TOUGH STUFF - Raymond Cross

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Biographie:
Raymond Cross Bth BA describes himself as an improvementist. Ray always looks for ways of breathing new life, creativity and healing into all of his relationships and activities - a life drive that uncovers improvements and solutions to perplexing inefficiencies and weakness. Ray applies this drive to all he experiences. His books, therefore, touch on a variety of challenges that have crossed his path, both conceptual and practical. Ray pastored Baptist churches in Ontario, Canada for thirty-five years. Since retiring from pasturing the Lord has led Ray to write a number of books about various aspects of ministry and spiritual life, Ray has been happily married since 1971 to Diane, a nutrition expert and retired public school teacher They have two grown children and three grandchildren....

Sommaire:
A TURN THE TIDE BOOK TOUGH STUFF, by Rev. Raymond Cross, Bth, BA, is a hard hitting response to a deep and damaging malaise among too many congregations and their pastors. An online survey by The Barna Group among 413 Lead Pastors from January 22?-27, 2021 and again, among 510 Lead Pastors from March 10-16, 2022, netted the following: The number of pastors who have given serious consideration to quitting full-time ministry [in 2022] has risen dramatically over the past year....two in five pastors [42%] have thought about leaving ministry...it confirms the growing number of pastors who are considering resignation-up...from 29 percent in January 2021. Major reasons pastors reported are: immense stress, loneliness, isolation, divided church politics, effect on their family, sense of futility, frustrated vision, lack of respect, lack of support by key leaders, ill-equipped for ministry demands....These factors negatively impact their ability to lead their church. http://barna.com/research/pastors-quitting-ministry April 27, 2022 Dr. Dallas Speight has even gone so far as to declare forced resignation / termination of pastors from churches a pandemic, with devastating consequences on pastors, their families and their churches. Drawing from his thirty-five years of pastoring, experiencing first hand and observing the challenges others face, Ray's book takes a deep dive into the whole gamut of challenges clergy may face while pastoring. It's a book for bible college students in preparation for a pastoral call, those new in pastoring and for seasoned pastors in search of greater effectiveness in their calling. A good book with flashes of genius. -Rev. Evan Craig A tremendous labor of love from a God-sized hearted man. May the Lord use this to equip His valued servants better to face the rigors of the greatest calling in all the world. We need all faithful shepherds to stay in the field - there are many wolves. -The Rev. Dr. K. Rick Baker...