Winn Collier on Eugene Peterson, Pastoral Identity & the Vocation of Presence

Описание: Winn Collier, author of A Burning in My Bones and Director of the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination, joins Jason to reflect on the life and legacy of Eugene Peterson. Through heartfelt storytelling and pastoral insight, Winn shares how Eugene’s life, writings, and presence have shaped his own journey—and what it means to embrace a holy and human calling as a pastor.

In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore the slow, faithful way Eugene mentored pastors, how the church can rediscover its soul, and why inefficiency might be essential to spiritual formation.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
00:00 – An opening encouragement for pastors
01:02 – Winn’s life, family, and role at the Eugene Peterson Center
02:22 – The story behind A Burning in My Bones
03:57 – Meeting Eugene through letters and shared longings
06:11 – Convincing Eugene to agree to the biography
08:22 – How Eugene’s example shaped Winn’s view of pastoring
13:01 – Defining the pastoral vocation: holiness and humanity
18:34 – Eugene’s pastoral imagination and biblical foundations
21:00 – Lessons from planting and pastoring All Souls
23:30 – Surrendering control and confronting idolatry
27:40 – Leading through the pandemic with honesty and presence
30:33 – Prioritizing direct relationship over polish
31:19 – Reading Eugene’s journals and his prayer for sainthood
33:06 – Eugene’s ministry of presence and hospitality
35:59 – His ministry to pastors and critique of megachurch culture
41:11 – Eugene’s focus on the seduction of crowds
42:44 – Discipleship as slow, relational, and sacramental
45:54 – What’s next for Winn and where to start with Eugene’s writings
48:08 – Final words of encouragement for weary pastors

🔑 Key Takeaways:
What Eugene Peterson taught about the vocation of pastoring
Why holiness and humanity must be held together in leadership
The danger of efficiency in discipleship
How presence and prayer define faithful mentorship
Encouragement for pastors feeling weary or isolated

🎙 About Winn Collier
In addition to A Burning in My Bones, Winn Collier has authored four books (Restless Faith, Let God: The Transforming Wisdom of François Fénelon, Holy Curiosity, and Love Big, Be Well) and contributed to numerous other volumes. He has written for multiple periodicals including Christianity Today, Christian Century, Relevant, and the Washington Post.

A pastor for twenty-five years, Winn was the founding pastor of All Souls Charlottesville in Virginia. He now directs the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary in Michigan. He holds a PhD from the University of Virginia, where he focused on the intersection of religion and literary fiction. Winn and his wife, Miska, a spiritual director, live in Holland, Michigan, with their two sons.

🔗 Links & Resources:
🌎 Website: https://www.thepastorate.ca
📸 Instagram: / thepastorate.ca
🎙️ Podcast: https://www.thepastorate.ca/podcast
🎁 Support The Pastorate: https://www.thepastorate.ca/give
📖 Explore A Burning in My Bones: https://waterbrookmultnomah.com/books...

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