Whoa, Nelly!!!
Monday, I enjoyed a 45 minute conversation with a fellow pastor (who shall remain nameless...just in case he'd rather not be associated with me!!!) and received a lot of encouragement from just "talking." We talked about church issues, pastoral issues, and some political issues. Basically, we jumped from one subject to another and just "chewed the fat." It was really a great way to start the day and week. However, I have to be honest about one thing. While visiting with (fill in the blank), I found myself worrying about wasting time. I kept thinking of all the "things" I had to get accomplished and probably did not enjoy our conversation as much as I could have (though I did enjoy it). Yet, part of me kept saying, you need this. You need to slow down and take some time with people. You need to get rid of some "things" and enjoy the world God has blessed you with. You need relationships, encouragement, and some relaxation. (Now, don't get me wrong, I know the Bible teaches us to work. But it does teach us to rest too!) And so, I don't feel guilty about taking 45 minutes to visit with a fellow pastor who maybe needed some encouragement too. In fact, I think I have "stumbled" upon a major fault of mine - "busyness". I like to make sure everything is just so-so, but many of those things would be just fine without me. I think maybe I should start slowing down and taking time for people more deliberately. And thanks (fill in the blank) for visiting with me Monday. I really, really needed it!
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5 comments:
Hey, I struggled with the same thoughts in my head. Can the world really survive without me?
Hahaha...I know, I know. Without us, how could the world revolve or even complete its normal rotation...oh wait, that's in God's arena not mine!
In a post that was really intended to address the problem of business and a real need for us to slow down, from time to time, you hit on a topic that I have begun a blog post about and currently have saved as a draft. Come over to my place (wrmbc-teens.blogspot.com) and check it out when I get it finished. It addresses the issue of the lack of encouragement and/or accountability within the church today. Look at Paul's letters as a great example of the responsibility that we have to each other as Christians. His letters contain his expression of love and care for the people he wrote to, it encourages them in the faith, and it even addresses areas in which they need improvement. We don't do these things as much today, although they are extremely important!
I always try to be an encouragement to my pastor and other Christians, especially the ones who, like you, seem to always be busy tending to the needs of people. When someone spends all of their time being asked for this and that, it helps for them to get a call from someone who isn't asking for something, but rather just checking on them to see if they need anything.
That brings up another good blog idea - a discussion on "burn-out - Is it a real danger or an excuse?" I'm glad you and "fill-in-the-blank" had a good visit.
Let's look at it in another way. As a pastor, people are our job. So the question really is, how do we get all that "other work" out of our schedules so that we can be more concentrated on the people.
This becomes very difficult in my position because my job catches all the administration of the church. But I've found that it's better to be late and to walk slowly through the congregation than to be on time and push people out of the way so that I can get on the platform on time.
This is one of the greatest leadership lessons that I need help in that I got from some John Maxwell material.
Brian, I totally agree. Busy work is decapitating the Great Coministry.
God called us to interact with people, not because of our administration skills. I'm gonna go call someone now
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