Religion is a very scary thing, because a pastor is in a position of power. And if you use that power badly, you ruin people's lives, and you ruin your own life. Eugene H. Peterson badlylifelive Change image and share on social
I get asked, 'What do you miss most about being a pastor?' I think it's the intimacy, the incredible gift of intimacy. You go through death with somebody, with their families, and there's an intimacy that comes through that that is just incomparable. Eugene H. Peterson askdeathfamily share on social
American culture is probably the least Christian culture that we've ever had because it is so materialistic and it's so full of lies. The whole advertising world is just, it's just intertwined with lies, appealing to the worst of the instincts we have. Eugene H. Peterson advertiseamericanappeal share on social
Pastors need to know what's going on in the world and what has been going on for 4,000 years. We need a way to read Scripture which is imaginative, interpretive. Eugene H. Peterson 000imaginativeinterpretive Change image and share on social
One way to define spiritual life is getting so tired and fed up with yourself you go on to something better, which is following Jesus. Eugene H. Peterson definefeedjesus Change image and share on social
The minute the church and pastors start saying what do people want and then giving it to them, we betray our calling. We're called to have people follow Jesus. We're called to have people learn how to forgive their enemies. Eugene H. Peterson betraycallchurch share on social
I think pastors are the worst listeners. We're so used to speaking, teaching, giving answers. We must learn to be quiet, quit being so verbal, learn to pay attention to what's going on, and listen. Eugene H. Peterson answerattentionbad Change image and share on social
When you are part of a megachurch, you have no responsibility to anybody else. Eugene H. Peterson megachurchpartresponsibility Change image and share on social
If you keep the Sabbath, you start to see creation not as somewhere to get away from your ordinary life, but a place to frame an attentiveness to your life. Eugene H. Peterson attentivenesscreationframe Change image and share on social
In high school I was very much involved in poetry. You cannot read a poem quickly. There's too much going on there. There are rhythms and alliterations. You have to read poetry slow, slow, slow to absorb it all. Eugene H. Peterson absorballiterationhigh share on social
