"The Unnecessary Pastor" is a theological declaration that helps today's pastors redefine their identity and ministry on the foundation of the Bible and the Gospel.
Eugene Peterson and Marva Dunn emphasize that although pastors may seem "unnecessary" by worldly standards, they are absolutely necessary in the face of the gospel, posing a profound challenge to the reality of Korean churches and pastoral ministry, which is flowing toward success-oriented and managerialism.

We want you to build your identity as a biblical pastor.
If you hold firmly to that identity, you can minister without wavering amid the complex and distracting daily lives of the souls God has entrusted to you.

---- From "Establishing the Identity of a Biblical Pastor"

We want to start with the obvious: “The gospel of Jesus Christ is quite countercultural.”
Jesus said:
“I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49).

---- From "Chapter 1: Becoming an Unnecessary Being"

I want you to think carefully about why you go to such lengths to present yourself in a way that makes you look good on the outside.
Don't we sometimes try to disguise ourselves as something other than who we really are? Do we act this way for the sake of our own "ministry"?
---- From "Chapter 2: Prelude to Recovery"

Furthermore, our sainthood is a calling to live in the grace and peace of the Triune God.
In other words, I am called to be one who constantly asks how I can convey that grace and peace to others.
How can we bring it to life?
---- From “Chapter 3: The Call to Become a Living Song”

But Paul gives us direction for our pastoral ministry.
Although Paul did not stay with the Roman believers, he was passionately involved in helping them live righteous and faithful lives.
The famous letter to the Romans that he sent to the Roman church is a pastoral exhortation for just such a ‘life.’

---- From “Chapter 4 Paul and Rome: Restoring Biblical Pastoral Theology”

We must remember the dual perspective with which we view government and power.
While it is true that there is much to be done on a physical/worldly/human level, we must not be indifferent to the spiritual forces that manipulate human affairs through human agents.

---- From “Chapter 5: A Call to Victory Against Rule and Power”

In the Christian community, the central ministry of a leader is teaching.
Pastors must continue to teach because all elements of the gospel must be lived out in our lives.
But what kind of teaching it is is important.
It must be a teaching of wisdom, not a teaching of knowledge.

---- From “Chapter 6 Timothy and Ephesus: Teach Wisdom”

The ministry we as pastors must practice for our congregations is to always show them Jesus Christ.
We must show that He entered the abyss for us, and that He is with us even now in that pit of despair.

---- From “Chapter 7: The Call to Be Transformed by the Spirit of the Ascended Christ”

To build a community of faith in Christ, pastors must treat people the way Jesus treated them.
At the same time, we must be careful not to treat people the way the world's culture treats them.
The world deals with people in an organized and functional way.
The gospel looks at people on a relational and personal level.

---- From “Chapter 8 Titus and Crete: A Paradigm for Community Formation”

The first step in teaching Christians about true community is to teach them that much of the Bible is written in the plural.
The next step is to prepare them to practice such plurality.

---- From “Chapter 9: The Call to Build a Community”