The Pastor as Gardener
A Renewed Vision for Ministry
- Church Leadership & Ministry
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Published: 2026
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Publisher's Description
A restorative, life-giving vision of pastoral work In times of confusion and chaos, people often find that their path to wholeness runs through a garden. Tending plants and tilling soil are timeless, restorative acts that can renew our sense of identity and purpose. In The Pastor as Gardener, Matthew Erickson taps into this truth and applies it to the work of pastoral ministry. Writing for clergy who question whether meaningful ministry is possible in our current cultural context, Erickson encourages pastors to reframe their vocation as the work of a gardener. Bringing together Scripture and practical theology, he shows how gardening metaphors offer new ways of thinking about critical issues in pastoral work: effectiveness, humility, hospitality, and more. Readers will come away with a deeper appreciation for their ministry environment, a better understanding of the stages of growth in the pastoral life, and an increased ability to persevere in ministry even when fruit is not immediately apparent. Nuanced and insightful, The Pastor as Gardener will appeal to readers who appreciate the pastoral wisdom of Eugene Peterson and the agrarian sensibilities of Wendell Berry. For ministers seeking a sense of vocation that is deeply rooted but also dynamic, this book is essential reading. “We kneel with our hands in the soil of pastoral ministry, finding connection with those who have done this work before us and those who will do it after we are gone. We learn from Jesus, who is simultaneously the seed, the vine, and the gardener.”
Endorsements (4)
“The Pastor as Gardener is a lovely thing. We all know that a pastor is a shepherd, but the image of the Christian life as a garden—a garden that thrives with careful tending—is also embedded in Scripture and in Christian tradition, as Matthew Erickson shows us in this quietly, deeply, sweetly meditative book. His account is capable of bringing great refreshment to anyone called to ministry, but it is also illuminating for lay Christians, in or out of the pews.”
“Jesus used rich plant-life imagery to describe the oxymoron of an abundant, unstoppable kingdom that also requires patience and imagination. A vital task for pastors, then, is to learn how to tend with the care and patience of gardeners. Matthew Erickson’s book helps us grow our capacity for embracing those kingdom ways and remembering how to partner with miraculous things.”
“By directing our attention to inner life and outward ministry, realities beneath and above the surface, and the different seasons of personal and ecclesial life, Matthew Erickson shows us the vitality and importance of the metaphor of pastor as gardener. While pastors may be the primary audience, this insightful, catalytic, and personal book will bring great benefit to all who love Christ and his church.”
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