Book Review — Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor

April 3, 2008

Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, by Don Carson

One of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time. As far as solid encouragement, this book stands out among the biographies that I have read. In this book, Carson shares the life story of his father Tom, who was a pastor for many years in Canada. He also quotes extensively from his father’s journals, which are both ordinary and wonderful at the same time.

I suppose the title really says it all. In our day which is full of mega-pastor personalities with mega-churches, Tom Carson was ordinary. He preached most often to a group of 20 people or so. He saw very little growth in the size of his ministry, but remained faithful in serving the Chief Shepherd. He courageously stood for the truth without compromising the great doctrines of Scripture, and he dealt with a great deal of persecution, discouragement and weariness.

I was simultaneously convicted and encouraged as I read this book. In particular Carson’s commitment to his family. The selfless way in which he served his wife as her health deteriorated with Alzheimer’s was inspiring, and it is clear that he left a great impact on his children. Carson writes that he and his sister could not recall a time where they ever heard their parents speak negatively about another person. Perhaps the best way to describe the value of Tom Carson’s life is to simply quote Don from the last page of the book:

‘Tom Carson never rose very far in denominational structures, but hundreds of people in the Outaouais and beyond 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 list.

‘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. 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.’

When I finished reading this book, I was deeply grateful to God for Tom Carson. And thankful for his son Don, who has encouraged this ordinary pastor by sharing with us this extraordinary story of an ordinary pastor.In sum, I heartily recommend this book to all readers. You don’t need to be a pastor to be greatly encouraged by this book.

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Book Reviews, Seeking Him 

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