October 25, 2019 
Reviewed by:
Ceil Carey, retired public librarian and long-time book discussion leadeEW I
Title:
A steeple chase
Author:
Philip Formo
Publisher:
1946
Date:
2-22-2019
Format:
Paperback
Length:
190 pages
OVERVIEW
Richard Hanson is a Lutheran pastor in the Midwest and this chronicles three of his pastoral positions. In each of these churches, Hanson and his family learn different things, their idea of shepherding a church changes and enlarges and their faith grows: pastoring a farming community, responding to tragedies such as illness and deaths and then being the senior pastor in his hometown of Minneapolis.
I picked this book up thinking it would be very Philip Gulley-esque. While it did have some aspects that were similar, I felt that A Steeple Chase was a more serious book so entertaining in a way that was more thoughtful than I had anticipated.
ASSESSMENT
Rating (1 to 5):
3
Suggested Audience:
Fans of Christian fiction, Phillip Gulley-type books
Christian Impact:
Gives readers insights into the life of a pastor and his congregation
I very much appreciated the humor and reflective nature of this book. Overall, an entertaining and light-hearted take on pastoring, with life-like situations mixed in. Definitely would recommend this book as an addition to church libraries, and would echo the reviewer’s comments as a good choice for fans of Christian fiction.