The Path to Being a Pastor, book cover
May 5, 2025
The Path to Being a Pastor: A Guide for the Aspiring by Bobby Jamieson Book Review
My goodness, 9Marks does not miss.
Every once in a while, a book comes along that I don't just learn from—it searches me. It holds up a mirror and asks deeper questions than I was prepared to answer. That’s exactly what Bobby Jamieson’s The Path to Being a Pastor: A Guide for the Aspiring does. This isn’t a manual for future ministers; it’s a spiritual gut check for anyone who feels even the faintest pull toward church leadership. And that pull, as Jamieson puts it is not one of a "calling" it is an "aspiring". To fully understand the difference, you'll need to read this book!
From the first chapter, it’s clear that Jamieson is not interested in promoting a modern, platform-driven view of pastoral ministry. Instead, he walks carefully through the biblical and spiritual realities of what it means to be a pastor, or more precisely, an elder. That’s one of the most helpful aspects of the book—its insistence that the title “pastor” is not a personality type, a ministry niche, or a solo calling, but a biblical office, deeply rooted in the character qualifications and shepherding responsibilities outlined in Scripture.
Jamieson writes carefully, and with pastoral wisdom and brotherly care. This is not a lofty or academic treatise, but neither is he simplistic. This book is serious because the calling is serious. And yet, throughout the book, there is a humility in the way Jamieson writes. Jamieson knows the weight of the task and writes like someone who has been shaped by it.
Myself, as someone who is already in ministry and continuing to discern how best to serve the church, this book was more than relevant—it was revealing. I found myself rethinking not just what kind of pastor I might be someday, but what kind of man I am today. The book challenged me to evaluate how I’m leading my family. Am I shepherding my wife with Christlike love? Am I discipling my children intentionally and patiently? These aren’t side questions—they’re central to the path of pastoral ministry, and Jamieson makes that unmistakably clear.
What I appreciated most is that this book is that it's about being the kind of man who is increasingly marked by godliness, humility, sound doctrine, and love for Christ’s people. The pastoral path is not for the ambitious—it’s for the qualified, the tested, the faithful. This book helps you take honest inventory of whether you’re on that path, and what needs to grow before you go any further.
And yet, even with its sobering tone, The Path to Being a Pastor is full of hope. It gives direction without discouragement. It reminds the reader that God, not man, calls pastors—and He uses local churches to shape and affirm them. Aspiring pastors don’t need to walk alone, and they shouldn’t. This book reminds us that pastoral formation is a community project.
If you're considering pastoral ministry—even if you’re just beginning to wonder whether God might be leading you there—read this book. Read it slowly. Read it prayerfully. And if you’re already serving, read it anyway. It will help you evaluate your own heart, clarify your calling, and remind you what faithful ministry is all about.
Jamieson’s work is a gift to the church. It’s biblical, balanced, and beautifully pastoral. I’m better for having read it. This was just awesome.