Letters to a Young Pastor: Timothy Conversations between Father and Son

by Eric E. Peterson

Have you ever felt in over your head? When Eric Peterson became the pastor of a brand-new church, he quickly and wisely turned to his dad for guidance. Eugene Peterson, author of more than thirty books including his bestselling memoir The Pastor and his groundbreaking Bible The Message, here reflects on pastoral ministry in all its complexity--from relationships to administration to the sheer audacity of leading God's people in a particular place. This is Eugene Peterson at his best--lifelong wisdom written with deep love.

As the reader, you will glimpse into the tender, witty, personal side of Eugene mentoring his own son. These intimate letters will be treasured by all who read, and applicable to church leaders around the globe.

Purchase individually or together with Letters to a Young Congregation as a memorable gift for a church leader or seminary graduate.

Genres: Christian, Leadership, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Audiobook, Christianity, Religion

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 2020

Reviews

[Sammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paar Gedanken, die ich bedenkenswert finde:

- Der Beruf als Pastor/in hält wenig Achievements parat, man hat selten das Gefühl, dass man etwas tut, was gefeiert gehört. (Vielleicht kann man wagen zu glauben, dass die Arbeit viel Wert ist, kann sich aber nicht selbst rechtfertigen und sollte vor Allem nicht darauf aus sein?)
- Pastoren „arbeiten“ mit Seelen, nicht mit Konsumenten, Achievern, Opfern (das meint wohl nicht, dass man soziologischen oder psychologischen Kategorien nicht gerecht werden braucht) Das was den Pastor/innen Job ausmacht, ist aber, dass es um die Seele geht
- In unserer Konsumgesellschaft, ist es völlig üblich, dass Produkte verpackt und mit Werbung bedruckt werden, um Verkäufe zu erwirtschaften. Wenn das Christliche eine Verpackung erhält und möglichst gut verkäuflich umworben wird, muss dabei unausweichlich das Personale verloren gehen. Weil eben eine Verpackung und eine möglichst allgemein zugängliche Botschaft das Christliche umschließt

Vor Allem ist das Buch eine Erinnerung daran, dass wirtschaftliche Logiken nicht auf den Pastorenjob übergestülpt werden dürfen. Und ein Beweis dafür, wie sympathisch Eugene Peterson wohl gewesen sein muss. Oder er zumindest gedacht und geschrieben hat.

Warme Empfehlung auch für seinen Brief, in dem er mit den Evangelikalen in den USA abrechnet. Er schließt mit „Das war nicht wirklich ein Brief, sondern eher ein Rant, aber naja“

[Ruben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Netter Read.
Viel gutes dabei, vor allem für werdende Pastoren...besonders die Kritik an diesem komischen Management-Gehabe, in das man als Pastor/bezahlter Gemeindeleiter so oft zurückfällt, obwohl man es doch eigentlich nicht mit der Institution Kirche sondern mit einer Ansammlung liebenswürdiger Personen - Peterson würde sagen: Souls - zu tun hat, wenn man als Pastor arbeitet.
Weg vom "Planen", "auf Kurs bringen"/"in Linie halten", "Vision überstülpen", damit die Gemeinde schnell und gesund wächst, damit man einen unterschied in der Stadt macht -- damit man Ernten darf, was man glaubt selbst gesäht zu haben und hin zur Person, zum Einzelnen und für Sie/Ihn da sein, egal ob man ernten kann oder nicht. -- Das klingt Gesund und im Interesse Jesu

Trotzdem nur 3 Sterne. Vielleicht, weil es mir zu harmonisch, zu wenig Kante und Rebellion ist? Vielleicht, weil es nicht so neu, sondern einfach eine gute Erinnerung an das wesentliche ist? Vielleicht, weil es mir keinen Kick gegeben hat? - Auf jeden Fall haben ein Paar Dinge stark mit mir resoniert und viele eben auch nicht.

Empfehlung? - Ja!

[Gage Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well timed read! I hopped off a phone call with my dad as we were talking about ministry before I started listening to this book and it was really valuable as I was processing being a father in ministry. I really loved hearing the heart and thoughts of Eugene to his son.

[Trevor · Rating 5 out of 5]

In many evangelical circles, a lot of emphasis is placed on the concept of "mentorship." As I wasn't raised in an evangelical church, this always confused and alarmed me. I often tried to enter a mentorship relationship but it always felt forced and uncomfortable. While I was in college, one of the resident directors once said that most of her mentors have been books. This encouraged and validated how I'd been doing things so far.

I felt like this book was mentoring me. It consists of a series of letters written by Eugene Peterson to his son Eric Peterson between December 1999 and June 2010. Hearing Peterson's talk about the calling of being a pastor was both encouraging and challenging. I'm not a pastor - though at times this book made me want to be one - but I am involved in Christian ministry and the things Peterson had to say felt extremely relevant to my life and to the current times (which have a lot of striking similarities to the period of time during which these letters were written).

Honestly, I love everything Eugene Peterson writes. If there is a model of a Christian leader I wish I could be more like one day, it would most likely be him.

[Jonathan Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet read over the past month or so. Eugene truly was a pastor to pastors and this comes through so beautifully in these letters to his son. It was cool to hear him talk about his own books that he was writing as the letters progressed from year to year.

A few key threads that I heard woven through...

1. Pastoring is opposed to pragmatism. To be a pastor means a deep commitment to a local place and her people. The movements of church growth and relevance-seeking-attractionalism corrupt the historic office of the pastorate and leaves souls sitting in the dust.

2. Eugene was critical of capital "E" Evangelicalism. He saw it as truly corrupted by "business disguised as ministry." He even went as far to say that it created a demonic veneer over American Christianity as churches used the devil's means (think the three temptations of Christ) to try and accomplish God's ends.

3. His takes on Barth and especially Kierkegaard were highly instructive.

4. Getting to be pastored as a pastor by someone like Eugene, seems to be an integral element to the spiritual formation of young pastors. Being a pastor offers unique challenges to your own intentional efforts to walk closely with God. A mentor figure like Eugene feels key to helping young pastors stay faithful in their individual spiritual formation.

5. These letters are honest, warm and beautiful. Secondary theological differences aside (Eugene is very Presbyterian and also egalitarian), I think this book would bless any pastor who read it.

(Audiobook)

[Scott Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peterson has a way of speaking on ministry, american culture, and the life of a contemplative pastor that I can only aspire to relate to. In these letters to his son I see such a love of God, family, the pastoral vocation, and life in general.

Growing in a Christian culture that loves to make fun of Eugene because of his notable translation (or commentary) The Message, I now struggle to connect how such dishonor could be thrown at such a profoundly lovely man of God.

Will be moving on to his memoir in the future. I look forward to it.

(It was a bonus that he mentions Wendell Berry a couple times)

[E.M. Welcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many quotable lines! Eugene ornery and riled up with holy indignation is Eugene at his best.

[McClellan Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorites. Getting to glimpse the processing of pastoral vocation between this father and son was a gift. I am continually invited into a quieter, slower, contemplative existence by the words of Eugene P. Thankful for his life and witness.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book and I’m pretty sure I need to start again until the ethos and pathos of Eugene P starts to become my own.

I am a Pastor drawn to big and shiny. I know there is nothing wrong with growth or large churches. I’ve worked for three that are all counted “large”. The current one largest of all but I suppose we don’t really know what we are during Covid-19.

All I know is that my soul is most alive when I stare at the way of Jesus and I’m helped immensely by EP. In my first ministry assignment (Young Life) we read his book “Working the Angels” because the oldest man in our region thought it would be helpful. Most of us we’re in our 20s and found it “nice” but somewhat unrealistic to our 80 hour a week pace. Today I think I need to pick it back up and recognize it as soul-saving, not “nice”.

If you are in ministry. Read this book.
And then, read it again.

[Michael P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. 5 star idea. Some letters were captivating and oozing with wisdom, and some letters were really hard to get through and didn’t seem to fit. Overall, I would recommend it. 3.5 stars.

[Chad Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

i had expected typical Peterson insight into the worlds of pastor & church (and was not disappointed). but i had not anticipated how striking & valuable his voice as father would be in the letters, proving Peterson to be not only a pastor worth imitating, but a father as well.

[Will Standridge, II · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful.

[Matt Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book. As a young pastor just starting in my first role as a lead pastor this book was everything I hoped for and more. It almost feels too intrusive at times, knowing these letters were not mean for the eyes of anyone but his son. But I can’t help but be selfishly grateful for the decision to publish this work. Reading this book felt like having a conversation with a seasoned mentor. It caused me to revaluate, reshape, and think hard about what it means to be a pastor. 10/10

[Chris Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ad hoc, unpretentious letters from Eugene Peterson to his son Eric as he finds his footing and experiences spiritual formation in the pastorate. Guileless, unguarded, self-deprecating, and earnest, these letters create a treasure trove of wisdom and encouragement for any pastor or adult child.

[Alex Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, another great read from Eugene Peterson.

[Justin Hullman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stop reading this review & immediately start reading this book. Better yet - listen to it via audiobook! Eric reads letters that his father (the beloved Eugene Peterson) wrote to him. So beautiful.

I have not been shaped by a book in a long time like I have with this one. It impacted how and why I do ministry and it shaped me as a husband. I feel indebted to Eugene’s desire for all of us to know The Message and to live it out.

[Brandon Woodard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pleasant book to finish at the beginning of the year. The level of intentionality Eugene had with his son was heartwarming throughout the book. The heart of a father and how to genuinely be proud of your child was one of the biggest things I gathered from this. In ever letter, there was a beautiful awe and appreciation of the work God was doing through his son.

Of course there are countless nuggets that were dropped about pastoral ministry that have been well articulated but one thing I walked away thinking was, “wow Eugene loved his son.” How can I begin to model this level of intentionality and displaying this level of love and appreciation for my children?

I highly encourage the book not just for pastors but also to dads. You can learn a lot from this one!

[Thomas Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing reflections on the pastoral vocation in the form of letters between a father and son. Gave me a sense of the dignity and singularity of the pastoral calling. I also enjoyed experiencing Eugene's delight in his son through these letters. Will return to this one again and again.

[Tanner Hawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

So refreshing in so many ways. Here are a few...

"realizing how context-specific pastoral work is: there is not much that can be generalized and passed on from one generation to another. The substance, of course, is the same--prayer and the Scriptures, obedient love and the holy sacraments, honest preaching and teaching. But the details--and pastoral work is almost nothing but details--are so different that practically everything has to be worked out from scratch, on the job...No copying. No trying to be successful" (2, 201).

"One aspect of that uniqueness [of being a pastor], I think, is that we make far more mistakes in our line of work than other so-called professionals. If physicians and engineers and lawyers and military officers made as many mistakes as we do in our line of work, they would be out on the streets in no time. It amazes me still how much of the time I simply don't know what I am doing, don't know what to say, don't know what the next move is. The temptation in that state of being is to become competent at something or other--master something or someone. Unfortunately, there are many opportunities, many 'ways of escape' in which we can exercise and develop areas of administrative or leadership or scholarly or programatic competencies in the church" (14).

"Programs take far less time and energy than persons. Programs are far more efficient-- persons require endless time and trouble (at least, enough of them do). And so the tendency, after a while, is to spend more time on the programs, where you get a lot more bang for your buck, than on persons...Now, here's what makes it even worse (or harder): The people we live with know what it's like to be sold packaged products and to be enlisted in programs. And they like it. It's easier than being a person in relationship. And so they come to a church that offers them the gospel as a product and the Christian life as a program, and they love it; they can have all the promises and blessings that the Gospel is famous for without all the anxieties and doubts and struggles of faith" (33-34).

"For the most part, we have an adequate theology, an adequate organization, adequate motivation and energy. But when it comes to means--how we will fulfill the commands, how we will work toward the great ends (to glorify God and enjoy him forever)--we pick up 'ways and means' from the American culture, rather than from Jesus and Scripture. We use criteria of efficiency, statistical results, timelines and programmatic goals, abstract plans and principles that can be employed with a minimum of personal, relational involvement. We use the means that are used routinely in business, politics, education, and sports, where they work very well. But in the church, they result in a church that is more like what takes place in business, politics, education, and sports: a church, that is, without mystery, deficient in personal relationships, in a hurry, impatient, and image-conscious. And that means there is very little connection between worship and mission" (97-98).

"a key strategy of the devil in the present generation is to destroy congregations. One obvious element in his strategy seems to me to be to glamorize Big. Tempt every pastor and congregation to admire and covet and build bigger barns. As King Number is worshiped, baptismal names erode into statistics. The very place given to us by the Spirit where our stories can be known and prayed and developed into a community story--A kingdom story--becomes the place where stories are destroyed by programs, and a particular people--especially the marginalized--are pushed deeper and deeper into anonymity. Conversations get drowned out by motivational propaganda. Relationships become depersonalized into programmatic involvement with a vision or a cause" (155).

"I wonder if at the root of much of the 'defection and dismissal' business isn't a kind of cultural assumption that leaders are people who 'get things done' and 'make things happen.' That is certainly true of the primary leadership models that seep into celebrities and athletes. But while being a pastor certainly has some of these components, the pervasive element in our two-thousand-year pastoral tradition is not as someone who 'gets things done' but someone who pays attention to 'what is going on right now' between men and women, with each other and with God. Something that is primarily local and relentlessly personal" (202).

[Nathan B. Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the years, I've come to hear the coarse whisper of Eugene's voice in his pastoral writing. Each letter in this collection felt like a privilege to peer over the shoulder of Eugene's son as he was fathered and pastored by such an extraordinarily-ordinary man. As a 'young pastor' myself, I found Eugene's musings on the pastoral vocation to grow roots into my own conception of this strange (and unpredictable) vocation. From the first letter to the last, Eugene's insistence that pastoral work is 'context-specific' cut an anchor loose in my heart and blew wind into my sails. Even in the details that I hope to emulate in Peterson's life, I know that his details will inevitably be different from my own - and there is freedom and beauty found in that simple truth.

Eugene was a man who was not content to 'depersonalizing knowledge.' His pastoral ministry was not distant and forceful, but present and patient. Pastors live with an awareness that people are always watching, all of our gestures and remarks - the grace or lack-there-of - are seen and absorbed. But, as Eugene illustrates, 'truckers drive trucks, farmers plant crops, dentists fix teeth, pastors work with souls-in-formation.' Ministry is more persons than programs.

I don't quite share Eugene's aversion to the term 'leadership' but I share his concern with the 'seduction of leadership' to those in pastoral ministry. A pastor is a follower before he is a leader. And this kind of 'leadership' is incremental not catastrophic. 'Decisions are in the details' as Eugene says, and these small changes add up eventually to living into the way of Jesus. The advice and trainings on offer to pastors are often more akin to Executive training than to ordinary ministry. There are many 'secular ways and means' that promise to produce efficiency and growth to transform a church. But, the question is: should this be a goal in the body of Christ?

As Eugene recognized, packaging programs 'gradually erodes the personal center of worship, of witness, of mission, of community itself. You end up with a crowd.' People want to be sold a program that they can consume that might jolt them out of their boredom, but our job as pastors is to push back against the invasion of consumerism into the sanctuary by cultivating a glacial life in the Jesus Way. It is enough to answer the basic questions: who and where are you? And, I would add: who and where is God?

As pastors, we are uniquely situated to help to answer these questions, as pastors we are 'amphibious.' We are able to 'be at home' in the various 'worlds' that people inhabit. But in each of these places, we are reminded that we are always 'dealing with souls.'

Eugene's vision for pastors is to 'plant seeds and hang around long enough to see them grow.' Like the growth of seeds, pastoral ministry is often 'small and slow' but Eugene urges his son - and others in this pastoral vocation - not to give in to the 'standard solution to stagnation-fatigue and the accompanying banalities of mid-careerism' that leads pastors to change congregations. It is true that pastors often grow numb to the holy things that they handle, but there are holy things in all that we touch. The world is imbued with a sense of grandeur that - like Eugene -whispers the goodness of God.

[Kayden Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

To paraphrase a beautiful thought from the book. ” people despise Christianity because it’s just so ordinary, what if you look long enough and what’s ordinary you’ll find something unbelievably extraordinary.”

It’s weird to give this book any stars at all being that it’s a collection of letters more than it is actual book, yet this collection sings with heart. The way Peterson sees sees the pastoral office is beautiful, unafraid, unhurried. I think his heart is a lesson for any vocation, for any Christian in any field on how to go about their work. To give up on the secular insistence on doing, but rather to embrace creation, to embrace our true nature and just be. This book is so rich. I think it’s a great read for anyone who wants to be a better friend, a better neighbor, a better son, a better daughter, a better human being. This book is on the surface about pastoring, but if you look long enough at it it’s really about listening, walking alongside people, embracing presence in that that’s how the Lord works personally; often not through the spectacular but through daily grace, by walking alongside of us in every season. I don’t know. I love this book. It was very warm for the soul, tender with what it means to be human Thoughtful in what it means to Work excellently.

[Marcus Floyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I am aware of course that there is a great deal of confusion in North America about pastoral identity. Many pastors, disappointed or disillusioned with their congregations, defect after a few years and find more congenial work. Any many congregations, disappointed or disillusioned with congregations, disappointed or disillusioned with their pastor, dismiss them and look for a pastor more of their liking. If I’m not mistaken, these defection and dismissals have reached epic proportions…

I wonder if at the root of much of the “defection and dismissal” business isn’t a kind of cultural assumption that leaders are people who “get things done” and “make things happen”. That is certainly true of primary leadership models that seep into celebrities and athletes. But while being a pastor has some of those components, the pervasive element in our 2,000 year pastoral tradition is not as someone who “gets things done” but someone who pays attention to what is “going on right now” between men and women, with each other and with God. Something that is primarily local and relentlessly personal.” - Eugene Peterson

[Daniel Supimpa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and heartfelt conversations between Eugene Peterson, probably one of the most significant authors in pastoral and spiritual theology in the last fifty years, and his son Eric, himself also a pastor at the beginning of his ministry years. The result of a 8-year conversation through letters becomes way more than advices on specific cases, far from '10 steps to make pastoral ministry work for you', and much closer to two pastors learning to be relational persons. Many times, the conversation flows towards plans to see each other, and anecdotes Eugene has been hearing about pastoral life from colleagues. An easy reading, with so much to teach ministers about relationality and humility.

[Chris Collier · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful look at a period of ten years of letters between two pastors: a father and a son. Eugene was so proud of his son. It inspired me to write letters to my sons over their lives, even long before they can read or understand what I’m articulating. It would be so interesting for them to know what’s going on in their lives before their long-term memory develops.

Side note about the book: Peterson also references his current pastor, W, as someone he clearly loves and respects, but also says he’s a terrible preacher! I’d hate to be W having a legend like Peterson have his personal opinions of your preaching published!

[Garrett Bagwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of letters is such a sweet and intimate look into the great pastor and writer’s psyche, paternity, and pastoring. His reflections on the office of pastoring, communicated to his son in such a personal way carry a much different tone and weight than Peterson’s writings.

This reader is thankful to Eric Peterson for preserving and sharing these insights into their relationship as father and son, Paul and Timothy, pastor and pastor. Many letters within this collection could serve as a daily prompt for reflection for pastors and fathers and spiritual mentors. Sit with them, chew on them, to use the late Peterson’s famous turn of phrase, this is a book worth eating.

[Evan Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of intentionally pastoral letters written by Eugene Peterson to his pastor son Eric. A conversation about what it means to serve a congregation and the kingdom. Not much new here for me, but any time I get to spend with Eugene is time we'll spent. I would recommend this to anyone feeling the pressure and grind of church work. Peterson as always is a calming breeze to my soul.

As a book, it's good. not quite as good as Greg Boyd's Letters to a Skeptic. but if want to understand who Peterson was this is a decent place to get a sense of the man.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a delightful book. I love Eugene Peterson’s writing but this was special. Heartfelt, reflective, personal, intimate. His reflections and critique of our current-day church still relevant and incisive but what shines is the affection, pride, and respect he has for his son and Eric’s pastoral vocation. The bonus audio clip at the end was a sweet surprise and brought tears to my eyes. Will now have to buy a physical copy and mine it for all his golden insights!

[Tyler Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet book. I don’t give it 5 stars because I learned anything significant nor because it changed my heart in any significant ways. Mostly, I just thoroughly enjoyed watching a father dote on his adult son, and the way Eugene pursued his son in letters with intentionality is something I truly admire. While not an intention of the book, their relationship mirrors the father’s love for us in such an encouraging way.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a poignant and lovely conversation between Eugene Peterson and his son, Eric, also a pastor. The letters are one-sided (all from Eugene to Eric) but you can hear the dialogue, nevertheless. As Peterson grew older (he died in 2018) he became discontented with the disconnection between pastors and their congregations. I have read all his books on "being a pastor" and he never deviated from his conviction that pastors are, first, preachers and teachers and for him, that meant daily connection with the people of the congregation. He called this "soul-tending." Whether in a study, a home, a coffee shop or the local park, he sought conversations about how faith is played out inn daily life. He sought mostly listen and be with the people.

[Eric Schlipf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wondered if this book was controversial in the family because of the intimate portrait is creates, but I am so thankful for it. This intimate portrait shows that the humility and holiness that flows through his books is authentic.

My favorite moments were the simple sign-offs in each letter, in addition to the consistent and sincere encouragement he provides his son.