially the flock he shepherded. He is honest about the struggles, but never wallowing in them. Reading this helpped me love the folks I serve more, and encouraged me to shepherd their hearts, while letting Christ shepherd mine through them. I keep it handy on every vacation, sabbaticals, it needs to be there. Chapters are full of stories, vulnerable insights, and encouragement. Every pastor needs to read this!
October 8, 2022
Peterson thoughtfully and artistically aids the reader in recapturing the pastoral imagination. Not through cliché religious leadership principles, but giving insight into how his life formed him as a pastor and how being a pastor formed him as a soul.
October 3, 2017
3.5/5.
I have only read one Eugene Peterson book (besides his short book of poems) previous to his 2011 memoir (that was "Under the Unpredictable Plant") but even so there were stretches where I had already read through the content featured in this book. Of course, this memoir is more of a culmination of Peterson's lifelong reflections of pastoral vocation (and the stories are great - especially about his jesting with his denomination's inattentive bureaucracy) and so some repetition is to be expected, but still!
Otherwise this is a wise and whimsical memoir from one of the most thoughtful pastors of the last half-century. I appreciated Peterson's frequent rebukes of the (North) American Church's obsession with relevance, worship as consumerism, church growth and programming, etc...although part of me wonders if his wildly successful paraphrase of "The Message" is itself not partially a product of the American drive for innovation, freshness, and novelty? I did not realize the Peterson was only professor of spiritual theology at Regent College for five and a half years (and, being a student there now, I wish he had discussed this phase of his life more, though there he was more of a professor than a pastor)!
Worth reading, but I found Richard Lischer's pastoral memoir "Open Secrets" to be better, more astute and more focused on the pastor's relationship to the congregation. There were sections where Peterson rambles...
I have only read one Eugene Peterson book (besides his short book of poems) previous to his 2011 memoir (that was "Under the Unpredictable Plant") but even so there were stretches where I had already read through the content featured in this book. Of course, this memoir is more of a culmination of Peterson's lifelong reflections of pastoral vocation (and the stories are great - especially about his jesting with his denomination's inattentive bureaucracy) and so some repetition is to be expected, but still!
Otherwise this is a wise and whimsical memoir from one of the most thoughtful pastors of the last half-century. I appreciated Peterson's frequent rebukes of the (North) American Church's obsession with relevance, worship as consumerism, church growth and programming, etc...although part of me wonders if his wildly successful paraphrase of "The Message" is itself not partially a product of the American drive for innovation, freshness, and novelty? I did not realize the Peterson was only professor of spiritual theology at Regent College for five and a half years (and, being a student there now, I wish he had discussed this phase of his life more, though there he was more of a professor than a pastor)!
Worth reading, but I found Richard Lischer's pastoral memoir "Open Secrets" to be better, more astute and more focused on the pastor's relationship to the congregation. There were sections where Peterson rambles...
March 21, 2016
A friend passed this book along to me because she was sure I'd enjoy it. As a pastor's wife for nearly 35 years, I've been immersed in the life and ministry of a pastor who has planted churches, as well as led in growing them in both numbers and spiritual maturity. I was eager to read Peterson's memoir because of my having known about other books he'd written and having read and used The Message, his translation of the Greek and Hebrew texts into everyday American English. I was not disappointed in any way.
With integrity, honesty, vulnerability, and transparency, Peterson shares his life and philosophy of ministry as he gives his answer to the question, “What does it mean to be a pastor?” His life is an “open book” as he shares his journey as a Christian and as a pastor. Peterson is a marvelous storyteller who immediately draws in the hearts and minds of his readers from the very first chapter. Beautifully written, filled with anecdotes from his life and his ministry, this memoir will help any reader (either the uninitiated or the dyed-in-the-wool lifelong church goer) gain a rich understanding of what it means to be a pastor, one who shepherds a congregation, large or small, one who desires to live the Christ life among his people.
With integrity, honesty, vulnerability, and transparency, Peterson shares his life and philosophy of ministry as he gives his answer to the question, “What does it mean to be a pastor?” His life is an “open book” as he shares his journey as a Christian and as a pastor. Peterson is a marvelous storyteller who immediately draws in the hearts and minds of his readers from the very first chapter. Beautifully written, filled with anecdotes from his life and his ministry, this memoir will help any reader (either the uninitiated or the dyed-in-the-wool lifelong church goer) gain a rich understanding of what it means to be a pastor, one who shepherds a congregation, large or small, one who desires to live the Christ life among his people.
December 31, 2021
This book is a gem. It took me a long time to read this. Not because it was a chore in any way, but because I wanted to take time to think about what it was teaching me.
I’ve encountered so many men who use the title Pastor but are a disgrace to the title. I naturally worry that I become like that. This book is a guide to what it looks like to actually be a pastor in the vocational sense of it.
I’ve also encountered so many who see pastoral work as the bottom rung of ministry. Having left academia and seminary work to be a pastor this was a refreshing reminder that being a pastor is a vocational call that is more than worth our lives.
If you know Peterson, then you know this book is good. If you don’t but are feeling the draw to be a pastor, I’d be tempted to say - read this before you read anything else, unless that too is by Peterson.
I’ve encountered so many men who use the title Pastor but are a disgrace to the title. I naturally worry that I become like that. This book is a guide to what it looks like to actually be a pastor in the vocational sense of it.
I’ve also encountered so many who see pastoral work as the bottom rung of ministry. Having left academia and seminary work to be a pastor this was a refreshing reminder that being a pastor is a vocational call that is more than worth our lives.
If you know Peterson, then you know this book is good. If you don’t but are feeling the draw to be a pastor, I’d be tempted to say - read this before you read anything else, unless that too is by Peterson.
July 21, 2016
I recommend this to anyone who has a pastor or is a pastor - men, women, in association with a church or ministering to others in everyday ways. He quietly traces his life and what shaped him from boyhood to somewhere near the end of his journey. (I think he is in his 80s.) He shares both wisdom and pitfalls - teaching from both his head and his heart. I want to listen to pilgrims like Peterson - they lead us, cheer us, encourage us to keep on.
November 7, 2017
Peterson’s memoir is his usual mix of electrifying prose and disappointing content. Some of his reflections and insights on the pastoral task are remarkable and mind stretching, but there can at times be a dilution of Evangelical principle (warm-hearted praise of Barth for example), which is such a pity. Excellent in places, deflating in others.
July 28, 2018
This was a fantastic look at the pastoral life and heart of a man who thoroughly immersed himself in the work of shepherding the flock. Peterson’s wit and imagination have helped form a view of the Bible that intersects with the daily grind of life in a unique way. I really enjoyed this book.
August 29, 2022
Growing up, Eugene Peterson (and his most well-known work, the Message), was often discouraged from being read in the Reformed Baptist circles my church found itself within. It has taken me years to shed this negative bias that I've come to see as a reaction against his ability to live in the mess and nuanced living that a gentle and peaceable faith requires, and now that I have read him more, I have found in him an American Evangelical pastor whose sense of love and peace I wish I had always had by my side. This memoir goes into the major moments of his development into a contemplative pastor-writer, one who is comfortable in the mystery and uncertainty of the faith of deeper Christian tradition. His refusal to give in to the consumerist and celebrity culture of church we have established in America. He is able to present his views not as polemics, but as a patient track of growth in his own life. I admire his confidence in his vocation that allows the messes, mistakes, and hard seasons not to derail his sense of direction, but as obstacles with which he grows in patience, virtue, and trust as he figures them out. I highly recommend this book. It made me feel like I had another friend along this winding path of life.
January 7, 2020
Eugene Peterson was one of our best. I was first introduced to Eugene when I read Eat This Book, a volume in his spiritual theology series, which I subsequently digested. A friend of mine called EP a poet-theologian — that’s about right.
A couple themes stuck out to me this memoir. The first is vocation, that is, the kind of work God calls one to and equips one for. Eugene, as he details his formative moments chapter by chapter, shows how his vocation of pastor was gradually confirmed to him. At one point Eugene quotes Emily Dickinson: “The Truth must dazzle gradually / Or every man be blind.” Indeed. I think that speaks to our walking with God.
Another theme Eugene touches upon is our tendency to reduce people to simple labels, simple explanations, simple functions. This is encapsulated brilliantly in his chapter, Uncle Sven, which alone is worth the price of the book.
Four stars because I’m comparing the memoir to other books from EP that I’d recommend before the Pastor. Also, and I’ll give this more thought, Eugene’s writing sometimes came across as over-the-top, overly-indulgent. But perhaps that is a fault of the memoir genre itself.
A couple themes stuck out to me this memoir. The first is vocation, that is, the kind of work God calls one to and equips one for. Eugene, as he details his formative moments chapter by chapter, shows how his vocation of pastor was gradually confirmed to him. At one point Eugene quotes Emily Dickinson: “The Truth must dazzle gradually / Or every man be blind.” Indeed. I think that speaks to our walking with God.
Another theme Eugene touches upon is our tendency to reduce people to simple labels, simple explanations, simple functions. This is encapsulated brilliantly in his chapter, Uncle Sven, which alone is worth the price of the book.
Four stars because I’m comparing the memoir to other books from EP that I’d recommend before the Pastor. Also, and I’ll give this more thought, Eugene’s writing sometimes came across as over-the-top, overly-indulgent. But perhaps that is a fault of the memoir genre itself.
June 30, 2022
This book was hard to rate. It wasn't what I expected and it wasn't really my style of book but it was still really good. I appreciate his poet's view of Christianity and his life and there are diamonds to be mined from this book, however, I went into this wanting to learn from a pastor how to be a pastor, but it's mostly him telling disconnected stories that seemingly only occasionally have a point.
Too often I would finish a chapter and have to sit and ask myself: did I get nothing from that chapter because it was just an anecdote that only applies to his own life in his situation and realistically has nothing to do with anyone else or is it because I need to mine deeper to figure out where the gem is. Too often I labeled it with the first category.
But, the reason I've given it four stars is because if you are wiling to dig, there are incredible discussions to be had from his experience and wisdom. You may not agree with everything he says but that is healthy and not a reason to avoid this book.
My advice, be quick to skim when it doesn't feel like its going anywhere but also be quick to sit in it and mine it when he goes deep.
Too often I would finish a chapter and have to sit and ask myself: did I get nothing from that chapter because it was just an anecdote that only applies to his own life in his situation and realistically has nothing to do with anyone else or is it because I need to mine deeper to figure out where the gem is. Too often I labeled it with the first category.
But, the reason I've given it four stars is because if you are wiling to dig, there are incredible discussions to be had from his experience and wisdom. You may not agree with everything he says but that is healthy and not a reason to avoid this book.
My advice, be quick to skim when it doesn't feel like its going anywhere but also be quick to sit in it and mine it when he goes deep.
July 20, 2021
Wow. I have not read this beautiful of writing in a long time. Peterson’s memoir serves as a refreshing, relatable, and persuasive story into the work of what he calls a “contemplative pastor” that tries to understand what God is doing in His people instead of having an agenda and fixing the congregation.
Peterson’s convicting remarks of the American church will pierce the heart of any Christian in America. Here’s one:
“I love this place in which I have been placed—it’s language, its history, its energy. But I don’t love ‘the American way,’ its culture and values. I don’t love the rampant consumerism that treats God as a product to be marketed. I don’t love the dehumanizing ways that turn men, women, and children into impersonal roles and causes and statistics. I don’t love the competitive spirit that treats others as rivals and even as enemies.”
I look forward to reading many more of his other works.
Peterson’s convicting remarks of the American church will pierce the heart of any Christian in America. Here’s one:
“I love this place in which I have been placed—it’s language, its history, its energy. But I don’t love ‘the American way,’ its culture and values. I don’t love the rampant consumerism that treats God as a product to be marketed. I don’t love the dehumanizing ways that turn men, women, and children into impersonal roles and causes and statistics. I don’t love the competitive spirit that treats others as rivals and even as enemies.”
I look forward to reading many more of his other works.
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