"The Pastor" by Eugene Peterson - Book Review

Peterson, known for his paraphrase of the Bible into English called “The Message”, writes the memory of his life and the events that placed him in the pastoral field. Personally I think every pastor should read this book as he will surely learn from the experiences of Eugene Peterson. This book tells us that the primary tool of pastors is not a skill or technique in particular, it is their deepest selves. Primary tool for the task of pastoral ministry is the minister's faith. Pastors who have a genuine and mature faith will always have something to say to the troubled souls who seek to hear them preach or to ask for advice. Peterson argues that every pastor should have its own spiritual director, because no one is endowed with such prudence and wisdom to be adequate to address their own spiritual life. Eugene says that every pastor should strive to provide dignity and distinction to his way of life by remaining modest in the kingdom of God (this world). Eugene Peterson says in this book that everybody goes fast. Persons whom I lead in prayer, that I counsel, visit, preach, and teach is on a constant endeavour to look for shortcuts. They are eager to have results when the Christian life cannot grow in such conditions and in such a way. The concept of devotional life to the God and his creation as well as judiciously meditation also suffers in this environment.

Here is a small excerpt from the book. This desertion (pastoral) has got to the epidemic extent and magnitude in each form and branch of church. Eugene thinks that the root-cause of this desertion can be a popular thought that every leader is a kind of super human who is in ...