5 Minutes with Brian and Cara Croft on the Pastor and his family

In the new issue of Credo Magazine, “Churchy Gimmicks: Has the Church Sold Its Soul to Consumerism?”, we interviewed Brian and Cara Croft about some of the challenges a family faces in the midst of ministry. Brian Croft and his wife, Cara, have co-authored a new book called The Pastor’s Family: Shepherding Your Family through the Challenges of Pastoral Ministry (Zondervan). As the title and subtitle suggest, Brian and Cara speak from experience, advising pastors and their wives on the danger of compromising one’s family in the midst of the demands of ministry. In this interview Brian and Cara not only put their finger on the problem but also encourage pastors on how to work for the solution.

Here is the beginning of the interview:

Brian, why is it that pastors, either intentionally or unintentionally, begin to neglect their families, and why is this such a serious problem?   

There are fierce demands and pressures that come with pastoral ministry.  Often times pastors give in to the pressures of the church since their families are usually more gracious about giving their time than church members.  There is also a matter of the pastor’s heart wanting to be loved and accepted by his people.  When it doesn’t come, we try to make it happen by trying to please them at all costs.  Additionally, ministry can be more glamorous labor than serving at home, and many times that keeps pastors from their families.

Brian, for the pastor who knows he has been neglecting his family, what biblical instruction can you give him?

The solution is for the pastor to stop blaming the pressures and demands of ministry as the justified reason for neglecting your family and to own the sinful struggles of his own heart as the reason for neglect.  Own your heart’s sinful desires, which take you away from your family unnecessarily. Lay those things down at the foot of the cross to find freedom and forgiveness.  Then focus on the Scriptures that remind us we are first to care for our family and give an account for their souls before anyone in the church (Eph. 5:22-6:4; Heb. 13:17; 1 Tim. 3:1-7).

Read the rest of this interview today!

To view the Magazine as a PDF

The Evangelical church in the twenty-first century has in many ways absorbed the consumeristic mentality that is so prevalent in the culture. Churches approach worship as if they were selling a product and the attendee were the consumer. Since the product is up for sale, churches must show that their product is more entertaining than anything else the world has to offer. Therefore, churchy gimmicks are the name of the game. Whatever keeps people coming back for more takes first priority and becomes the controlling principle for all things church-related. The preaching must be relevant, the music must entertain, and church events must keep people on the edge of their seat. If the church doesn’t sell itself, then it will be out of business.

In this issue of Credo Magazine we hope to pour an ice-cold bucket of water in the face of the church. No longer can we turn to the culture to decide what the church should be and do. God, his gospel, and his bride are not products to be sold. And those who walk through the church doors on Sunday morning are not customers to entertain. Such an approach makes man the center and treats the church like a business. In contrast, our aim in this issue is to draw church-goers and church leaders back to Scripture, which we believe should be our final authority and guide for worship. In doing so, we must recover the ordinary means of grace that God uses to equip the saints and transform us into the image of Christ.

Contributors include: Brian Cosby, Dennis Johnson, Harry Reeder, Mark DeVine, T. David Gordon, Heath Lambert, and many others.