Episode 37

Zack Eswine

A Stamina for Being Overlooked

Zack Eswine is the author of the book, The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus. It's on my must-read list for pastors.
Zack Eswine is the author of the book, The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus. It's on my must-read list for pastors.
00:00 49:16

Show Notes:37. Zack Eswine — A Stamina for Being Overlooked

I’ve read a lot of books on the vocation of pastor. Zack Eswine’s book, The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus, is one of my favorites.

As a pastor, there are the books we read to keep up with trends, the books we read to refine our understanding of theology and scripture, and the books we read to try and develop new skills. But occasionally, there are the books we discover that offer something far rarer, a deep and warm conversation with a good friend, a friend who isn’t ahead of us but walking with us. Zack’s writing has provided me with that kind of friendship.

His work is humble, transparent, and deeply contemplative. You won’t find strategies or novelty. What you’ll find is a holistic expression of the pastoral ministry: local, content, and awake to the subtleties of grace.

In our conversation, we talk about platform and a great phrase I picked up from Zack’s book, “a stamina for being overlooked.” I think this is one of the most important conversations I’ve had this year on the podcast.

 

  • Church bonfire. Thanks for all who helped and participated. Another great night in the Ozarks.
  • Fall after school sunset cruise.
  • My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
  • It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. 

This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. 

There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
  • Link in Bio

This week our family launched a new podcast called Let's Talk Bible. As I'm preaching through the Gospel of Luke, we're having discussions about each passage, its background, and its meaning. It's been a lot of fun. They are smart, articulate, and clever. Many of the segments were their ideas. 

We wanted to make a podcast that families could listen to together and all learn. I think we underestimate what kids are capable of, and so we've not dumbed anything down. I want to aim high when it comes to teaching my kids scripture. 

Hope your family enjoys it. Maybe share it with a family you know too.
  • For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a book about Jesus’s words of offense. There is a famous piece of graffiti from Rome that is believed to be the oldest depiction of Jesus’s crucifixion. It was scratched into a plaster wall, and meant to mock Christians. It depicts a Christian lifting his hand to worship a man with the head of a donkey being crucified. It is Christ. It’s a strange thing to hang on your wall but it’s a reminder to me that this message of hope is still for many a message of foolishness and offense. Why if Christ’s first disciples were mocked like this do we expect cultural approval and influence. We must write and speak what is true, even when it is not received. God help us do that.
  • More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
Church bonfire. Thanks for all who helped and participated. Another great night in the Ozarks.
Church bonfire. Thanks for all who helped and participated. Another great night in the Ozarks.
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
1/8
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
2/8
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
3/8
It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. 

This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. 

There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. 

This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. 

There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
5/8
Link in Bio

This week our family launched a new podcast called Let's Talk Bible. As I'm preaching through the Gospel of Luke, we're having discussions about each passage, its background, and its meaning. It's been a lot of fun. They are smart, articulate, and clever. Many of the segments were their ideas. 

We wanted to make a podcast that families could listen to together and all learn. I think we underestimate what kids are capable of, and so we've not dumbed anything down. I want to aim high when it comes to teaching my kids scripture. 

Hope your family enjoys it. Maybe share it with a family you know too.
Link in Bio This week our family launched a new podcast called Let's Talk Bible. As I'm preaching through the Gospel of Luke, we're having discussions about each passage, its background, and its meaning. It's been a lot of fun. They are smart, articulate, and clever. Many of the segments were their ideas. We wanted to make a podcast that families could listen to together and all learn. I think we underestimate what kids are capable of, and so we've not dumbed anything down. I want to aim high when it comes to teaching my kids scripture. Hope your family enjoys it. Maybe share it with a family you know too.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
6/8
For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a book about Jesus’s words of offense. There is a famous piece of graffiti from Rome that is believed to be the oldest depiction of Jesus’s crucifixion. It was scratched into a plaster wall, and meant to mock Christians. It depicts a Christian lifting his hand to worship a man with the head of a donkey being crucified. It is Christ. It’s a strange thing to hang on your wall but it’s a reminder to me that this message of hope is still for many a message of foolishness and offense. Why if Christ’s first disciples were mocked like this do we expect cultural approval and influence. We must write and speak what is true, even when it is not received. God help us do that.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a book about Jesus’s words of offense. There is a famous piece of graffiti from Rome that is believed to be the oldest depiction of Jesus’s crucifixion. It was scratched into a plaster wall, and meant to mock Christians. It depicts a Christian lifting his hand to worship a man with the head of a donkey being crucified. It is Christ. It’s a strange thing to hang on your wall but it’s a reminder to me that this message of hope is still for many a message of foolishness and offense. Why if Christ’s first disciples were mocked like this do we expect cultural approval and influence. We must write and speak what is true, even when it is not received. God help us do that.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
7/8
More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
8/8

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