Tough Stuff (ePub)

TOUGH STUFF, by Rev. Raymond Cross, 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." (The Barna Group, 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 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

"A good book with flashes of genius."
Rev. Evan Craig