Moreover, he is inviting his readers on his John Mark Ministries web site to email him their 'top ten' - rcroucher@gmail.com
For almost 40 years Rowland Croucher through his pastoral ministries and via John Mark Ministries has undertaken a remarkable ministry to pastors, church workers and those in mission who have found the going not only tough, but sometimes even toxic.
There is a regular scrolling of his web site of thousands of viewers a month from across the world. The topics raised are down to earth issues and the dramas associated with being
- a pastor and
- the pressures of that professional role in addition
- to the difficulties of some parishioners.
Missions too have come under his microscope as people are people everywhere and the same leadership tensions and ploys and plots apply to mission societies as much as they do anywhere else -
churches,
missions,
corporate board rooms,
business houses,
and the like.
His wisdom and careful analysis is such that church authorities have taken on board his written submissions. Over a life time in this ministry Dr Croucher has often been interviewed on television on a variety of matters, but largely focused on the issues of the pastor's heartache.
Now, he is attacking his keyboard once again, and with great care and sensitivity is compiling the issues associated with his ministry consultations by such as those described above – pastors, church workers, missionaries, missioners and of this ilk.
Five high on his agenda will be
1 Problems of Evil and Suffering
2 Stress and Burnout in Christian Ministry
3 What's the Best Reason to Believe in the Existence of God?
4 Paradigm-shifts in Christian Thinking throughout History
5 Christian Character: Secrets of a 'Good Life'
To follow Dr Croucher in this quest he recommends the reader check out his web pages associated with these issues for his new book: www.jmm.org.au/articles/32643.htm
In addition, it was my privilege to interview Rowland Croucher for the Australian Missionary News IPTV and this short 6 min interview may be viewed on YouTube:
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html