Perseverance: Fifteen Reflections on Christian Ministry at the Halfway Point –– An Invitation to Make It to the Finish Line Well –– Oh God, Help

by Jon Thompson, Darrell W. Johnson (Foreword)

"This book made me want to persevere, to finish the race, to run a long obedience in the same direction, and even to lengthen my stride with each passing year. There’s a timeless quality to Perseverance. In a world (and Church) oversaturated with untested ideas, Perseverance speaks an ancient message to a soul that’s been bruised, stretched, and dazzled by the pastoral vocation. Particularly, the book’s latter chapters spoke personally and profoundly to me, piercing the veneer of our cultural moment with timeless wisdom." – Tyler Staton, Lead Pastor of Bridgetown Church, Author of Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools "In a world where we desperately need the gift of the pastor and those who reflect Jesus’ shepherd heart, Jon Thompson writes this theologically compelling set of reflections on the life of following Christ in the office of pastor. Rich with the wisdom of one who has walked through the real difficulty of building the Church with Jesus Christ today in an unstable saeculum vying to distract us from God’s ways, Thompson recentres us on the still point which remains unchanged in Christ." – Dr. David Bennett, Oxford Academic and Author of A War of The Unexpected Story of a Gay Activist Discovering Jesus"The Church of Jesus Christ is—as Screwtape put it in Lewis’ masterful work, The Screwtape Letters—“spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners.” The senior demon goes on to say, “I confess, (the church) is a spectacle which makes our boldest tempters uneasy.” That’s not what you and I can see in this current moment. We look like a mess. Between divisions, scandals, deconstruction, and a generation bailing on the church we look poor, pitiful, and weak. How are pastors meant to not just survive but thrive in this moment? It is our moment. Those of us called by God into vocational ministry are a major part of God’s offensive strategy to seek and save the lost. I’m grateful for pastors like Jon Thompson, who has faithfully and vibrantly led for over 20 years in one of the more secular cities in North America. He has distilled from his experience and intimacy with Jesus fifteen crucial reflections that I believe will steel your spine to lead with conviction and courage through these turbulent times." – Matt Chandler, Lead Pastor of The Village ChurchEvery generation of Christian leaders for the past 2000 years has had to face landmines that are potential killers, even on the best of days. Some are universal and some cultural, but all are dangerous. We shouldn’t be shocked; after all, when we read through Scripture, we see that only 30% of leaders actually finish well.

So the question is, how does one really make it?

Written for those who are considering entering ministry, those who have been in the trenches for any period of time, and even those who are coming near the end of their Christian leadership journey, this book is the reflection of one pastor at the midway point of his own ministry walk.

Perseverance shares fifteen observations that are transcultural, timeless, and transportable to many different

A clear understanding of callingLiving under imminenceThe role of love and restLeading while owning nothingNot shying away from death, fear, and weaknessRadical transparencySpiritual gifts and gift tensionGod-given directionCourageGenuine encounterBold, biblical, and theological confe

Genres: Christian

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 25, 2023

About the author

Jon Thompson is the Senior Pastor of Sanctus Church – a multi-site church in the Greater Toronto Area and online – where he has served for 25 years.

He holds a Master of Theological Studies from Tyndale Seminary and a Doctorate of Missiology from Fuller Theological Seminary. After spending his childhood in Ecuador with his missionary parents, Jon began his ministry as the Youth Pastor before assuming his current role as Senior Pastor at Sanctus Church. Jon is married to Joanna and has three kids.

Reviews

[Kellie Russell · Rating 2 out of 5]

SUPER encouraging and helpful content… did not need to be this long. It was difficult to finish.

[Matt Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

started strong but did not persevere.

I was overwhelmed at the depth of insight, wisdom, and challenge Jon presented in the first 7 chapters but the remaining material felt like filler that was requested by a publisher to make sure there were an adequate number of chapters. Had the entirety of the book held such a wealth of insight as the first half this would have been a book for the ages. Instead I felt that perseverance was required to complete “Perseverance”.

[Paige Pietrofesa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I was expecting more practical guidance and thoughts on how to continue running the race of Christian faith. It didn’t really have that aspect so I think I just was confused on why the summary on back of book made it seem like it would be that & then wasn’t lol. Some interesting points dispersed throughout the book & liked the closing chapters

[Aden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book on following Jesus faithfully in ministry. Jon does a great job navigating tons of topics, and showing the reader how to persevere not just in ministry, but in living faithful to Christ.

[Grant May · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazing book with amazing content, but not an easy read by any means. I found myself having to read certain sections multiple times to fully understand what he was saying. By Mr. Jon has a way with words.