2 out of 4 stars
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Pastoring Is Not What You Think by Elijah Oladimeji
This is a look into the mind of a pastor trying to deal with life when his time is not his own. We see how Pastor Job deals with some specific situations: lack of rent money, being unable to buy a needed car for his family, and an illegal immigrant being deported and begging for his help. We are privy to his thoughts on guns and immigration, his being annoyed at being bothered when he expects time to recoup, and his belief that God is running the show and will always fix everything. The author dedicated this book to “…all those Christians who have many personal and family needs yet cry out in faith on behalf of others…”. Pastor Job in this story is definitely dealing with many needs of his own, yet still does spend his time, effort, and faith to see to the needs of the people in his congregation, and to those of other people he interacts with throughout his days.
Some of it was enjoyable to read but I didn’t like this much. The author did show God’s intervention, but the pastor seemed to spout “church-ese” without actually saying anything. Even though he expressed continual faith in God and praise, it came across as a knee-jerk reaction, an automated response that came out when he was spoken to. It’s understandable that he’s formed such a habit in his speech, but that’s all it seemed to be. His wife was demanding, rude, and insulting to him but, once again, he gave answers that sounded like automatic church talk.
The pastor apparently promised things to people (a financially comfortable life for his wife, a car for his mother-in-law) and expected God to bring about whatever they wanted. One incident made me wonder if the author was trying to say that God’s material blessings come about when one deserves them. The mother-in-law who needed a car was able to get one after she began volunteer work in a senior citizens’ home. The wife, who also needed a car, didn’t get one. Perhaps because she was acting rude, greedy, and entitled? She continually badgered Pastor Job to go buy her a car even though they didn’t have the money to pay rent.
I did like the pastor’s grateful joy when he saw things work out well for people. I also liked that he immediately prayed with people when any need came up. There was never a casual or dismissive, ”I’ll pray for you, you’re on my list.” This pastor learned of a need and took it to God right then and there. But when a group of young men wanted the pastor’s take on women, he told them about what the Bible said, surprising them to hear the Bible addresses sex and relationships. They wanted to hear more but he didn’t have time. When he walked away, he was thinking how stupid it is that people won’t look to God and the Bible for life advice -- right after the boys asked for information about exactly that!
His political views seem odd for a pastor, especially the way he assumes prohibitive gun laws passed by Congress would stop murder in the country. He’s a pastor! He should know that passing a law doesn’t change human nature, the laws against murder that we already have show that quite well. Besides that, his calling for intense government control and internet censorship to be increased appalled me. He’s supposed to be looking to God for protection, not the government.
I rate this 2 out of 4 stars. I had planned to only rate it 1, but when I thought about the story, I kept smiling. I don’t really know why, other than that it reminded of some things I’ve seen in life that are just like what happened in this book (the illegal immigrant getting not what he wanted, but something better, for one example). Besides, he had a bit of good advice for young readers. This is part of what the pastor was thinking to himself after speaking to some girls who wanted answers about men: Even before some break up with one person, they are already seeing another person. There is no time to reflect, consider the steps and mistakes of the past, and how to use that to create a better relationship.
People who have grown up in informal churches may not be put off by the way this pastor speaks. A religious Christian can get something good out of it even though it doesn't really give insight into what pastoring is like, despite the title. Instead, it seems like anyone dealing with the pressures of life.
Lots of mistakes. Lots of them. Not only was this not professionally edited, I don’t think it was even edited by an amateur. Also, the lack of use of contractions made the conversations sound quite odd, but that could be the way English is spoken where the author teaches.
******
Pastoring is not what you think
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