Description

What if pastoral ministry isn't about managing outcomes — but tending a garden?

In this episode of the Faith Informing Podcast, Travis Jamieson sits down with Matthew Erickson, senior pastor of Eastbrook Church in Milwaukee and author of the new book Pastor as Gardener. Drawing from Scripture, the writings of Eugene Peterson and Wendell Berry, and decades of hands-on ministry experience, Matt unpacks a vision of pastoral work that is patient, rooted, and deeply hopeful.

In this conversation, you'll discover:

• Why the gardener metaphor reframes what faithful pastoral ministry actually looks like
• How 1 Corinthians 3:5 ("I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth") set Matt free from the CEO and strategist mindset
• What "the soil of ministry" means — and why every pastor must understand the unique soil of their congregation and city
• The difference between the above-ground visible works of ministry and the hidden root system underneath — and why the hidden practices matter most
• How Eastbrook's food pantry garden became a living parable of dignity, new creation, and organic ministry
• Why Mary mistaking the risen Jesus for a gardener in John 20 is one of the most theologically rich moments in all of Scripture
• What it looks like to pastor with hope in a season of church decline, cultural chaos, and loneliness

Whether you're a pastor, church leader, seminary student, or simply someone who cares about the health of the local church, this episode will challenge you to slow down, tend the soil, and trust God for the growth.

📖 Pastor as Gardener by Matthew Erickson — available now 🌐 Eastbrook Church: eastbrook.org

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