Helps pastors adopt an approach to ministry that is effective, enjoyable, and sustainable.
Being a pastor is not a regular 9-to-5 job. There is an unending list of important things to do as you seek to serve others sacrificially. The demands of ministry make it difficult to find a healthy rhythm of life and work, and can leave you running on empty. How can we develop a sustainable pattern of ministry that both honors the Lord and the people we care for and that will also protect us from burnout?
Ronnie Martin and Brian Croft have each spent decades pastoring churches and supporting ministry leaders. Here they encourage fellow shepherds to embrace a more present-focused, unhurried approach to ministry. They show how this starts with accepting their humanity, pursuing humility, and remembering the hope they have in Christ. They also exhort pastors to fuel their ministry with self-awareness, prayer, and contemplation of Jesus.
After giving a framework for this approach to ministry, the authors offer lots of practical advice regarding prioritization, managing schedules, and cultivating supportive friendships.
Read this book to deepen your joy, help yourself to serve others more effectively and continue serving God in ministry for many years to come.
Every pastor struggles with demands for his time, and how to determine priorities in ministry. Some choose to respond to the most urgent needs, while others seek a more balanced and intentional approach. But what determines these priorities? Where should a busy pastor look for wisdom in making decisions?
In the Pastor’s Ministry, pastor and author Brian Croft looks to the Scriptures to determine the top ten priorities for a faithful pastoral ministry. These biblically rooted responsibilities help pastors determine how to spend their time and with greater discernment respond to the demands of the church. Each of these priorities is rooted in a direct command of God’s Word, including:
- Guarding the Truth
- Preaching and Teaching the Word
- Praying for the Flock
- Setting an Example
- Visiting the Sick
- Comforting the Grieving
- Caring for Widows
- Confronting Sin
- Encouraging the Faint-Hearted
- Identifying and Training Other Leaders
To be successful and faithful in pastoral ministry, every pastor needs to understand these core callings and make them part of his regular practice. These ten responsibilities guide how a pastor schedules his time, helping him to lay the foundation for a biblically faithful ministry in his church.
Bring Gospel Hope in the Midst of Death
The phone rings: "Pastor, can you do my mother's funeral?" Or, "Please help us-our baby just died." Death comes unexpectedly, giving you two to three days of time to prepare a sermon-in the midst of caring for a grieving family. This helpful book walks a pastor through the logistics of memorial services, burials, and working with funeral homes-using the four P's: Plan, Prepare, Preach, and Perform. It shows how to magnify Christ and the gospel in the midst of all the details, demands, and sorrow that surrounds the death of a loved one.
The Practical Shepherding series of books provides pastors and ministry leaders with advice and practical help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. In Conduct Gospel-Centered Funerals, experienced pastors Brian Croft and Phil A. Newton offer readers a concise guide to conducting funerals that glorify God and offer a timely message of hope.
Appendixes including examples for music and funeral service order are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.
Vivimos una época en donde el contenido sexual explícito es fácil de conseguir de manera inmediata. Por eso, la lucha contra la pornografía es con frecuencia la más grande tentación del hombre cristiano hoy en día. Aunque los cristianos hemos sido transformados por la fe en Jesús, somos golpeados por nuestra cultura saturada de sexo. ¿Cómo los hombres cristianos podemos encontrar victoria sobre la pornografía? Este minilibro presenta la única solución real: el poder efectivo de Dios a través del evangelio en el contexto de una iglesia local.
Featuring insights from the perspective of both a pastor and his wife---The Pastor's Family identifies the complicated burdens and expectations ministry brings to the life of a family. Brian and Cara Croft identify the unique challenges that pastors face as husbands and fathers. They also discuss the difficulties and joys of being a pastor's wife and offer practical advice on raising children in a ministry family. In addition to addressing the challenges of marriage and raising children, they also highlight the joys of serving together as a family and the unique opportunities pastors have to train their children and lead their families. With discussion questions for use by couples and pastoral reading groups, this book is ideal for pastors and their spouses, pastoral ministry students and their wives, as well as elders, deacons, and others who wish to remain faithful to the care of their families while diligently fulfilling their calling in ministry. The Pastor's Family equips pastors with time-tested wisdom to address the tension of family and congregational dynamics while persevering in their calling.
