What Are We Doing?

Well day three and the hard questions just keep on coming. To remind you I am reading through the book, One Month To Live by Kerry and Chris Shook, and it is guiding me through a 30 day exercise is asking some important, hard questions. Today's first question,

What consumes most of your time each day?
For many the answer will be work in some form of another. Let's go deeper and ask a follow up question. Are we doing what we feel like we have been designed and created to do? If not, why not? The work I do as a pastor is not really a job but a vocation, the work God has placed for me to do. Often the work I do as a pastor includes the things that I believe I have been uniquely designed and created by God to do. Other time I have to do things which are simply part of the job. What is it that I feel God placed me on earth at this time for? Teaching others about the Kingdom of God, and ways of living the Kingdom in this mystery called the church. I feel called to a lifetime of teaching others about leading the church, and helping churches become the transformational communities they are called to be. There are times when I get to do that in the course of a day, and there are times when I don't get to do that for weeks on end.

What activities in your life would you consider a waste of time?
Admittedly this one could get me in trouble depending upon who is reading the blog. As a pastor there are many understandings of what my time should be used for. There are only a few times when I am asked for input into this. However, here goes. Lately one of the biggest wastes of my time has been Conference meetings. Most conference meetings involve hours of travel, and hours sitting around a table, and noting accomplished in the end. There are no decisions made, we don't even build relationships. My second waster of time is trying to figure out how to keep people happy even when they really have no interest in being transforming for the sake of Christ. It is worthwhile to invite people to transformation. but it is not worthwhile to pander to those who just want their religion and church to look the way they want it. I guess in light of the answer to the first question, any time I am not teaching I am not using my time to the fullest potential.

Wrapping up the thoughts of my meandering mind, I guess I like many have much work to be done. I like many am holding back and living in someday land. I must fight to make someday, today, and do what God has uniquely designed and created me to do.