Dan Edelen made a great post yesterday on a vital issue. "How do we find time to do our kingdom life: church, devotion, discipleship, real authentic relationships, real parenting etc?"
The trick to Dan's post is that he starts with Doug Groothuis's post on multi-tasking and Dan rightly takes the big G to task. I like that!!!! Then, he goes a little deeper to ask "how is the church addressing the problem and teaching people how to live the life in the midst of the insanity?" (or something like that)
To this I would like to say a few bits:
1. I think the goal for me personally is community and meetings every day. I know this sounds crazy, but it is true. I meet drunks every day and I have to send them to AA because our chuch at least doesn't meet every day and sinner s need meetings. I for one am a sinner and I need a lot more meetings or I lose my conscious contact with God and an abiding awareness that nothing matters but the kingdom. So, how in the world can we get there?? Point, if we paint a totally new idea of what "true north" is we will begin to change everything to get there. So I paint the true north, the direction I want to go to a community that is encouraging one another every day.
2. Isn't part of the answer to this qustion: food. The answer, in part, is to take meals together as a family and as a church. Every day. As a family, worship at meals. Yes, that means sing songs. Do some study and have a share time during meals. What a novel idea, eh?
3. The other answer is the cell phone. I love the cell phone. I live in LA and I spent yesterday four yes four hours in the car. So what is a pastor to do with four hours in the car. Call your fellow co-conspirators on the phone. If I need to do the disciplship time and I am super busy, the answer is the cell phone. Of course, this isn't as good as eating together but it ain't bad.
4. Practice the presence of God while you are in meetings. I spend 2-3 hours every day in meetings...even if I am leading them they are pretty worthless...It is very easy to multi-task in meetings. It is pretty easy to follow along and pray or meditate at the same time. This last one is a bit of a joke but you get the point. I hope.
Well, that's it for today. Multi-tasking...my answer to modern life.
God Bless,
brad
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