Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work shows how five Old Testament books provide a solid foundation for much of what a pastor does: prayer-directing, story-making, pain-sharing, nay-saying and community-building. This book opens up to pastors a wealth of valuable practical-theological insights.
Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work
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More About the Author
Peterson, now retired, was for many years James M. Houston Professor of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. He also served as founding pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland. In addition to his widely acclaimed paraphrase of the Bible, The Message (NavPress), he has written many other books.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
64 of 67 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Eugene Peterson is my mentor's mentor, and has become mine as well. His insight and mastery at the art of crafting words makes all of his books easy, enjoyable and highly challanging resources for spiritual formation, especially for the pastor.
In Five Smooth Stones, Peterson challanges us as pastors to lead our people through five somewhat obsure books of the Old Testament. These five books, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Ruth and Esther are wonderful tools for discovering some of the most important elements of Christian community.
In Song of Solomon, Peterson illuminates the challanges for us to seek intimacy in our personal relationships - but most of all intimacy with our God through prayer. In Lamentations, we are led to give validity to suffering. We are challenged to live out the full scope of suffering with each other in the midst of community, ultimatly being fully dependant upon the God who sustains us.
In Ecclesiastes, everything under the sun/Son is given meaning and time.
In Ruth, our commitments to community and to each other are emphasised. The power of going beyond what is required or expected are powerful tools that God uses to build true community, and even bring forth Messiah.
Esther is the call to community through taking risks for the sake of God's people, realizing that God would raise up another, if we choose not to not be a part of God's plan.
I have used this book as a primary resource for preaching these texts. As a pastor of a small rural church, and having worked in large suburban churches, I highly recomend this powerful resource to all who want to grow in spiritual depth and Christian community.
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Eugene Peterson does not call us to practical ministry. He offers much more, a pastoral theology. In this particular volume he digs into several Old Teatament texts and encourages pastors to engage the work of Prayer-Directing, Story-Making, Pain-Sharing, Nay-Saying, and Community-Building. These themes have the capability of reigniting that inner passion for ministry and restoring that God-given youthful vision to the pastor who has become worn down from trying to run the church as a business. This book should be in the library of every pastor.
12 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The title of this book is somewhat misleading. It was a pleasant surprise to learn that the various chapters are a pastoral tour through the Megilloth, the five short books that are read at five of the Jewish annual religious observances.
This book by its very nature necessitates an emphasis on practical pastoral application. The various books of the Megilloth are studied insofar as they contribute to this emphasis. The Song of Solomon directs our congregations in prayer and praise, Ruth reminds them that they are part of God's ongoing story, Lamentations speaks to them in their pain, Ecclesiastes speaks to a life of wisdom (in page 154 a late date is accepted for the writing of this book for which Solomon has no part), and Esther is said to speak to community-building.
Peterson still seems to have the same chip on his shoulder that was expressed in his book "Working the Angles." In his introduction he states his opinion that Christian writers of the 20th century have little to commend themselves in assisting in the development of the pastoral craft. One wonders if this lack of commendation also applies to his writings, or only to everyone else's. Once he enters the body of his subject, he succeeds in finding pastoral applications to the five books of the Megilloth. At the same time, he seems to take no pastoral responsibility for the growth of a church, instead claiming that "congregations are large when there is social approval to be part of a religious establishment, small when there is not" (Page 209). Perhaps he has not read Carl George's book.
This books succeeds in reminding us to use these and other books of the Bible in the work of shepherding; to always connect such study to the congregation. Or as Peterson puts it: "After the Bible, the church roll is the most important book in the pastor's study" (Page 48).
This book by its very nature necessitates an emphasis on practical pastoral application. The various books of the Megilloth are studied insofar as they contribute to this emphasis. The Song of Solomon directs our congregations in prayer and praise, Ruth reminds them that they are part of God's ongoing story, Lamentations speaks to them in their pain, Ecclesiastes speaks to a life of wisdom (in page 154 a late date is accepted for the writing of this book for which Solomon has no part), and Esther is said to speak to community-building.
Peterson still seems to have the same chip on his shoulder that was expressed in his book "Working the Angles." In his introduction he states his opinion that Christian writers of the 20th century have little to commend themselves in assisting in the development of the pastoral craft. One wonders if this lack of commendation also applies to his writings, or only to everyone else's. Once he enters the body of his subject, he succeeds in finding pastoral applications to the five books of the Megilloth. At the same time, he seems to take no pastoral responsibility for the growth of a church, instead claiming that "congregations are large when there is social approval to be part of a religious establishment, small when there is not" (Page 209). Perhaps he has not read Carl George's book.
This books succeeds in reminding us to use these and other books of the Bible in the work of shepherding; to always connect such study to the congregation. Or as Peterson puts it: "After the Bible, the church roll is the most important book in the pastor's study" (Page 48).
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Possibly for Pastors
This book was recommended for me by a friend. I found it to be way over my head and dry. I suspect that it would be much better read for pastors who are its target audience. Read more
Published 11 days ago by TodPkg
5.0 out of 5 stars
Should be required
This book should be required reading for anyone considering pastoral ministry. Eugene Peterson is one of the calmist and wisest voices of our time.
Published 2 months ago by Kelli S. Sorg
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!
I bought this item as a used item. It arrived as scheduled. It was very neat and I could not really tell the difference with a new one. Great business.
Published 5 months ago by E. Udoh
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Bible, not the behavioral sciences, is the basis for pastoral...
In the first of his several books on pastoral ministry, Peterson encourages pastors to return to the "old resource," the Bible, as the sole authoritative source for the task. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Francis Kyle, Uncommon Christian Ministries
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome
Eugene Peterson does it again. When the pastor strays off course, this book reminds the minister why they have accepted the call.
Published on January 30, 2011 by Tracy G. Mallory
4.0 out of 5 stars
Clever but helpful
Eugene Peterson is a man with immense wisdom and experience in pastoral matters. In this book, he passes on a portion of this in an engaging and thoughtful way. Read more
Published on October 18, 2009 by John Dekker
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pastoral Work
Eugene Peterson's first work on pastoring was entitled Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, c. 1980). Read more
Published on April 6, 2009 by Gerard Reed
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 77
books:
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30
books
cite this book:
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- Old Testament Theology, Volume I (Old Testament Library) by Gerhard von Rad on 5 pages
- Old Testament Theology Volume One (v. 1) by Gerhard von Rad on 5 pages
- THE ALLEGORY OF LOVE by C.S. LEWIS in Front Matter, page 40, and page 64
- The Descent of the Dove by Charles Williams on page 23, page 97, and page 188
- Church Dogmatics (14 Volume Set) by Karl Barth in Front Matter, page 33, and page 193
See all 77 books this book cites
- The Sense of the Call: A Sabbath Way of Life for Those Who Serve God, the Church, and the World by Marva J. Dawn on 5 pages
- Jesus the Pastor by John W. Frye on 5 pages
- The Hospital Visit: A Pastor's Guide by Michael L. Kirkindoll on page 22, page 37, and page 96
- Desert Hearts and Healing Fountains: Gaining Pastoral Vocational Clarity by Dr. Victor Hunter in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- A Royal Waste of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World by Marva J. Dawn on page 146, and Back Matter
See all 30 books citing this book
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