The Life of an Ordinary Pastor

Probably 95% of solid Christian pastors labor almost in an unnoticed way – visiting the sick, weeping in prayer at night, preparing sermons (with which they are never happy!), struggling with illness and personal shortcomings, preaching to 50 or 75 people on Sunday, baptizing, leading wedding services, and crying at the gravesite with other Christians.  So Don Carson’s book about his father’s life is exactly realistic: Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: the Life and Reflections of Tom Carson.

This book is not exciting.  Rev. Tom Carson’s life was pretty normal – though perhaps a little more difficult than average because he labored in such hard soil (the Quebec area in the ’40s and beyond).  He is not very quotable, and his journals aren’t full of moving and inspiring writing.  Rev. Carson even suffered through periods of melancholy because he didn’t have a high view of himself; he sometimes questioned his abilities and calling.  So if you want a book about self-motivation, conquering the world for Christ, starting a thriving ministry, or building a multi-campus church, don’t get this book.  You’ll be sorely disappointed.     Keep Reading...