I read this book just after my ordination three years ago.Why would someone who was just ordained be reading a book subtitled 'Rediscovering the Call'? Why would someone who hopes to make a profession out of the vocation to ordained ministry be reading, much less recommending, a book entitled 'The Unnecessary Pastor'?
Marva Dawn and Eugene Peterson have put together a book useful for experienced ministers as well as those in training, or even just thinking about ministry. Ministry consists of more than the one who stands up at the pulpit or behind the altar. This book helps shift the focus from that tradition role, fraught with danger and limitation, to explore the more counter-cultural calls that the Bible really expects of those called ministers.
'We are unnecessary to what the culture presumes is important: as paragons of goodness and niceness. Culture has a fairly high regard for pastors as custodians of moral order. We are viewed as persons who provide a background of social stability, who are useful in times of crisis and serve as symbols of meaning and purpose. But we are not necessary in any of those ways.'
Peterson recounts the tale of wanting to host a conference with the same title (The Unnecessary Pastor), but was advised against it by someone who said that no one wants to hear that her/his job is irrelevant, as the title implies. Peterson was advised to put a more positive spin on the title, but in fact left it as is, and the conference was oversubscribed.
People everywhere are looking for ways to reconnect to a more authentic way of being. Pastors and ministers are no different; in fact, they are probably even more in search of this reconnexion given the focus of their lives (or, at least, professional lives) in the first place.
Dawn speaks of the language of faith and God as similar to an unfinished Shakespeare play: how would we produce it? What resources would we draw upon? Could we ever write as well as Shakespeare? What improvisations would be needed? In much the same way, the church has been given the unfinished work of God, and we must improvise in our imperfect way to strive to give a good performance, full of meaning as true to the author as we can.
Pastors above all are called to lives that are formed and then transformed. Grace must be present in all we do, and not tailored to the demands of the world. 'It is interesting to me that religious liberals and conservatives are often unwitting allies in their attempts to translate the gospel into the world's terms. ... Churches find themselves powerless in the world and not able to invite our neighbours into the faith because we don't live in ways that give any warrant for belief.'
The call is also one of formation and transformation of community. The stronger the community, the less needed will be the pastor, in many ways. The pastor may be freed to become a true disciple, without having to cater to the whims of congregation members, or worry about the plumbing and the lighting bill. The stronger the community and the more supportive it will be, the greater the pastor will be able to respond, and in turn make the community and world more responsive.
Dawn and Peterson draw on resources from many denominations, major scholars and ancient wisdom, linking very closely the Biblical ideas of ministry to their exposition of the true necessity of today's community.
Yes, these were transcribed lectures, with a few new parenthesis added for clarification. I wish I could have been there. This book is the next best thing.One thing I noticed, Marva must've had the longer session times, or she really talks fast! The chapter lengths bear this out. But I didn't find her transcribed sessions too wordy or too full. Both Peterson and Dawn hit all the nails I needed to have hit, and a few more.
I greatly appreciated the lower key toward church growth, with the emphasis on spiritual growth over numerical. I've been waiting a long time for a church leader to espouse the method that our first century fathers used . . . God added to the church daily those who would be saved!
In the next few days, I'll go back through the book and highlight all the good stuff, and borrow many of the quotables. I've already borrowed an idea for a teaching series - Reality vs. Truth, Truth vs. Reality.
Thank you for a great resource!
Again Peterson exemplifies the heart of the true pastor. This is my first time reading Marva Dawn. I just finished this book and found much to help me in the midst of being a small rural church pastor.I was surprised by the review by the reader in Ohio. Although the other works by Peterson, flow better, the dialogue between Dawn and Peterson was refreshing.
Ephesians is the classic source for biblically modeled community. Timothy and Titus have been the classic resources for young pastors. The exegesis and insight from these two authors/ pastors/teachers has been highly encouraging and releasing for this new pastor who is trying to discover how to effectively lead God's people into holy living and community.
I reccomend this book as a excellent resource for pastoral theology, for young pastors, for teaching or preaching these texts and anyone seeking to get a firm grasp on the role of pastor.
I would not suggest this book as a first (or maybe even second) experience with Peterson, mostly due to the dialogue format.
Marva Dawn, at least in this book, doesn't not measure up to the mastery of Peterson. However, my interest in her work was futher sparked. I plan to buy and read a Marva Dawn book today.
The Bibliography is also full of great works for the pastor.
