The following has appeared in various publications (including my book 'Your Church Can Come Alive', JBCE, Melbourne). It represents the kernel of my philosophy of ministry. It was 10.00pm, and the 60-year-old patient would not last the night. She was still conscious, so her grieving daughter and I prepared for a bedside vigil. Then a thought: I preach about the ministry of the whole church, so why was I there in the hospital? I phoned the chairman of elders, and asked him to arrange for a different person to come each hour. They did, and he himself was there at 4.00am when the lady died. He committed the departed and grieving ones to the Lord, and 'went home on a high', privileged to have been involved in such a strategic pastoral opportunity! When I saw him last week – twelve years later – he lit up again as he talked about it!
(This article is an adaptation of a Commencement Address given at the University of Queensland in March 1998) Commencement addresses are an interesting genre. They are the ‘You’re gonna make it’ speech by some famous person to the graduating class. The most talked about last year was Kurt Vonnegut Jr’s ...
There are 10,000 ex-pastors in Australia; about the same number as those serving in parishes of all denominations. For three years John Mark Ministries has offered counselling and encouragement to many of them and their spouses, and has initiated a major research project to find out why so many leave ...
You are reading Ministry Today, and these are all the articles by Rowland Croucher.
Ministry Today aims to provide a supportive resource for all in Christian leadership so that they may survive, grow, develop and become more effective in the ministry to which Christ has called them.
© Ministry Today 2024