The heartening, transformative story of an unlikely pastor, and one answer to the oft-neglected question: what does it actually mean to be a pastor? 

Eugene Peterson never wanted to be a pastor. But, in 1962, when he was asked by the Presbyterian Church to begin a new church in Bel Air, Maryland, he surprised himself by answering the call. Suddenly at the helm of the newly-established Christ Our King Presbyterian Church, Peterson—who had little conception of what it really meant to be a pastor—dedicated his life to understanding and fulfilling his vocation. 

In The Pastor, Peterson shares the stories and lessons from his thirty years in that single pulpit. The result is a quietly powerful and inspirational book, a true gift to anyone looking to grow in their faith and live virtuously. Steering away from abstractions, Peterson challenges conventional wisdom regarding church marketing, mega pastors, and the church’s too-cozy relationship to American consumerism to present a simple, grounded description of what being a minister means today. With warmth, familiarity, and humor, Peterson offers a contemporary perspective on an ancient vocation, one with authenticity, openness, and faith at its center. 

Here is a simple but revolutionary reminder that “preaching is proclamation... but only when it gets embedded in conversation, in a listening ear and responding tongue, does it become gospel.”