Interview with Brian Croft: Recovering the External Call to Ministry

A few weeks ago, I was given the privilege of interviewing Brian Croft, pastor of Auburndale Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, about his latest book, Test, Train, Affirm, and Send into Ministry.  Croft is also the author of Visit the Sick and, in addition, maintains Practical Shepherding, a blog devoted to practical matters related to pastoral ministry.

As an added bonus, readers of Standing on Shoulders can enter their names in a drawing for a free copy of Test, Train, Affirm, and Send into Ministry.  To enter your name in the drawing, send an email to standingonshoulders[at]gmail.com.  The deadline for entering is 11:59pm, Tuesday, April 27.

The transcribed interview follows; if you have any thoughts, please feel free to express them in a comment.

Joseph Gould: Can you describe your book in 2-3 sentences?

Brian Croft: The aim of this book is to challenge local churches, relieve seminaries and other parachurch organizations of unnecessary pressures, and restore a vision for the biblical responsibility that God has placed solely upon his redeemed people within the local church.  I also hope that an individual would have his internal call affirmed more so in his own life.

JG: Why did you feel the need to write this book?

BC: In local churches, there seems to be an absence of a clear and proper way to train and affirm men for ministry.  The typical way someone feels called is mystical and subjective.  It is all placed on an individual to evaluate himself.

As I studied this issue through looking at scripture and church history, I came to the conclusion that it was a very opposite reality only a few hundred years ago.  It seems something that scripture and history clearly taught has vanished in the last hundred years, and we have seen the ramifications of this as men who have not been properly affirmed for ministry have seriously grieved the church.

Ultimately, I wanted to convey that God’s call to the ministry is tangible and objective.  And it is the responsibility of the local church, not the seminary or parachurch, to confirm someone.

JG: Do you think the evaluation of someone’s call is subjective or objective?

BC: There are certain aspects that are subjective, but the subjectivity begins to vanish through the close evaluation of other pastors and the affirmation of a congregation of the ability to teach.  In other words, as more people are involved and confirm an individual’s call, it becomes less subjective and more objective.

JG: How do you define the gift of teaching?

BC: The gift of teaching is a love for God’s Word that shows itself in clear explanation of the text and appropriate application to its hearers.

JG: How does testing and training someone who feels the inward call towards missionary work differ from the testing or training for pastoral ministry?

BC: The biblical qualifications remain the same.  As far as a template, it remains the same.  The primary difference comes in smaller practical issues.  For example, a pastor needs more gifting in shepherding, while a missionary needs stronger evangelistic gifts.

JG: How developed of gifts are you looking for before feeling comfortable in affirming or ordaining someone?  For example, are you looking for polished preaching and shepherding, or are you just looking for clear evidence that he possesses pastoral gifts in these areas?

BC: At the minimum, the gifts needs to be acknowledged as being there, and that they are growing in them.  So no, they don’t need to be polished.  I’m looking for faithful handling of God’s Word, evidence of growing in his gifts, and finally, I want to see fruit in the lives of people in the church (that they are growing and feeling cared for through the person’s effort to shepherd).  If I see that in any way, then, depending on where they go, I will encourage them in their pursuit.

JG: What are the dangers a church must guard against while seeking to discern someone’s call?

BC: Like anything else in the church, you have to patiently help the congregation understand this role and not push the process faster than it should be for them to take this responsibility.  The danger in doing it too fast is people miss the importance of it and are not willing to make the necessary sacrifices.

Another danger would be taking the responsibility seriously while not allowing oneself to take the position that only God can have.  Something we struggle with is: What is the line in affirming or not?  What authority are we given and what is not ours to take?   We may have concerns someone may not have the gift, but we want to consciously approach that and acknowledge we are not inerrant.