Review by _Delly_01 -- Pastoring is Not What You Think
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_Delly_01
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Review by _Delly_01 -- Pastoring is Not What You Think
[Following is a volunteer review of "Pastoring is Not What You Think" by Elijah Oladimeji.]
1 out of 4 stars
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Pastoring is Not What You Think is a Christian fiction novel written by Elijah Oladimeji. It follows the emotional journey of Pastor Job as he struggles to pay rent for his Pentecostal church in New York, battles against his own conceptions of morality in regards to illegal immigration and deportation, and questions the decisions made by the American government that have led to high levels of gun violence. Filled with uplifting sermons of deep conviction, Pastoring is Not What You Think reveals the challenges a pastor faces in his personal relationships as he strives to be a constant positive influence over his vulnerable congregation—all while remaining steadfast in his faith in God.
This novel might have had the potential to be insightful and engaging. It raises many relevant societal and existential issues that everyone can relate to, despite religious differences. However, I thoroughly dislike this book, and would go so far as to say it is irredeemable… Even with a third revision to correct the typographical and grammatical errors riddled throughout.
The only thing I enjoyed about this book was the fact I could feel the narrator’s presence during the protagonist’s sermons and moments of prayer. It was written with an almost tangible and undying passion, and that is something I truly and deeply respect. In fact, I almost considered I was reading an embellished memoir or autobiography when I learned the author was a pastor themselves. Sadly, those sermons and prayers became repetitive and soured with redundancy just as much the stilted dialogue between Pastor Job and his wife, Lorraine, when talking about fancy trucks and cars magically falling into their laps-- so much so that the key theme and message of the book itself became a contradiction:
Page 4--
"The Bible says that give and it shall be given unto you. People want to get their stuff, but they don’t want to give. People give a little, but want to get a lot. With the same measure that you give, it shall be given unto you. Genesis 8:22 in the King James Bibles says, ‘While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. . .’ People want to harvest, but they don’t want to sow. People want to harvest plenty, but want to sow little."
Page 8--
“Why claim it, why just not buy it?”
“I am claiming it spiritually first, then later, it will manifest physically,” Pastor Job explained.
“I think buying it at the dealership is easier than first claiming it for months by faith.”
“It is important to exercise faith,” He said as he cut the truck ad out of the magazine.
“What are you doing?”
“Pasting the picture of the truck on my wall, naming it, claiming it.”
Surprised, Lorraine asked, “Why are you pasting a picture of a truck on your wall? That does not even make any sense.”
“It is important to exercise faith,” he said as he continued to gaze at the truck.
“How is this exercising faith?”
“Until you see it, you cannot possess it.”
Page 28--
“And by the way, when I am going to get my car?”
“It’s on the way.”
“When? It’s been one year already.”
“Just believe. It’s on the way.”
“That’s all you say. . .believe, all things are possible for him that believes. I am not asking for all things, just one thing, a nice car.”
“I know, honey.”
“Do not ‘honey’ me. My mother is coming next month.”
“I know.”
“When she came two years ago, we had to take the subway in the snow. The subway smelled terrible with all the homeless people sleeping there. That’s not going to happen this year.”
“I believe God. Two months is a long time for God to act.”
Despite the awkward syntax, grammatical errors, and the stilted “I am” and “do not’s” that are ever-present in the novel’s dialogue without character-revealing action tags for variety, the message of working hard to earn something is directly contradicted when Pastor Job relies on God to give him a car through visualisation only. And it perfectly captures his personality throughout the novel. There is no true character depth, conflict, or transformation to justify the absence of plot or story. There is only prayer, sermons, and visualisation. He is not proactive about his money problems, and compares not having a car to an immigrant being deported. If Pastor Job had’ve been a tree, it wouldn’t have changed a single thing about this novel’s content-- which reads like a very rough, first draft with random elements of screenplay writing when ‘Man 4’ is called on stage but never shows. Whoever ‘Man 4’ is, I’d say they were an extra that realised half their worth in this production before it was too late. I wish I could say the same for me.
The simple fact is, I was hoping to read something that would enlighten me to the hardships of being a pastor, where I would see a pastor helping people in a tactful and nonjudgmental way, where I would understand the pressure they must experience to balance themselves in their personal lives while remaining mentally strong in such a demanding and powerful position. Unfortunately, this novel has done the opposite-- as demonstrated by Lorraine’s flippant observation about homeless people earlier. And it doesn’t help when Lorraine’s shoddy attitude is rivalled by Pastor Job’s misogyny and misandry during an inner-monologue:
“Whistling, Pastor Job shook his head in disbelief about some of the things he heard from the young women. When you talk to young people, do they listen? Men and women. They are all the same. Both stupid, unwilling, unyielding, set in the wrong behavior. Considering how much pain sex has caused men and women over the years, one would think they would learn or do better. At least pause for a few seconds and think, reflect. But do they do that? No. Why do that? 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. Why create a better relationship? Who has time for that? Breakups, pain and disillusionment have become standard. The man wants to die from sex overdose. The woman is willing to indulge him. The two of them seemed locked in a cheerful tango dance to hell. None is better. Agents of darkness they all are. If you advise young women to stay away from men, will they listen? No. If you advise young women to stay away from fornication, will they listen? No. Many women run, eyes wide open, to hook up with the next dog. What else can you get from a dog? Then, when the consequences come, they ask for prayer.”
At some point, the strong narrative presence I felt and appreciated earlier in the novel became a double-edged sword when I realised the protagonist was juvenile in their thinking. Any ideas raised are dropped half a page later, or we get a rant like the one above which is very closed-minded and extremely offensive to men and women. No pastor I’ve ever come across thinks this way, or rejects a person who is in dire need of help because their life circumstances are unpleasant. Perhaps it was a sarcastic and ironic jab at pastoring, much like the title of the book? Who knows. Whatever it was supposed to be, it was lost on me.
If the message in that rant had’ve been that men and women sometimes search for something meaningful in a relationship because they’re lonely and/or unsatisfied, I would’ve been content. But the idea that all men and women are hopeless, sexual deviants-- and the laughable hyperbole and derogatory metaphor used-- really irks me. It frustrates me as much as Pastor Job’s ‘struggle’ with mental health when he mumbles to himself, and compares the practice of psychiatry or psychology to a ‘foot doctor’.
Whatever the point was of bringing up ‘mumbling’ as a serious mental health issue, it came across as a device that is being used because it’s trending to talk about these things in current society without fear of stigmatisation. However, it was dragged out and dropped like everything else in this book when it was revealed he wasn’t ‘crazy’, but stressed. It had a lot of hype, but no substance. The fact that the previous title of this novel before revision was Our Pastor Has Gone Mad Again, speaks volumes. This book treated every topic as a joke. If there was anything redeemable about this book, I probably would’ve found it if the novel didn’t end with a sudden mic-drop. But I’m grateful it did.
I rate Pastoring is Not What You Think one out of four stars. The characters are flat, dialogue is stilted and unrealistic, plot is non-existent, the message is confusing and offensive, and there is a myriad of typographical and grammatical errors, and sentence structure issues. If I could rate lower, I would. I would give it half a star because it exists in the first place. I do not recommend this book for anyone, Christian or otherwise.
******
Pastoring is Not What You Think
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1 out of 4 stars
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Pastoring is Not What You Think is a Christian fiction novel written by Elijah Oladimeji. It follows the emotional journey of Pastor Job as he struggles to pay rent for his Pentecostal church in New York, battles against his own conceptions of morality in regards to illegal immigration and deportation, and questions the decisions made by the American government that have led to high levels of gun violence. Filled with uplifting sermons of deep conviction, Pastoring is Not What You Think reveals the challenges a pastor faces in his personal relationships as he strives to be a constant positive influence over his vulnerable congregation—all while remaining steadfast in his faith in God.
This novel might have had the potential to be insightful and engaging. It raises many relevant societal and existential issues that everyone can relate to, despite religious differences. However, I thoroughly dislike this book, and would go so far as to say it is irredeemable… Even with a third revision to correct the typographical and grammatical errors riddled throughout.
The only thing I enjoyed about this book was the fact I could feel the narrator’s presence during the protagonist’s sermons and moments of prayer. It was written with an almost tangible and undying passion, and that is something I truly and deeply respect. In fact, I almost considered I was reading an embellished memoir or autobiography when I learned the author was a pastor themselves. Sadly, those sermons and prayers became repetitive and soured with redundancy just as much the stilted dialogue between Pastor Job and his wife, Lorraine, when talking about fancy trucks and cars magically falling into their laps-- so much so that the key theme and message of the book itself became a contradiction:
Page 4--
"The Bible says that give and it shall be given unto you. People want to get their stuff, but they don’t want to give. People give a little, but want to get a lot. With the same measure that you give, it shall be given unto you. Genesis 8:22 in the King James Bibles says, ‘While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. . .’ People want to harvest, but they don’t want to sow. People want to harvest plenty, but want to sow little."
Page 8--
“Why claim it, why just not buy it?”
“I am claiming it spiritually first, then later, it will manifest physically,” Pastor Job explained.
“I think buying it at the dealership is easier than first claiming it for months by faith.”
“It is important to exercise faith,” He said as he cut the truck ad out of the magazine.
“What are you doing?”
“Pasting the picture of the truck on my wall, naming it, claiming it.”
Surprised, Lorraine asked, “Why are you pasting a picture of a truck on your wall? That does not even make any sense.”
“It is important to exercise faith,” he said as he continued to gaze at the truck.
“How is this exercising faith?”
“Until you see it, you cannot possess it.”
Page 28--
“And by the way, when I am going to get my car?”
“It’s on the way.”
“When? It’s been one year already.”
“Just believe. It’s on the way.”
“That’s all you say. . .believe, all things are possible for him that believes. I am not asking for all things, just one thing, a nice car.”
“I know, honey.”
“Do not ‘honey’ me. My mother is coming next month.”
“I know.”
“When she came two years ago, we had to take the subway in the snow. The subway smelled terrible with all the homeless people sleeping there. That’s not going to happen this year.”
“I believe God. Two months is a long time for God to act.”
Despite the awkward syntax, grammatical errors, and the stilted “I am” and “do not’s” that are ever-present in the novel’s dialogue without character-revealing action tags for variety, the message of working hard to earn something is directly contradicted when Pastor Job relies on God to give him a car through visualisation only. And it perfectly captures his personality throughout the novel. There is no true character depth, conflict, or transformation to justify the absence of plot or story. There is only prayer, sermons, and visualisation. He is not proactive about his money problems, and compares not having a car to an immigrant being deported. If Pastor Job had’ve been a tree, it wouldn’t have changed a single thing about this novel’s content-- which reads like a very rough, first draft with random elements of screenplay writing when ‘Man 4’ is called on stage but never shows. Whoever ‘Man 4’ is, I’d say they were an extra that realised half their worth in this production before it was too late. I wish I could say the same for me.
The simple fact is, I was hoping to read something that would enlighten me to the hardships of being a pastor, where I would see a pastor helping people in a tactful and nonjudgmental way, where I would understand the pressure they must experience to balance themselves in their personal lives while remaining mentally strong in such a demanding and powerful position. Unfortunately, this novel has done the opposite-- as demonstrated by Lorraine’s flippant observation about homeless people earlier. And it doesn’t help when Lorraine’s shoddy attitude is rivalled by Pastor Job’s misogyny and misandry during an inner-monologue:
“Whistling, Pastor Job shook his head in disbelief about some of the things he heard from the young women. When you talk to young people, do they listen? Men and women. They are all the same. Both stupid, unwilling, unyielding, set in the wrong behavior. Considering how much pain sex has caused men and women over the years, one would think they would learn or do better. At least pause for a few seconds and think, reflect. But do they do that? No. Why do that? 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. Why create a better relationship? Who has time for that? Breakups, pain and disillusionment have become standard. The man wants to die from sex overdose. The woman is willing to indulge him. The two of them seemed locked in a cheerful tango dance to hell. None is better. Agents of darkness they all are. If you advise young women to stay away from men, will they listen? No. If you advise young women to stay away from fornication, will they listen? No. Many women run, eyes wide open, to hook up with the next dog. What else can you get from a dog? Then, when the consequences come, they ask for prayer.”
At some point, the strong narrative presence I felt and appreciated earlier in the novel became a double-edged sword when I realised the protagonist was juvenile in their thinking. Any ideas raised are dropped half a page later, or we get a rant like the one above which is very closed-minded and extremely offensive to men and women. No pastor I’ve ever come across thinks this way, or rejects a person who is in dire need of help because their life circumstances are unpleasant. Perhaps it was a sarcastic and ironic jab at pastoring, much like the title of the book? Who knows. Whatever it was supposed to be, it was lost on me.
If the message in that rant had’ve been that men and women sometimes search for something meaningful in a relationship because they’re lonely and/or unsatisfied, I would’ve been content. But the idea that all men and women are hopeless, sexual deviants-- and the laughable hyperbole and derogatory metaphor used-- really irks me. It frustrates me as much as Pastor Job’s ‘struggle’ with mental health when he mumbles to himself, and compares the practice of psychiatry or psychology to a ‘foot doctor’.
Whatever the point was of bringing up ‘mumbling’ as a serious mental health issue, it came across as a device that is being used because it’s trending to talk about these things in current society without fear of stigmatisation. However, it was dragged out and dropped like everything else in this book when it was revealed he wasn’t ‘crazy’, but stressed. It had a lot of hype, but no substance. The fact that the previous title of this novel before revision was Our Pastor Has Gone Mad Again, speaks volumes. This book treated every topic as a joke. If there was anything redeemable about this book, I probably would’ve found it if the novel didn’t end with a sudden mic-drop. But I’m grateful it did.
I rate Pastoring is Not What You Think one out of four stars. The characters are flat, dialogue is stilted and unrealistic, plot is non-existent, the message is confusing and offensive, and there is a myriad of typographical and grammatical errors, and sentence structure issues. If I could rate lower, I would. I would give it half a star because it exists in the first place. I do not recommend this book for anyone, Christian or otherwise.
******
Pastoring is Not What You Think
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labibliofile
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I've been seeing very contradicting reviews on this book. While some like it very much, others borderline on hating the book.
You do make some very good points where the author is contracting himself! I was ready sceptical, but now I know not to pick up this book!
Thank you for the insightful review!
You do make some very good points where the author is contracting himself! I was ready sceptical, but now I know not to pick up this book!
Thank you for the insightful review!
"Growth is the essence of life."
Latest Review: Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula by R.F. Kristi
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_Delly_01
- Posts: 276
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It's a shame I fall so squarely into the group of people who didn't like it, but I feel this is one of the worst books I've read. There are books that deal with this topic respectfully and honestly. This isn't one of them. I'm sorry if I've discouraged you from reading a book you were interested in, but I'm relieved to have saved you from a nightmare.
Thank-you for taking the time to read my review.
Thank-you for taking the time to read my review.
Latest Review: Sigfried’s Smelly Socks! by Len Foley
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_Delly_01
- Posts: 276
- Joined: 23 Jan 2018, 20:43
- Currently Reading:
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- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-delly-01.html
- Latest Review: Sigfried’s Smelly Socks! by Len Foley
It's a shame I fall so squarely into the group of people who didn't like it, but I feel this is one of the worst books I've read. There are books that deal with this topic respectfully and honestly. This isn't one of them. I'm sorry if I've discouraged you from reading a book you were interested in, but I'm relieved to have saved you from a nightmare.labibliofile wrote: ↑21 Feb 2019, 13:14 I've been seeing very contradicting reviews on this book. While some like it very much, others borderline on hating the book.
You do make some very good points where the author is contracting himself! I was ready sceptical, but now I know not to pick up this book!
Thank you for the insightful review!
Thank-you very much for taking the time to read my review. I'm sorry it was a bit long...
Latest Review: Sigfried’s Smelly Socks! by Len Foley
-
labibliofile
- Posts: 224
- Joined: 08 Oct 2018, 12:24
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 49
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- Latest Review: Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula by R.F. Kristi
I should really preview my comments before posting! I meant -_Delly_01 wrote: ↑26 Feb 2019, 23:11It's a shame I fall so squarely into the group of people who didn't like it, but I feel this is one of the worst books I've read. There are books that deal with this topic respectfully and honestly. This isn't one of them. I'm sorry if I've discouraged you from reading a book you were interested in, but I'm relieved to have saved you from a nightmare.labibliofile wrote: ↑21 Feb 2019, 13:14 I've been seeing very contradicting reviews on this book. While some like it very much, others borderline on hating the book.
You do make some very good points where the author is contracting himself! I was ready sceptical, but now I know not to pick up this book!
Thank you for the insightful review!
Thank-you very much for taking the time to read my review. I'm sorry it was a bit long...
Also, you're right. Topics such as religion should be dealt with utmost honesty and respect. Thank you for saving me from reading this book!You do make some very good points where the author is contradicting himself! I was already sceptical, but now I know not to pick up this book!
"Growth is the essence of life."
Latest Review: Cat Detectives in the Korean Peninsula by R.F. Kristi
