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Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson

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There are some Christians whose ministries God blesses in extraordinary ways. They preach to thousands and their books are read by millions. But this is the exception far more than the rule. Most Christians labor in relative obscurity, largely unseen and unnoticed. In the past couple of years I have read biographies of some truly great men--William Wilberforce, William Tyndale, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards. It is good to study the lives of great men and to seek to understand how they were able to gain such prominence. Biographies teach so much about character, opportunity and just plain hard work. Rarely, though, do we read biographies of ordinary men--men who gained no earthly fame and who lived their lives in the shadow of obscurity. In Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, theologian D.A. Carson shares the life of his father, Tom Carson. He was an ordinary man, an ordinary pastor, who labored in a unique mission field surprisingly close to home.

Tom Carson served the Lord in Quebec--the French-speaking province in Canada. He ministered there during an extraordinary time where the population transitioned from being among the most religious people on earth, held firmly by the grasp of the Roman Catholic Church, to a population almost entirely secular. He labored there faithfully, despite adversity and despite both pain and failure.

Part of the appeal of this book is its sheer "ordinary-ness" (I couldn't find just the right word so decided to coin one). I may have to admit a measure of bias toward the book as the area in which Carson labored is Les Cantons de l'Est or the Eastern Townships. This is the region of Quebec where my mother grew up and it is not far from Montreal where my father was born and raised. The story takes place in a familiar setting, something I've never before experienced in reading a biography. Yet there was also comfort in the ordinary nature of Tom Carson himself. He was not extraordinarily gifted--not the kind of man who typically merits a biography. Instead, he was a very ordinary person, one who labored long and who labored faithfully. The power of this biography is not in the great accomplishments of its subject but instead in his faithfulness and his enduring love for the Lord.

The book closes with some beautiful and memorable words that aptly summarize his life and ministry.

"Tom Carson never rose very far in denominational structures, but hundreds of people ... testify how much he loved them. He never wrote a book, but he loved the Book. He was never wealthy or powerful, but he kept growing as a Christian: yesterday's grace was never enough. He was not a far-sighted visionary, but he looked forward to eternity. He was not a gifted administrator, but there is no text that says "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you are good administrators." His journals have many, many entries bathed in tears of contrition, but his children and grandchildren remember his laughter. Only rarely did he break through his pattern of reserve and speak deeply and intimately with his children, but he modeled Christian virtues to them. He much preferred to avoid controversy than to stir things up, but his own commitments to historic confessionalism were unyielding, and in ethics he was a man of principle. His own ecclesiastical circles were rather small and narrow, but his reading was correspondingly large and expansive. He was not very good at putting people down, except on his prayer lists.

"When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on the television, no mention in Parliament, no attention paid by the nation. In his hospital room there was no one by his bedside. There was only the quiet hiss of oxygen, vainly venting because he had stopped breathing and would never need it again.

But on the other side, all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne-room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man--he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor--but because he was a forgiven man. And he heard the voice of him whom he longed to hear saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.""

Oh, that each ordinary pastor and each ordinary Christian may be so faithful and enter into that same reward. I can only hope that many young pastors will commit to reading this book. But it is not just they who can benefit. Any Christian will appreciate reading about this ordinary man who somehow seems so much like you and me. Though it is good to read about Calvin and Edwards and Whitefield, men who had extraordinary ministries and who continue to exert a worldwide impact through their writing and preaching and evangelistic efforts, it is good to see as well how God has more commonly used ordinary men to do His work. Tom Carson was an ordinary pastor, a man who struggled with depression and who saw his ministry bear visible little fruit, but he was a man who remained faithful and who served the Lord with all his heart. More aware of his faults than his strengths and more prone to humility than pride, there is much we can learn from this man.

Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor is a book I enjoyed reading from the first word to the last. It strengthened me, challenged me, moved me (to tears, even!) and ministered to me. This book is a gift to the church and I hope that you will read it too. You'll be glad you did.

I've listened to quite a few of D. A. Carson's sermons and lectures (Okay, I'll be honest. I've heard every single one I can download for free.), so I already knew some of his stories about his family and upbringing. I already knew that there were at least a few parallels between my own upbringing and his. My dad, for instance, was a small church pastor and missionary like Carson's father, Tom Carson, and some of what I'd heard Don Carson say about his father made me think that he might have been a bit like my dad. My own mother used old adult-sized clothing to create cute clothing pieces for my sister and me, while Margaret Carson, Tom Carson's wife, remade hand-me-down suits for her husband. And like D. A. Carson, I grew up poor, but unaware how much less we had than most people around us until later.

This is the reason I was hoping I'd be able to read and review Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, Carson's new book on the life of his father, who was a missionary pastor in Quebec. I can't pass up a good biography, anyway, and if there are similarities between the people portrayed and the people I know and love, so much the better. And this was a good biography. I received my review copy in the mail on Thursday and finished it a couple of nights later because I stayed up reading until 2:30AM on Easter morning.

As it turns out, Tom Carson was different than my own father in many ways. Still, the parallels are notable, making the book all the more engrossing for me. Like my dad, Tom Carson was a faithful, ordinary pastor. His congregations were small; he wrote no books. His circumstances were often difficult, but he kept on serving and loving God, serving and loving his family, and serving and loving God's people. He was disciplined in his use of time, one thing I've decided I need to work at more consistently.

The marketing for Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor seems to be directed primarily to pastors. If you aren't a pastor, don't let that keep you from adding this book to the list of books you wish to read.

You may be particularly interested in reading about the life of Tom Carson if:

* You are an ordinary pastor. We all enjoy little peeks into the lives of others who've had lives similar to our own, don't we? I bet you'll find encouragement and wisdom for your own walk in this account of Tom Carson's life.

* You were (or are) an ordinary pastor's kid. It's a good thing to be reminded again of the sacrifices our parents made and the discipline their vocation required.

* You have an ordinary pastor. Let this book give you a better understanding of your own pastor's life.

* You are Canadian. Those of us who are Canadian are probably ahead of the game when it comes to understanding some of the circumstances surrounding Tom Carson's experiences. Plus, this book contains a little piece of Canadian church history. And let's face it: There aren't that many biographies of Canadian missionary pastors, so when one comes out, we're probably obligated to read it.

* You enjoy biographies. This one is a pleasing mix of real journal entries from Tom Carson, excerpts from his sermon notes and letters, and Don Carson's engaging retelling of his father's life.

* You are an ordinary Christian. The example of an ordinary Christian who remains faithfully dedicated to doing God's work through the common problems of life can spur us all to remain faithful.

Can you tell that I found Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor delightful in every way?

In Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, New Testament scholar D.A. Carson says his book is "a modest attempt to let the voice and ministry of one ordinary pastor be heard, for such servants have much to teach us."

He has succeeded in his purpose. This little book, obviously a labor of love, is a jewel. This account was pieced together using excerpts from his father's journals, the author's own memory, and recollections from friends and family. Carson follows the career of his father as he served as a pioneer Baptist church planter in French Canada from the 1930s until his death in 1992.

There were a few times I felt slightly bogged down in all the backstory. A good portion of his father's life and career was affected by things that happened in his denomination during that time. Explaining these things was essential to understanding the rest of his father's career. They couldn't have been left out.

Church politics, whether it's denominational or just in the local church itself, are part of life (a sad part of life that reflects our sinful natures, but part of life nonetheless). I doubt there is a pastor alive whose life hasn't been affected by these things. To leave them out would leave the story incomplete.

This is a wonderful biography that can edify any Christian who is occasionally discouraged by the ordinariness of his or her life. There are plenty of books about people who thrill the world with great an amazing things. To read the story of a man who lived a lifetime of faithfulness in the small things, who labored diligently without seeing a lot of earthly rewards, is a refreshing change from most biographies, and the kind of thing there needs to be more of.

In our Purpose-Driven, Megachurch world, I think this book could be a fantastic edification for any ordinary pastors out there. Since only a handful of pastors in each generation receive any sort of professional notoriety, I think that would include most pastors you know.

I'm not a pastor, just an ordinary Christian, and I enjoyed the book very much.

I was at once drawn in when I first heard of Don Carson's project to write a book reflecting the life and ministry of his late father. I eagerly awaited the book's publication, then received a copy and was, ironically, in a very busy period of ministry and so therefore unable to get to the book. However, I picked it up during my son's baseball practice last weekend and pretty much could not put it down. This book was a tremendous blessing to me.

Tom Carson was involved in ministry for a span of six decades. His station was the French Canadian area around Quebec. The younger Carson combed through the journal entries, letters, notes, and sermon notes that were left behind. Apparently Don was significantly aided by Tom's regular notes and his tendency to hang on to everything. What results is this book that I will refer to as a `journal-ography'. Don Carson interacts with the development of his father's ministry via his journal, the letters and his own first hand observations.

The title is fitting: Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor. Carson notes in the introduction that many men seem to be extraordinarily blessed by God; their ministries grow, they see many conversions and they leave a large imprint as they pass from the scene. But, Carson writes, "Most pastors will not regularly preach to thousands, let alone tens of thousands. They will not write influential books, they will not supervise large staffs, and they will never see more than modest growth. They will plug away at their care for the aged, at their visitation, at their counseling, at their Bible studies, and preaching...Most of us--let us be frank--are ordinary pastors."

In chronicling the development of Tom's ministry there are several encouragements that I took away:

1- Tom was faithful to do the important things because it was what God wanted, regardless of the human concept of success.

2- Tom's burden for French Canada to be saved seemed only to increase amidst the persecution from Roman Catholics, the lack of conversions, and his own shortcomings.

3- Tom believed that faithful preaching would accomplish God's end.

4- Tom believed that God was sovereign while at the same time laboring with tenacious zeal for souls.

5- Tom was a pilgrim. He loved ministry because it emphasized the transcendent message and the coming kingdom.

6- Tom did not get disqualified. He was faithful to his wife, his family, his church, his city.

7- Tom loved his wife. The chapter on Marg's Alzheimer Years was a heart wrenching chapter. Tom and Marg were very much in love with each other, even till the end.

8- Tom did not fire in vengeance back when wronged. Several times in the book he was unjustly accused or mistreated. Instead of retaliating he was prayerfully compassionate. Even his children had not heard of some of the conflicts until they were older. When Don asked his father why he had not told them he replied, "he did not went to become bitter."

9- Tom taught his family the Bible.

10- Tom took a job as a civil servant after his Drummondville ministry and still was as engaged as ever in ministry while also being a faithful evangelist at work.

Some other interesting points, particularly if you, like me, enjoy D.A. Carson... "...after he (Tom) was gone I found he had carefully gone through most of the books I had written, often with little ticks or marginal notes or question marks, neatly written in pencil."

As a pastor this book was a delight to read. Tom Carson is a pastor I wish I could have known, now, thankfully, it is as if I had. He has influenced me greatly, causing me to be more thankful for the blessings of divine grace, the power of the gospel, and the time remaining in ministry, that I might be more faithful. That is, more like Tom Carson.

You don't have to be a pastor to profoundly benefit from Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson, a moving biographical account written by Pastor Carson's son, eminent author Dr. D.A. Carson. This is a simply an outstanding book for any Christian who wants to fight sin, grow in grace, and be faithful until the end. I read it straight through, and was quite moved.

Dr. Carson writes poignantly about his father, Tom Carson, who spent much of his life in pastoral ministry in small churches. Tom Carson never wrote a book and was never a sought-after conference speaker, but he was a faithful, consistent, Christian man. Though imperfect, Mr. Carson was an overwhelmingly godly example to his children, leading them in both family worship and by his own exemplification of Christian virtues. He faithfully prayed for and loved his congregation, and sought to redeem every relationship for good.

The book begins with a brief history of Canada, to give the reader some perspective as to where Tom Carson ministered. Interesting historical details are given as to how Canada viewed and was impacted by the American War for Independence. Carson gives emphasis to language issues; much of the Quebec area (where Carson's life centered) was predominantly French speaking. This would become an issue in Mr. Carson's ministry because the congregation he served was bi-lingual, and toward the end of Carson's life most churches were bifurcating into English-speaking and French-speaking congregations. Chapter 2 walks us through Carson's early years. He was soundly converted in high school through the influence of a godly mother. Carson's father, however, was not a Christian until the last few years of his life--long enough, however, for Don Carson (a grandson) to discern the difference conversion makes in an older man's life. [An application: Don't stop praying for your unconverted father.]

The next few chapters walk us through some of the difficulties of Mr. Carson's ministry. He occasionally received unfair treatment from denominational leaders, but never returned evil for evil. The book quotes at length from Mr. Carson's journals and we're given access to how he led his family. Mr. Carson's story motivates me greatly to authentically live the Christian faith before my wife and children. It also motivates me to want to suffer well and work vigorously for the Audience that truly matters. Mr. Carson, even to the very end of his life, was one who redeemed his time. His journals document that he was up early for intimate prayer and devotional reflection in the Word, and then sought to be fruitful in study as well as in visitation with his parishioners. He also did not neglect to pursue healthy relationships with his children (e.g., encouraging Don in his sports and his studies).

Mr. Carson died well, three years after his wife Margaret succumbed to a painful, extended season of Alzheimer's disease. Mr. Carson's final suffering was relatively brief, a persistent cough, then a fever. A month later he breathed his last. The last two paragraphs of the book are particularly moving--but read this 148-page book straight through -- regardless of your calling, you will be blessed:

"When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on television, no mention in Parliament, no attention paid by the nation. In his hospital room there was no one by his bedside. There was only the quiet hiss of oxygen, vainly venting because he had stopped breathing and would never need it again.

But on the other side all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man--he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor--but because he was a forgiven man. And he heard the voice of him whom he longed to hear saying, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.'"

D.A. Carson's book is a look into life and ministry of his father, Tom, through a running commentary on his ministry and the inclusion of numerous journal entries. The journal entries are put in a typewriter font which sets them apart from the narrative. In the journal entries you find a man who was diligent in ministry but also very aware of his shortcomings. There are notes of despair, but normally, like the Psalms, there is ultimately a call for God's help or an affirmation of praise to God. There are several challenges and encouragements that come from Tom's life that will help Pastors and churches.

1. Tom was diligent. He was a goal setter, who, though not always meeting all his goals, accomplished much.

2. Tom persevered in the work of ministry. He was in the work for the long haul, even when results were slim and the work seemed futile.

3. Tom was a student of the Bible. Even in his closing years, his journal entries reflect serious interaction with biblical truth.

4. He handled disputes with grace and truth. While living as a man of principle, Tom is not seen in his journals or in the recollections of family and friends to be a person who held grudges. He made a commitment to not speak ill of a particular person who had offended him.

What we find in Tom Carson is the fruitfulness of life which can come through daily perseverance in the ordinary calling to love God and love people.

I've long had a theory that the most effective pastors are ones we'll never hear anything about. It's hard to believe this in a day of celebrity pastors and megachurch conferences, but our values are so far out of line with God's that I'm sure we'll be surprised one day at how God's estimation of things is different from ours.

Chances are that you've never heard of Tom Carson. He was an ordinary pastor who gained respect but never rose to prominence. He planted a church in Quebec when this was no small feat. He eventually left the church when he was not seeing the conversions that he had hoped for, and he finished his working life as a civil servant and a tent-making pastor. Throughout his ministry he struggled with a sense of inadequacy, no doubt in part because he was just an ordinary pastor. I'm sure there many pastors who can relate.

If Carson's son, noted New Testament scholar D.A. Carson, had not written this book, we probably never would have heard of Tom Carson's life, or benefited from his story. But I'm thankful that he did. Any pastor who feels ordinary, and who sometimes feels discouraged - and that's pretty much every pastor - could benefit from reading this book.

Memoirs helped me see the beauty of ordinary pastoral ministry as I observed it in Tom Carson's life. I was inspired by his example of faithfulness, integrity, and humility, especially when lesser men would have compromised. I recognized some of my struggles in his life. I was frustrated to see Tom Carson get discouraged when he probably did a better job in many areas than I'll ever do. The book helps us understand how the Gospel can help the pastor deal with discouragement in ministry.

D.A. Carson has managed to write an account of his father's life that is neither hagiography nor a tell-all memoir. The book concludes:

"Tom Carson never rose very far in denominational structures, but hundreds of people...testify how much he loved them. He never wrote a book, but he loved the book. He was never wealthy or powerful, but he kept growing as a Christian: yesterday's grace was never enough. He was not a far-sighted visionary, but he looked forward to eternity..."

"When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on television...But on the other side all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man - he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor - but because he was a forgiven man."

May God raise up more ordinary pastors like Tom Carson.

There is no greater challenge for a pastor than to come to terms with the prospect of becoming merely ordinary. Many men step into ministry with high expectations--thoughts of crowded pews, large church buildings, and book deals that collude the reality of what Christ has called them to actually do. That is, in a nutshell, to live an ordinary life that has eternal affects; few are able to escape worldly expectations and realize that a Godly calling rarely resonates with earthly successes. That is why I absolutely loved this book, or memoir, and how it indirectly sits on the de-sensitized conscience of the reader.

This was a splendid biography of an ordinary man. Tom Carson, D.A. Carson's father, was a pastor in Canada who purposely moved to a French-speaking area for the sake of ministering to the ostracized. The French-Canadians had a difficult history in Canada and though the population was stagnant, Tom found in them a need for Christ. This memoir outlines his joys and his struggles, his peaks and his valleys, all to reveal the absolute blessing of serving Christ and His people. He leads a life that seems contradict worldly wisdom but is a model to all Christians.

Beyond the pastorate was Tom's greatest ministry, which was to his family, and the greatest testimony throughout the book was the commentary written by Tom's children. Their comments about their own father and his faithfulness to the Lord was what truly stood out. Never complaining through seemingly endless struggles, Tom maintained a household that was encouraging and gracious. And the end of the book, well, it had me on the brink of tears. The end of the book had me hoping that I could one day live and die the way Tom Carson had; but I'll leave that part for you to read on your own.

I was looking for a book that could humble me and shift my prideful view of ministry. In lieu of some other books that are written specifically for the issue of contentment (i.e. Christian living books), this memoir was actually more effective in making me re-evaluate my life than any other book on contentment could have. It was humbling. It was downright real. It was shocking how extraordinary this ordinary pastor really was, though not in the eyes of this world. It made me realize that my goal as a minister of Christ is to stand before God one day knowing that I had done all I could to honor God in my life and guide his people well. That being said, I would recommend this book to anyone who might be leaning towards going into ministry. It's an honest look into the life of a faithful pastor, one who had the genuine and worthy goal of glorifying God and rightly shepherding His children. Selflessness and humility are merely words thrown around at church and in seminary, but you can't really know how that plays out in ministry unless you've experienced it. Here, D.A. Carson gives us a glimpse of what that experience should be like.

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"Ordinary" pastors don't usually get press. They don't speak at conferences. They don't write books. Their ministries are on the whole fairly average. They work hard, they faithfully serve the flock God has entrusted to them, and generally go unnoticed.

Tom Carson was, by all accounts, an ordinary pastor. Yet, he was a most extraordinary man.

Tom worked in the most difficult missions field in Canada (Quebec), striving to make in-roads for the Gospel with its Francophone population. Roman Catholicism has long been entrenched in Quebec, and is at the heart of many of the great divides between the French and English in our country (this subject is far too long to get into here, but there is an excellent primer on many of the cultural issues in Chapter 1 of the book; Canadian History books at your local library or bookstore will also be helpful in fleshing out the conflict). Protestant Christians in the 1930s through the 1950s faced a great deal of persecution, including the possibility of imprisonment for being a Protestant minister. Missionaries often gave up because they saw so little fruit and so much opposition. Yet these were the people to whom God chose Tom Carson to minister.

The book, working in large part from the elder Carson's journals, describes a man who sought to faithfully teach the Scriptures with honesty and integrity. Tom Carson was a man who loved Jesus and loved the Bible. He understood the importance of teaching sound doctrine. He was a man who understood the meaning of toil and sacrifice, working hard to fulfill his calling and be a good husband and father. It also shows a man plagued by deep insecurities about his abilities as a pastor, and who, because of those same insecurities, could not truly see the fruit of his ministry.

There are two things that stand out most vividly about the portrait of Tom Carson presented in this book. First, his humility: He never appears to have thought of himself more highly than he ought, nor did he become embittered by the success of future ministers. Even his role in the formation of the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada, he downplayed, with his son Don not even learning the details of his involvement until he was in seminary. He simply served faithfully and loved people well.

The second, his prayer life: Tom Carson understood what it meant to rely on the Lord, especially the salvation of those to whom he ministered. A poignant example appears on page 80:

"I [D.A. Carson] went looking for Dad after the morning service to entice him to come and play the piano while the rest of us sang or played instruments. He was not where he usually was. I found him in his study, the door not quite closed. He was on his knees in front of his big chair, tears streaming down his face, as he interceded with God for the handful of people to whom he had just preached. I remember some of their names to this day."

I don't pray like this. I don't think I know anyone who does. I am inspired by Tom Carson's example, and ashamed because of my failure. Even now, looking back on those few sentences, I'm on the verge of tears.

I want to be a man like Tom Carson.

I wonder how Tom would feel about this book having been written: Would he have felt embarrassed? Honored? I don't know. Regardless, I'm grateful that D.A. Carson has written this memoir and for showing us that there is much to be learned from so-called ordinary pastors like Tom Carson.

very humbling, very encouraging, very challenging to see the way Tom lived despite the hardships difficulty in spreading God'sword. He is faithful and loving, generous, just like Jesus. Read it if ur'e a christian!