Anyone who’s lived in an evangelical church environment long enough will recognise (even perhaps as part of their own baggage) the life experiences, the doubts, the anxiety that Pedro and Juan (the two pastors whose stories we follow in this book) grapple with. And anyone who hasn’t, or who is not familiar with the reality and the nitty-gritty of the evangelical world, will find this book just as interesting and intriguing and even surprising, as it explores the deep existential dilemmas these two men go through, despite (or perhaps, as a result of) their positions and their seniority in their local churches.
The style of the text is entertaining and readable without being superficial and the descriptions, both of the characters and of the settings they inhabit allow the reader to visually recreate an ambience populated by actors they can recognise and to whom they can relate. As they walk the path that takes them from a place of loneliness, frustration and disappointment, Pedro and Juan live situations and interact with characters that force them, guide them, or help them to face and to work out their doubts and ambiguities, with honesty and courage.
I found the reflections presented in the appendix particularly interesting, fresh and profound. In them, the author makes the point that a believer’s search should cover three equally important dimensions, simultaneously: height, depth and direction, and he does so with great clarity and discernment.

The interweaving stories of this book will stay with you: The characters will be familiar to those who've spent years in church ministry, but Field depicts them so vividly and compassionately that, through his narration, the reader gets that rare opportunity of loving critical distance. Field never leaves the narrative frame, so the story doesn't turn moralizing. His story, rather, generates questions for the potential writing of new stories. We journey with these characters for a while, to be able to travel our own journeys with more clarity and wisdom.
I know this, especially, because this review refers to an earlier edition of the book, which has stayed with me for more than 7 years! Pastor, Pastor has been long in the making by Field, an astute observer of the church. I am so glad it is now widely available.

The novel, "Pastor Pastor", follows the lives of church leaders in Argentina. The leaders genuinely feel the call of God to pastor churches, yet struggle with several personal and organizational issues as they seek to build up church communities. Alejandro Field, the author, cleverly introduces insights about what makes a pastor "successful" in the way intended by God.

To honor and serve God is the dream of everyone who loves Jesus. How can we do this? This is the big question. Some, the least, embark on the adventure of ministry. Others live their lives, professions, and occupations with the guilt of not having put priorities in the right order. In both cases, good intentions confront the reality of life as it is. Ministry is not always the idyllic place to serve God, nor does a profession or occupation in itself displace God from center stage. Life decisions are full of contradictions. “Pastor, Pastor” shows us, in a warm and engaging way, the struggle of its characters to find their own destiny amid life's contradictions. Above the right or wrong decisions, it teaches us that God always gives us another chance.

Through a particularly good narrative, we meet characters who represent the ideals, the heart, the greatness, the mistakes and the miseries of many who long to serve God and people. Those of us who have been in the world of evangelical churches and "ministry" for several decades will feel that we are reliving stories that happened to us, of which we were part (or suffered) in one way or another. The critical look at certain emphases and practices of recent years can help us to open our eyes to some imbalances, but with a constructive spirit, seeking to clear the way to recover the essence of life in community of the people of God.