Last week, Religion News Service blogger, Jonathan Merritt, posted an interview he had with Eugene Peterson.
As I’ve shared plenty of times, I appreciate the pastoral writings of Peterson. I’ve read a few of his books and reviewed them: Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Eat This Book, and The Contemplative Pastor. And I plan on reading quite a few others.
I’d encourage you to read Merritt’s interview with the now 81-year old Peterson. He asks 8 particular questions, and I really appreciated the final question and answer:
JM: Eighty-one years is a long time. As you enter your final season of life, what would you like to say to younger Christians who are itchy for a deeper and more authentic discipleship? What’s your word to them?
EP: Go to the nearest smallest church and commit yourself to being there for 6 months. If it doesn’t work out, find somewhere else. But don’t look for programs, don’t look for entertainment, and don’t look for a great preacher. A Christian congregation is not a glamorous place, not a romantic place. That’s what I always told people. If people were leaving my congregation to go to another place of work, I’d say, “The smallest church, the closest church, and stay there for 6 months.” Sometimes it doesn’t work. Some pastors are just incompetent. And some are flat out bad. So I don’t think that’s the answer to everything, but it’s a better place to start than going to the one with all the programs, the glitz, all that stuff.
This, too, is my heart. Please know that I am not saying larger churches with multiple programmes are inherently bad. But when people seek out a church community where they can definitely 1) be in close, familial relationships and 2) serve with all of their hearts, then I believe you will find maturity in such people. This can happen in a larger context. But it’s the smaller context where such relationships and serving is honestly needed.
No glitz and glamour, but family and serving.
Read the full interview here.
The Prodigal Thought 
Very deep and impressive interview.
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