June 27, 2017
"Jesus did His ministry at walking pace", Stephen mentioned this yesterday morning, as we gathered for Morning Prayer. Every now and then, you hear a phrase that is the keystone for all the thoughts/reflections/prayers that have been sitting with you. Stephen's comment was one such phrase.
The image of Jesus walking, breathing and living with His rag-tag bunch of disciples and friends, resonated almost instantly. Compare that image to the reality of church life and busyness (or should that be business as well?).
Seriously, take some time to contrast the image of walking, breathing and living with meetings, planning, more meetings, rushing from event to event. Not so long ago, I was in a meeting with various church leaders; and it became apparent that being busy, being stressed, and rushing from meeting to meeting was the norm. In fact, it seems to have become the default setting for most Church leader- Jesus is coming back, look busy!
Busy is good. Busy is productive. Busy shows that I am a leader. Busyness equates to Godliness...and the myths can go on and on.
"Jesus did His ministry at walking pace".
We all know the brutal cost of Church Leadership. We all know the toll it takes on families, friends, spare time and health- and we seem to accept it. We don't spend time with our church family, we arrange meetings. We no longer allow conversations to take their natural pace, we "can give you an hour,". We perpetrate the myth that, "our time is valuable". We no longer eat in homes, we catch up in cafe's instead (my particular issue).
"Jesus did His ministry at walking pace", Stephen mentioned this yesterday morning, as we gathered for Morning Prayer. Every now and then, you hear a phrase that is the keystone for all the thoughts/reflections/prayers that have been sitting with you. Stephen's comment was one such phrase.
The image of Jesus walking, breathing and living with His rag-tag bunch of disciples and friends, resonated almost instantly. Compare that image to the reality of church life and busyness (or should that be business as well?).
Seriously, take some time to contrast the image of walking, breathing and living with meetings, planning, more meetings, rushing from event to event. Not so long ago, I was in a meeting with various church leaders; and it became apparent that being busy, being stressed, and rushing from meeting to meeting was the norm. In fact, it seems to have become the default setting for most Church leader- Jesus is coming back, look busy!
Busy is good. Busy is productive. Busy shows that I am a leader. Busyness equates to Godliness...and the myths can go on and on.
"Jesus did His ministry at walking pace".
We all know the brutal cost of Church Leadership. We all know the toll it takes on families, friends, spare time and health- and we seem to accept it. We don't spend time with our church family, we arrange meetings. We no longer allow conversations to take their natural pace, we "can give you an hour,". We perpetrate the myth that, "our time is valuable". We no longer eat in homes, we catch up in cafe's instead (my particular issue).
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