Bring Gospel Hope in the Midst of DeathThe 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 Chri...

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,...

Pastoral ministry is more challenging than ever with unique, complicated burdens and expectations some have not experienced in previous generations. Because of this, the number of pastors who start with a great zeal for the work, quickly crash and burn and are left with a battered faith and family. This book seeks to identify those unique challenges, diagnose the problem, propose a biblical solution, and then guide the pastor and his family to embrace these challenges while shepherding the...

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 res...

“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). The Bible tells us that we are to worship the Lord, that we were created for this purpose. But what is true worship? What does the Bible teach about the right—and the wrong—ways to worship God? In this book, pastors Brian Croft and Jason Adkins unpack a biblical theology of worship, discuss the practical matters of planning a worship service, and offer suggestions and insights on the best way to lead a wo...

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 roote...

Bring Gospel Hope in the Midst of DeathThe 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 Chri...

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...

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 ...

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 chil...

As far as God is concerned, widows are the special object of his protection and care.Caring for widows is a key responsibility of the church, but it’s easily overlooked. This book explores the biblical exhortation to care for widows, then offers practical guidance for ensuring that widows receive the support they need. The pastoral experience of the authors shines through in every chapter, equipping pastors for this vital part of church ministry.

Until the end of time, when the curse of sin is finally removed, suffering will be a large part of the human experience and a large part of that suffering will be walking through the painful reality of death. 'Death,' writes Paul Tautges, 'provides a natural opportunity not only for ministry to others, but also for personal growth in ministers.' Those who shepherd others through the pain and loss that accompanies death should seek to offer wise and biblical counsel on these precious and pa...