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Although one’s calling to ministry may be personal, it cannot be
private. This distinction lies at the heart of Croft’s book,
which encourages churches to actively recognize, train, and
endorse those whom God chooses to serve Him in ministerial
roles. Full of practical wisdom and strong challenges to both
ministry candidates and their churches, Croft’s book is a
much-needed resource for both those who feel led to minister and
those to whom they will do so.
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We can observe the number of shepherds appointed (plural), the
manner in which they should shepherd (voluntarily, eagerly, and
exemplarily), and the One to whom these shepherds of God’s
people would be accountable—the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
Hence God’s appointed leadership structure for His people was
established until the Chief Shepherd returns for His church and
consummates His kingdom. [27]
A man’s own assessment of his desire and giftedness for the work
of the ministry does play a key role in determining whether a
church should grant that man the external call. Nonetheless,
churches have a responsibility to base their external call not,
primarily, on a mystical, subjective, and unfalsifiable feeling
in the man himself, but rather on a tangible process that tests
a man’s qualifications for ministry against those laid out in
Scripture. [39]
An unquenchable longing for this work is required, for it is a
work fraught with struggles, challenges, discouragements,
pressures, and spiritual battles that can cripple the strongest
of men whose desire for this labor is ordinary. It must be a
desire than cannot be stolen when your brother betrays you; that
cannot be weakened when your job is threatened; that cannot be
quenched when physical, mental, and emotional fatigue firmly
take root. This desire must so define the individual that the
reality of an internal calling in unmistakable. [41]
God has a specific role for every member of the church to play
in testing, training, affirming, and sending those called into
the ministry. Will you see the significance and be faithful in
playing your role? [70]
Those who shepherd God’s people but are not gifted and called to
do so risk much harm to the sheep but also painful results for
themselves. [75]
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