In regards to the thoughts on the poet-pastor, I’ve become a big fan of Eugene Peterson over the past few years and one of the things that I have learned from him is the importance and value of language. I too, have been around too many CEO pastors who have a model of ministry that they model off of Starbucks, Walmart, Apple, or whatever the latest and greatest is. My soul is tired of that. That way of thinking doesn’t fit with my understanding of the Kingdom of God anymore. Listening to the voice of a poetical prophet is more of what seems to fit my more recent understanding. If I find some spare change lying around I might buy the book. If I do, I’ll let you know how it goes.

I get a bit nervous around poetry in general, so I wonder about the pastor/poet. Reading Scot’s review, what struck me is that pastors should be about offering spiritual direction and insight (call it poetry if you must), not managing programs and budgets. I’ve been around enough pastors who are eager to offer their credentials as a legitimate “professional” — and I haven’t seen much “gravitas” about them. On the other hand, there are those folks who have let life and God take them into some deep water, and they have wisdom and poetry to spare, no matter what their occupation or “calling.”