Matt Erickson
I am pleased to announce I have signed a book contract with Eerdmans Publishing for my forthcoming book (2025), tentatively entitled The Pastor as Farmer: Renewing Pastoral Imagination. I believe recovering the image of the pastor as farmer provides vital direction for fruitful ministry in this era.
Last Friday, Kelly and I hiked to a spot with a hidden grove of wild blackberries, foraging nearly 7 cups of berries, which we later turned into jam. It was a good sabbath rest in a particularly busy season.
I just finished rewatching Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life and, my goodness, I love this film. It is so beautiful in capturing nature on film, but also so moving in terms of retelling the story of Franz Jägerstätter’s decision to resist Nazism. Plus, the soundtrack!
In a disorienting time for pastoral ministry, Thomas Oden’s comments from the 1980s are still relevant: “The neglected remedy is solid rerooting in classical pastoral wisdom, which has carefully held together Christ’s ministry and ours, God’s gift and the church’s task, grace and responsiveness.”
Just finished a slow and long read through The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church by Vladimir Lossky. What a wonderful and thought-provoking work of theology and prayer. 📚
Just finished reading Being Disciples by Rowan Williams. I loved this book throughout but the last chapter was worth the price of the book, in my opinion. 📚
Just finished re-reading The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy. Now on to Cities of the Plain to complete my summer re-read of the Border Trilogy. 📚
What is some of the best advice you have received on dealing with conflict? I’m crowd-sourcing for an upcoming message as part of our series on Nehemiah.
So sad to hear this news that Cormac McCarthy died. He was one of my favorite living authors.
One thing that I am often reminded of as a Senior Pastor is that while I do, in a sense, “lead” our staff team, perhaps the most important way I “lead” is not with strategy but out of who I am and how I carry myself with them and with others. This has reframed good portions of what I do.
Just finished reading: Gregory the Great by George E. Demacopoulos 📚
So proud and happy to celebrate my son, Josh, as he turns 21. From his smart mind, his creativity (visit his artist page here), and his all-around great personality, I wish him much joy and many more years.
Remembering my trip to Iona a few weeks back, which included a visit to the Isle of Staffa. Staff is one of the most unique places I have ever been, with its bewildering basalt rock formations that energize the imagination.
So proud of our youngest son, David, who graduated this past weekend from Eastbrook Academy and will head to University of Wisconsin in Madison this Fall.
I appreciate your prayer support as I work on messages today for the next two weekends at @EastbrookChurch as we embark on a new preaching series, “Rebuild and Repair: Engaging the World with Nehemiah”
I’m having fun this morning working on writing an upcoming article on bringing spiritual formation into preaching. I love bringing these often, unfortunately, disconnected worlds together.
Here’s the photo I shared in my message today at @EastbrookChurch from my last week’s study-pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona for my DMin at @westernsem. This is Iona Abbey with a replica of the St. John’s Cross in the foreground.
Currently reading: Lifting the Veil by Malcolm Guite 📚
Friends, I appreciate your prayer support as we have lost two members of our congregation in their 40s to cancer in the past week and a half. Both leave a spouse and children here. I watched them walk with the Lord in life and now through death to be with Him forever.
Currently reading: A Journey of Sea and Stone by Tracy Balzer 📚
This is your Monday reminder that Easter is not a simply day but a season and, even more, a way of living with God through Christ in the world.
