Download or read book Prepare Them to Shepherd written by Brian Croft and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2014-06-03 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are You Called to Ministry? Those who are involved in full-time ministry often say they have been “called” to do what they do. But what does that mean? Who does the “calling,” and how is it received? In Prepare Them to Shepherd, pastor Brian Croft unpacks the biblical model for preparing individuals for full-time ministry. In the past, training and sending individuals into full-time pastoral ministry and missionary work was viewed as the responsibility of the local church. Today, much of that responsibility has been delegated to Bible colleges, seminaries, and parachurch and mission organizations. The aim of Prepare Them to Shepherd is to challenge local churches to recover the biblical model for ministerial training and assume responsibility to identify and prepare gifted and godly individuals for service in Christ’s body. Part of the Practical Shepherding series of books, this insightful book provides pastors and ministry leaders with the practical help they need to test, train, affirm, and send those who are called into ministry.

Download or read book Test Train Affirm and Send Into Ministry written by Brian Croft and published by Dayone C/O Grace Books. This book was released on 2010 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Practical biblical perspectives on how to recognize and support a call to the ministry

Download or read book Mission Affirmed written by Elliot Clark and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2021-12-22 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What will it take to accomplish Christ's mission in our lifetime? That's the question evangelicals have been asking for over a century, but our efforts to reach the unreached and finish the task have often sacrificed the important for the immediate. The greatest challenge in evangelical missions isn't a lack of urgency, but a lack of discernment. As we've prioritized movements that are simple and reproducible, the gospel and faithful churches are now threatened. Our mission itself could be disqualified. In Mission Affirmed, Elliot Clark seeks to reshape our motivation by considering the example of Paul the missionary. The desire for God's approval is what formed his ambition and directed his methods, and it should guide ours too. In these pages, we rediscover how pursuing God's praise can both motivate and regulate our gospel ministries. We also refocus—as missionaries, pastors, churches, and individuals—on what matters more than a mission accomplished: a mission God affirms. Biblical Ministry Advice: Provides a holistic look at Paul's ministry, methods, and motivation A Great Resource for Church Leaders: Helps churches vet and send missionaries First-Hand Ministry Insights: Provides a practical solution for common weaknesses in modern missions, with descriptive examples from the author's experiences as a missionary Published in Conjunction with the Gospel Coalition (TGC)

Download or read book The Pastor s Ministry written by Brian Croft and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2015-03-31 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Visit the Sick written by Brian Croft and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2014-06-03 with total page 75 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How Do You Care for the Sick? Here’s How. One of the marks of the ministry of Jesus is his compassionate care for the sick. Jesus brought healing and hope to individuals struggling with life-debilitating illnesses. Ministry to the sick should also be a mark of his followers, but in many churches today it is neglected or pushed to the periphery of ministry concerns. To counter our modern tendency to minimize or ignore sickness, pastor Brian Croft looks to paradigms of the past and examines historical models of care that honor God, obey the teachings of Scripture, and communicate loving care to those who are struggling with sickness and disease. Part of the Practical Shepherding series of resources, Visit the Sick provides pastors and ministry leaders with real-world help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. Visit the Sick gives pastors, church leaders, and caregivers the biblical, theological, pastoral, and practical tools they need to navigate through both the spiritual and physical care of the sick and dying.

Download or read book Am I Called Foreword by Matt Chandler written by Dave Harvey and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2012-03-31 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many men have the skills to lead a church, but only some are called. Dave Harvey helps men considering pastoral ministry to see God's active role in the process of discerning their calling. God's Word offers a clear framework for evaluating one's call, especially within the context of community. Harvey offers six diagnostic questions to help prospective pastors process their calling, and what they should be doing now if they aren't sure. Illustrated with personal and historical stories, Harvey explores biblical and practical principles for determining the pastoral call. Over the past twenty-four years of ministry, Harvey has enjoyed assisting many men in discerning whether they are called into ministry. This book will guide you through that all-important process with wisdom and confidence in God's faithfulness in your life.

Download or read book The Beauty and Glory of Christian Living written by Joel R. Beeke and published by Reformation Heritage Books. This book was released on 2014-07-31 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When the seed of life is sown in their hearts, God’s people grow up beautifully and gloriously. Taking up this botanical analogy, The Beauty and Glory of Christian Living opens by discussing the divine roots of the Christian life in being united to Christ in faith, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, becoming spiritually minded, and living by the means of grace. It then explores how our Christian lives branch out to influence our families, our workplaces, and the world. Finally, a series of chapters deal with weathering the storms of life, when we are pelted with affliction, sexual temptation, negative thought patterns, hard times, sickness, and death. In all of this, we see a faithful God who causes His people to flourish for His glory. Contributors include Michael Barrett, Ian Hamilton, John Tweeddale, Joel Beeke, William VanDoodewaard, Brian Najapfour, Josh Dear, Gerald Bilkes, Brian Croft, and David Murray. Table of Contents: Christian Living in Its Divine Roots 1. Living Out Our Faith: The Christian Life Inside Out—Michael Barrett 2. Living by the Spirit’s Sanctifying Ministry—Ian Hamilton 3. Living on Things Above: John Owen on Spiritual-Mindedness—John W. Tweeddale 4. Living by the Means of Grace: How God Beautifies His Children—Ian Hamilton Christian Living in Its Human Branches 5. Living in the Family: Thoughts from William Gouge—Joel R. Beeke 6. Living in the Workplace: Following in Jesus’ Steps—William VanDoodewaard 7. Living Evangelistically: Biblical Motivation for Proclaiming the Gospel—Brian Najapfour with Josh Dear Christian Living in Its Earthly Storms 8. Living in the Furnace of Affliction—Gerald Bilkes 9. Living Morally in a Sexually Immoral World—Brian Croft 10. Living Positively in a Negative Culture—David Murray 11. Living through Sickness and Death—Brian Croft 12. Living Hopefully in Hard Times: The Beauty and Glory of the Book of Judges—John W. Tweeddale

Download or read book Pray for the Flock written by Brian Croft and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2015-08-04 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Brothers, pray for us.” (1 Thessalonians 5:25). The Apostle Paul’s letters are filled with references to prayer—requests for prayer from the churches, prayers for them, and teaching and encouragement that God was working through these prayers. Pastors and church leaders know that prayer is powerful and it must be a priority in any ministry, yet many pastors struggle to maintain an active prayer life. Even more difficult is the challenge of praying for the flock, lifting up the needs of the people God has placed in your care. The Practical Shepherding series of guides provides pastors and ministry leaders with practical help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. In Pray for the Flock, pastors Brian Croft and Ryan Fullerton provide biblical encouragement, practical advice, and helpful suggestions that will help busy pastors effectively pray for their people and care for their church through the ministry of intercession.

Download or read book Navigating Student Ministry written by Tim McKnight and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2022-03-01 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Teenagers are not a lost cause; they need wise leaders to help them along in their faith journeys. In Navigating Student Ministry, veteran student ministers with more than one hundred years of combined experience guide others through the often-challenging aspects of ministering to young people. This multi-contributor introductory textbook helps both those discerning a call to student ministry and those already invested in students. Editor Tim McKnight has crafted a book that can serve as both a topical resource and a comprehensive manual for those in the fun, exhausting, and eternally rewarding realm of student ministry.

Download or read book Conduct Gospel Centered Funerals written by Brian Croft and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2014-06-03 with total page 89 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book The White Horse King written by Benjamin Merkle and published by HarperChristian + ORM. This book was released on 2009-11-02 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The unlikely king who saved England. Down swept the Vikings from the frigid North. Across the English coastlands and countryside they raided, torched, murdered, and destroyed all in their path. Farmers, monks, and soldiers all fell bloody under the Viking sword, hammer, and axe. Then, when the hour was most desperate, came an unlikely hero. King Alfred rallied the battered and bedraggled kingdoms of Britain and after decades of plotting, praying, and persisting, finally triumphed over the invaders. Alfred's victory reverberates to this day: He sparked a literary renaissance, restructured Britain's roadways, revised the legal codes, and revived Christian learning and worship. It was Alfred's accomplishments that laid the groundwork for Britian's later glories and triumphs in literature, liturgy, and liberty. "Ben Merkle tells the sort of mythic adventure story that stirs the imagination and races the heart?and all the more so knowing that it is altogether true!" ?George Grant, author of The Last Crusader and The Blood of the Moon

Download or read book Trained in the Fear of God written by Randy Stinson and published by Kregel Academic. This book was released on with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dr. Randy Stinson and Dr. Timothy Paul Jones have been the primary architects of the theological foundations for whathas become known as “family-equipping ministry”—a recognition that the generations need one another and that parents have an inherent responsibility for the discipleship of their children.

Download or read book Discerning Your Call to Ministry written by Jason K. Allen and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2016-08-19 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “The church has needed this book for a long time.” — Russell Moore If you are considering the ministry, there are two mistakes to avoid. The first is taking up a calling that isn’t yours. The second is neglecting one that is. Discerning Your Call to Ministry will help you know the difference. A tool for seminary students, pastors-in-training, and even current pastors, it serves to confirm or prompt deep thought about the calling to ministry through 10 probing questions, including: Do you desire the ministry? Does your church affirm your calling? Do you love the people of God? Are you willing to surrender? Pastoral dropout rates are high, and seminary admission rates are declining—signs that many of us don’t quite know what we’re signing ourselves up for. Author Jason Allen, a former pastor and the president of North America’s fastest growing seminary, gives readers a better picture of the calling. Presenting a series of diagnostic questions informed by Scripture, church history, and his own experience, he helps those seeking ordination or ministry positions make confident decisions about their service to God, one way or the other.

Download or read book Practical Shepherding Series Complete Set written by Paul Tautges and published by . This book was released on 2015-08-25 with total page 864 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Practical Shepherding Complete Set provides pastors and ministry leaders everything they need to know about practically and effectively leading their flock. The Practical Shepherding Complete Set includes everything you need to be equipped to lead and serve in all aspects of your ministry. It contains: Prepare Them to Shepherd Visit the Sick Conduct Gospel-Centered Funerals Comfort the Grieving Gather God's People Pray for the Flock Oversee God's People. These seven volumes will give you clear and practical direction to lead and serve those you are ministering to. Each volume will provide easy-to-follow steps to help you better serve your flock in the different aspects of ministry.

Download or read book Preventing Ministry Failure written by Michael Todd Wilson and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2013-12-16 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Great ministers don't just happen. Great falls from ministry don't just happen either. A complex mix of factors both internal and external test the limits of your ability to minister wholeheartedly over the long haul. Senior pastor Brad Hoffmann and licensed professional counselor Michael Todd Wilson work with pastors removed from their place of service. The common experiences of these pastors revealed patterns that consistently contributed to burnout, ineffectiveness and moral failure. If such patterns can be predicted, the authors reasoned, can they be prevented?Preventing Ministry Failure is a personal guidebook for pastors and other caregivers to prepare them to withstand common pressures and to flourish in the ministry God has called them to. Work through the exercises and reflections individually or in conversation with your peers, and you'll find yourself better equipped for the challenges of vocational ministry, and more conscious of the presence of God leading you on and restoring your soul.

Download or read book The Pastor as Public Theologian written by Kevin J. Vanhoozer and published by Brazos Press. This book was released on 2015-08-11 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many pastors today see themselves primarily as counselors, leaders, and motivators. Yet this often comes at the expense of the fundamental reality of the pastorate as a theological office. The most important role is to be a theologian mediating God to the people. The church needs pastors who can contextualize biblical wisdom in Christian living to help their congregations think theologically about all aspects of their lives, such as work, end-of-life decisions, political involvement, and entertainment choices. Drawing on the Bible, key figures from church history, and Christian theology, this book offers a clarion call for pastors to serve as public theologians in their congregations and communities. It is designed to be engaging reading for busy pastors and includes pastoral reflections on the theological task from twelve working pastors, including Kevin DeYoung and Cornelius Plantinga.

Download or read book The Disciple Making Pastor written by Bill Hull and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2007-10-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christ commanded the church to make disciples, to produce people who love and obey God, bear fruit, and live with joy. The crisis at the heart of the church is that we often pay lip service to making disciples, but we seldom put much effort behind doing it. For the pastor who is ready to put words into action, The Disciple-Making Pastor offers the inspiration and practical know-how to do so. Bill Hull shows pastors the obstacles they will face, what disciples really look like, the pastor's role in producing them, and the practices that lead to positive change. He also offers a six-step coaching process to help new disciples grow in commitment and obedience and practical ideas to integrate disciple making into the fabric of the church.