Under the Unpredictable Plant

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Three Stars for Clarity, Five for the Message - Rated
Unlike the other reviewers, I am not a minister although I read this book because I am thinking of candidating.

Briefly looking at the content of the book, Peterson uses the book of Jonah as a story-metaphor for what he sees as the ideal way of being a minister. It seems to me that he has two main points: 1) that a minister must first and foremost be grounded in a spirit-filled life through prayer and; 2) to achieve that, the minister must stay in one church throughout his or her whole ministry to really be rooted in the lives of people in the congregation.

He develops other points such as the idea that American culture wants the minister to be first and foremost a "program director" rather than a "spiritual director". He believes that the expectation of the church hierarchies as well as congregations is that ministers will whip up the action and make things happened as if they were PR executives rather than healers of souls. In contrast, Peterson advocates a ministry of waiting and watching for the God who walks before all of us so that the minister does not interfere with the work of the Holy Spirit.

This book is written almost as a series of images, metaphors, stories and parables rather than as a propositional treatise, which is hardly surprising given the author's literary background. While this allows the reader to make of some of the messages what he or she will, I found myself thinking "I KNOW the church hierarchy will try to push me to be a glorified PR executive if I'm successful in candidating for the ministry, but what steps can one take to avoid that happening in the first place?" I don't think this book answers that question and I think it's one of the main questions he poses. Perhaps we are to figure out the answer ourselves?...?

PASTORS....Listen carefully. - Rated
I am pastor of a United Methodist two-point charge. Two churches. Many headaches. I've been here three and a half years. I am told numerous pastors "start-out" in smaller, typically rural or town churches as mine are. Then we get noticed and we get moved on up the ladder. Better appointment--better pay--more prestige--better location. How many pastors buy into "the ladder"? More than you think. But Peterson does not. This book planted my feet deeply within my call. I wanted to move into bigger, better, different pastorates. Peterson would tell me, "You wanted to go to Tarshish instead of Ninevah." His book forced me to recognize that the grass is not greener in a different parish. Comparing me to Jonah, Peterson left me no excuse of any theological integrity to leave my two-point charge. So here I stay. But Mr. Peterson, if you read this..."Under the Unpredictable Plant" is a horrible title. Few of the dozens of people to whom I have recommended your book can remember that crazy thought.

I highly recommend this book to all Christian leaders. - Rated
I have been in lay leadership for over 20 years and this is the most accurate description of Christian ministry I have ever read. How can we avoid being shaped by a congregation's longing for comfortable religiosity yet value lay spirituality? Peterson poses the question then gives us his story, his guts and his heart. I was deeply moved by his challenge to all Christian leaders to form a rule of life equal to our vocations. I plan to read this book again and again.

Required reading for all ministers! - Rated
If you are: (a) a minister, (b) considering becoming a minister, (c) preparing to preach through the book of Jonah and/or(d)make up any combination of the preceding, this book should be required reading for you. As you read, prepare to be challenged ("The religious leader is the most untrustworthy of leaders: in no other station do we have so many opportunities for pride, for covetousness, for lust, or so many excellent disguises at hand to keep such ignobility from being found out and called to account." - page 15). As you read, prepare to glean insights ("The primary task, the pastor's primary task, is not communication but communion." - page 192) As you read, prepare to add substantially to your quote file ("Prayer is the most deeply human action in which we can engage. Behavior we have in common with the animals. Thinking we have in common with the angels. But prayer - the attentiveness and responsiveness of the human being before God - this is human." - page 111) As you read this book, prepare to be shaped by it!