Steven J. L. Croft

I stumbled upon this book in the library, and it is truly a gem. A modern-day parable set against a pre-Christmas theme, the story is set in London but takes the two main protagonists, Alice and her uncle Sam, on adventures through time and space that draw them to faith in spite of themselves. The advent calendar is a gift, purportedly won in an unnamed contest, and unfolds its secrets on a day by day basis after Alice and Sam enter the codes sent to Sam's phone each day. The codes consist of three to five entries all including a colon in the middle. The savvy reader will soon decipher the mystery of the codes, but by the end of the book at least part of the mystery is uncovered. This story can be read on many levels and should provide intrigue for all readers, whether they are faith-based readers or not. A winner, and one that I intend to buy to keep in my own collection.… (more)

In this book Croft identifies the key issue of a lack of clarity of identity in ministry causing stress and frustration for priests. He suggests that the three orders of leadership identified in the early church: diokanos; presbyteros and episkopos provide three dimensions that define a space in which ministers can find a flexible identity which will allow them to fulfil their ministries authentically. For each dimension Croft describes the scriptural and traditional roots and suggests the tasks and spiritual disciplines found within that dimension. All is this is very useful, however I feel that there are a couple of flaws in the thesis.
I think that there is a lack of acknowledgement of the place of incarnational identification in pain that is at the heart of Christian leadership. Further, the necessity for the ministerial identity to be underpinned by a confidence in human identity, provided by God and the power of the Holy Spirit is not highlighted.
Croft also has issues with aspects of leadership and management science, but does not appear to have a full appreciation of the spectrum of this discipline (eg Servant Leader, Robert Greenleaf). This book will be very useful to anybody exploring issues of Christian ministry and leadership, but is probably best read in conjunction with other texts, I recommend Jesus Driven Ministry, Ajith Fernando.… (more)