Chris Buckel

“In an interview, Jonathan Merritt asked Eugene Peterson if he had any advice for younger Christians who are “itchy for a deeper and more authentic discipleship. Eugene’s answer is classic: Go to the nearest smallest church and commit yourself to being there for 6 months. If it doesn’t work out, find somewhere else. But don’t look for programs, don’t look for entertainment, and don’t look for a great preacher. A Christian congregation is not a glamorous place, not a romantic place. That’s what I always told people. If people were leaving my congregation to go to another place of work, I’d say, “Find the smallest church, the closest church, and stay there for 6 months.” Sometimes it doesn’t work. Some pastors are just incompetent. And some are flat out bad. So, I don’t think that’s the answer to everything, but it’s a better place to start than going to the one with all the programs, the glitz, all that stuff.”
― Joseph Beach, Ordinary Church: A Long and Loving Look