Pastor as Gardener Group
A Renewed Vision for the Work of Ministry
A discussion group for pastors and ministry leaders, walking through Matthew Erickson's The Pastor as Gardener — trading the exhausting images of ministry for a truer, more hopeful one: the pastor who tends what only God can grow.
Somewhere along the way, ministry started to feel like something it was never meant to be. CEO. Visionary. Fixer. Brand manager. The images we've inherited ask pastors to produce, perform, and control — and they leave us weary, fragmented, and unsure of who we're actually called to be.
There's an older, quieter picture. On resurrection morning, Mary turned and mistook the risen Jesus for the gardener. John doesn't waste a detail — and neither should we. This group takes that image seriously: the pastor not as the one who manufactures growth, but as the one who tends the soil, watches the seasons, stays attentive to where God is already at work, and trusts the God who alone gives life.
Over six sessions and nine chapters we'll read the book together and do the slower work of reimagining our calling — not as isolated professionals, but as gardeners rooted in the same ground, learning to labor and to let go.
What to expect:
A small, honest circle. A group of ministry peers who understand the particular weight you carry.
A shared read. We move through The Pastor as Gardener chapter by chapter, discussion guided by the author himself to spark reflection and real conversation — not lecture.
Room for your own soil. Each session invites you to reflect on your own place, season, and story of ministry. This is formation, not just information.
No fixing, no performing. We come to listen and be listened to. The goal isn't answers; it's attentiveness — to God, to ourselves, and to one another.
The Book & Author:
In The Pastor as Gardener, Matthew Erickson invites clergy to reimagine ministry through the metaphor of gardening—a restorative act that renews purpose. Blending Scripture and practical theology, he offers pastors a vision of vocation, echoing Eugene Peterson and Wendell Berry, that is both deeply rooted and dynamic.
Matthew Erickson is a pastor, writer, and speaker who has served since 2010 as Senior Pastor at Eastbrook Church, an urban congregation in Milwaukee. He is the author of The Pastor as Gardener (Eerdmans, 2026) and writes on Substack and for publications including Christianity Today, The Living Church, and Relevant Magazine.
DETAILS
Who: Pastors & Ministry Leaders
Dates: Mondays, October 12, 2026 - November 16, 2026
Times: 3:00PM - 4:30PM EST
Where: Zoom
Size: Up to 12 participants
Cost: $120 + Cost of Book
Ready to join?
Use the “REGISTER NOW” button below to reserve your spot. Space is limited.
Questions before you commit? Email [email protected] and we'll be glad to help.