The Pastorate Podcast Winn Collier on How the Life, Presence & Posture of Eugene Peterson Speaks to Pastors Today
What does it mean to be a pastor in today’s world?
In this episode, Jason sits down with Winn Collier—pastor, writer, and author of A Burning in My Bones, the authorized biography of Eugene Peterson—for a deeply personal and inspiring conversation about vocation, presence, and what it means to live a life before God with people on your heart.
Winn shares stories from his friendship with Eugene, the impact of Eugene’s journals and letters, and the process of capturing the holy, human life of a man who quietly shaped pastors around the world. They reflect on how pastoral identity is being challenged today and why returning to a slower, more rooted vision of ministry may be our best path forward.
They also talk about the pressures of performance, the sacredness of discipleship through presence—not programs—and how Eugene’s way of living with God can reawaken our calling.
In this episode:
The making of A Burning in My Bones and what Winn learned from Eugene’s journals
Eugene’s vision of the pastor: holy, human, rooted in presence
The temptation of crowds, polish, and platform—and how to resist it
Discipleship as worship: why the table and the font still matter
Why presence, not performance, is the gift pastors can offer
A call to hold both holiness and humanity in our leadership
Biography
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.
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Guest Notes
- Working the Angles - Eugene Petersen
- Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination
- A Burning In My Bones - Eugene Peterson
Show Notes