by Mandy Smith
IVP, Downers Grove, Ill. 208 pages
“Our work as pastors is impossible.” This is not hyperbole; according to the author, it is fact. Beginning with this radical premise of impossibility, Mandy Smith explores with honesty and theological depth what follows if the premise is true. If one does not accept the premise, the rest of the book will be foolish — as foolish as Saint Paul in prison or Moses kneeling before a burning bush or Mary aglow with acceptance. Or, perhaps as foolish as the pastor who honestly depends upon God, rather than an endless cycle of self-generating religious activities.
The author dares to take seriously the narrative of a God who “throughout Scripture, when it’s time to cast a vision or start a movement, begins with a child, a pauper or a stranger.” She argues that our human limitation is where God works. Naming honestly this limitation and claiming it as the starting place for the work of the Spirit is another way to understand vulnerability. And this is the beginning of human ministry that is truly grounded in God. “When one person is willing to step into vulnerability, it disrupts forever the cycle that traps us, giving us permission to share our fears, creating a space for others to be human and for God to be God.” This is a compelling witness for pastors who want to be honest without being self-indulgent. The vulnerable pastor dares to follow the vulnerable God who finds strength in weakness.
