Everyone knows that some combinations are better than the sum of their parts—peanut butter and chocolate for example. The same can be said of The Resilient Pastor. It’s an illuminating combination of empirical research from Barna along with theological reflection from practical theologian, Glenn Packiam.

Published in 2022, this book explores what pastoring looks like in North America after the chaos of COVID. Pastors are tired and church attendees are fighting. People question whether church online a good model for the future. Packiam unpacks these issues with theological depth while taking the facts seriously. Not every answer is intuitive—it takes a certain depth to perceive truth in a quickly shifting landscape.

Filled with graphs and charts from Barna, along with guest reflections from leaders including Rich Villodas and Tara Beth Leach, The Resilient Pastor is a faithful guide to church life in the 2020s. I’ve made this required reading in my “Pastoral Theology” course and would highly recommend it to all pastors.

Packiam, Glenn. The Resilient Pastor: Leading Your Church in a Rapidly Changing World. BakerBooks, 2022.