The Unwavering Pastor: Leading the Church with Grace in Divisive Times

“I needed this book. If you’re a fellow weary pastor, you do too. And I didn’t know how much I needed it until I read it. ”

“Lyrical, subversive, tender, raw, grace-filled and profoundly counter-cultural, The Unwavering Pastor is a beautifully different book which speaks and embodies the gospel for this moment in a way in which we desperately need. Read it and drink deeply from its grace and truth. ”

“Pastors are facing discouragement and burnout at unprecedented rates, and the factors contributing to these challenges are complex. That’s why I’m grateful for Jonathan Dodson’s The Unwavering Pastor. This book brings a biblical wisdom and a surprising candor to helping pastors navigate the journey through the thicket of conflict, division, criticism, and even depression, always holding out the healing comfort of grace for the weary pastor’s soul. This is a really good book.”

“As exhausting, and often spiritually depressing, as normal ministry may be, the last few years press us to go to deeper wells. This book is a deeper well—a very refreshing one.”

“This is going to be a tremendous help for leaders serving Jesus. I recognize my own story here. Jonathan captured the emotional exhaustion, paralyzing emptiness, and spiritual confusion I felt when I experienced pastoral burnout at 50. Thankfully, Jonathan also gives us gospel balm and grace ballast. This short book is long on wisdom, grace, and timely encouragement.”

“As a weary pastor myself, who is constantly talking to others in a similar condition, I appreciate how this book comes at the right time. Whatever trial you are leading others through at the moment, this book is sure to provide helpful instruction and life-giving encouragement.”

“Here is an oasis for pressured pastors and weary leaders. This book reads like a conversation with a good friend, who wants to prepare you for inevitable pain as well as save you from unnecessary pain. Jonathan writes from experience, sharing practical wisdom grounded in biblical insight. A timely book for our difficult times!”

“Gut-level honest, biblically rooted, beautifully written, and full of wise counsel. Pastor, read it to have your worries and wounds sympathetically understood, your weary soul encouraged, your calling clarified, and your love for Christ deepened. Again and again, I found fresh insights in these pages. For years, Jonathan Dodson has proven himself an important voice in matters of church and culture, and in this book, he shows himself to be a trustworthy pastor to pastors.”

“If there ever was a time when the calling of a pastor could be called difficult, so much so that many are leaving the ministry at unprecedented rates, now is that time. In a world wracked with negativity, outrage, caricature, and us-against-them partizan tactics, Christ’s undershepherds need a resource to help them navigate these realities with grace, truth, and integrity. This is that book!”

“If you are wavering, if you are overwhelmed, if you have nothing left, read this book! The Unwavering Pastor will lift your head to see that we have an unwavering Father who is committed to you.”

“A biblically driven, beautifully written book about being a pastor and a human. Dodson’s honesty and vulnerability demonstrate that the key to leading through divisive times is to learn to suffer, grieve, and look to Christ. Every pastor who reads this book will learn principles and lessons to lead through divisive times, but even more, they will be moved by the kind of man and pastor Christ calls us to be in these difficult days. I heartily commend this book. ”

“This is an excellent book, offering much wisdom and insight to pastors who are facing unprecedented challenges. It is a masterful example of double listening: listening to the pastoral challenges of our time and listening to what the Spirit says to pastors in 2 Timothy. It arrives at just the right time, as I have increasingly engaged with leaders facing the same struggles that Jonathan Dodson skilfully addresses.”

“Every pastor and Christian leader will relate to the poignant struggles so openly shared in this powerful book. Dodson has given all Christian leaders balm for our wounds and a compass through this storm.”

“A must-read for any and all who love, serve, and lead the local church. God has led the church through pandemics and divisions before, working through broken men and women just like us. The Unwavering Pastor is a reminder of God’s faithfulness, guiding us toward hope.”

“This book is timely because we are living in one of the most culturally challenging contexts of pastoral ministry in generations. This book is timeless because it flows from the inspired counsel Paul gives to Timothy as recorded in Scripture. Jonathan Dodson gives us help and hope by reminding us, as the apostle Paul did, the ‘aim of our charge is love’ (1 Timothy 1:5).”

“In my work as a counselor, I see pastors and ministry leaders facing anxiety, depression, weariness, panic attacks, and temptations to quit like never before. Jonathan honestly and vulnerably shares his own struggles, but he goes much further. He helps leaders endure controversy, division, criticism, and a whole host of cultural challenges alongside presenting a hopeful, practical, and encouraging vision forward. Every pastor would benefit from reading this gospel-rich encouragement.”

“The Unwavering Pastor does a fantastic job in providing insightful counsel for pastors to depend on both God and others in ministry. The guidance in this must-read book will enrich steadfast and godly leaders to fulfill God’s mission.””

“I sat down to read The Unwavering Pastor at the close of a particularly hard week in ministry. Jonathan’s stories and gospel-rich reminders were a salve to my soul. I appreciate the stories and relatability as much as I value the grace and truth on every page. Any pastor or ministry leader who feels weighed down will find fresh encouragement here.”

“I love it. It's like Gentle and Lowly, but specifically for the pastor.”