Craig Troxel talks about how ruling elders can help men consider a call to pastoral ministry.

A call to pastoral ministry has several parts, one is the internal sense of call, another is the recognition of the church, the actual call to a congregation or mission work. Ruling elders help shepherd men in both and in this podcast we discuss the early stages of recognizing a call, or even encouraging men to consider if they are called.

Discussion centers around Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry: With an Inquiry into the Causes of its Inefficiency, (Banner of Truth Trust). See especially Chapter VI, The Qualifications of the Christian Ministry, pp. 24-31.

Craig quotes John Newton, "Beware, my friend, of mistaking the ready exercise of gifts for the exercise of grace." (Letter #5 - "On the Snares and Difficulties attending the Ministry of the Gospel") Works of John Newton, vol.1 (Banner of Truth Trust, 2015) p. 108.

See also Newton's letter Marks of a Call to the Ministry.

We highly recommend Craig's own book,

A. Craig Troxel, With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will toward Christ, (Crossway, 2020).

Craig's Recommended Reading

• John Calvin, Institutes Of The Christian Religion, translated from the first French edition of 1541 by Robert White, Banner of Truth Trust. (Especially Chapter 17, The Christian Life)
• Campegius Vitringa, The Spiritual Life, trans. and ed. by Charles K. Tefler, Reformation Heritage Books.
• John Flavel, The Fountain of Life: A Display of Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory, Vol. 1 of the Works of John Flavel, Banner of Truth Trust.
• John Flavel, The Method of Grace In the Gospel Redemption, Vol 2 of the Works of John Flavel, Banner of Truth Trust.