Convicted of work habits

over the past couple of weeks i feel like God has been convicting me of my work habits, normally i will spend most of my week either meeting with people from church or in the office working on talks, sermons and just generally organizing things in my little messy corner of the office.

A while back i posted about "God at the mall" and our need to go where people are at, this week a bought a new book by Dan Kimball, and am only a couple of pages into it and:

"it's too easy for pastors and church leaders to get caught up in the busyness of the church activites with Chrisitans and to subtly lose touch with the mindset of emereging generations. It's too easy to get caught in our little church subcultures, and the result is that only the younger people we might know are Chrisitans who are already inside the church. But if we go off-site, we're not just with Christians at the church campus all the time. as i spoke about these things, I looked around and saw I was getting a lot of puzzled looks. Finally someone raised his hand and asked if the leaders and people of my church allow me to do this instead of spending time with the people in the church. Someone commented that they couldn't possibly go to a coffeehouse like that, since the church expects them to be available in the church office during the week to care for the "flock.......One person commented that non-Christians need to come to the church building, many indicated that it is not the church leaders' job to go out to the people; instead the people should come to us"

changing habits, When i was at Chatswood i would spend Thursday afternoons at Starbucks, and Friday at Gloria Jeans and got to know the people there and invited people along to church and had conversations, since i have been at Wanniassa this practice has kind of fallen by the way, so yesterday i started to leave the office again to get back in the habit of working in where people are and with people, and it is amazing to see how God uses you.

Yesterday one of the mums from the youthgroup saw me, she stopped by and we had a talk about youthgroups and she alerted me to some things that i was not aware of in some of the youth's lives. Today, as i sat and worked i saw a girl who had not been to church in ages, i called out to her, we talked for 15minutes as she had to go to an exam, i prayed for her and invited her to church on sunday (she said she will probably come) i saw another guy who hasn't been to youth group in ages and we talked for about 30minutes about life faith and nothing. Yeah it does mean that sometimes it is hard to concentrate and sometimes i may not be as productinve as i would be shut away in a cubical but it also means that i am out in the world rather than hidden in a corner of the church building.

Comments

[unkle e]

Josh, isn't this another case of clergy vs laity and use of gifts?

If a person is gifted in pastoring or administration, and is needed in those areas, surely that is what they should be doing? But if a person has other gifts (e.g. evangelism or community serving) then that is what they should be doing for God, and not pastoring or admin, even if they are employed.

We need to stop giving cookie cutter job descriptions to all paid clergy, and start recognising gifts and employing people with the gifts we actually need.

Perhaps pastoring can be done in small groups, if we train and equip the leaders better. Perhaps teaching and discipling can be done that way. If so, then we could maybe employ an outreach person rather than a pastor and/or teacher?

I know of a pastor who is very gifted in community outreach, and is very adept at quietly witnessing at funerals, weddings, golf courses, etc. What a crying shame that his gifts are only partially utilised because he is required, by tradition if not by his congregation, to spend most of his time in admin, listening to complaints, preparing services, etc!

My suggestion: write yourself a new job description that includes a strong component of community involvement in some form or other (e.g. hanging out at coffee shops, etc), then "just do it!"

[Dave Miers]

good call on hitting the cafes.

i've just changed my practise. i used to drink around - but now i have one main one. this week i've spent two hours a day there!

good convo's. good coffee. good times.

[Scott Hedley]

Mate I just got back from meeting with a guy in a brand new cafe I found in Penrith - 'The Sea of Galilee Cafe'. Its got murals over the walls of the sea of galilee... if i squinted and titled my head a little i could have sworn i was actually there! And it was the first cafe i've ever been in that has a vision statement! Not really sure what to make of it? All i know is that they make a mean strawberry milkshake.
I just want to make clear that this adds absolutley nothing to your conversation.

[Josh]

i think it is a bit far for me to travel up to penrith to workin a cafe :).

I must say one of the things i am missing from Sydney are decent cafe's they are fairly average down here

[Poess]

That cafe is crappy anyway, they sell small fish and loaves of bread.

Hedley, I am disgusted that you go there!! Pull your head in

[Poess]

They arent that good in Penrith either Josh! Penrith is like a small country town, plenty of steak and VB

[Josh]

ok, Steve i am snesing that you have strong opinions about this place.

Just a random stab in the dark :)

[Scott Hedley]

steve prefers the 'Garden of Eden Cafe' another corker cafe in penrith (just above derby st. medical center in case you were wondering). i haven't sampled their food, but ive heard they do a mean 'fruit' salad... boom boom... man i am funny

[Poess]

Yeah, I go there straight after a workout in the AOG owned "Physical Training is of Some Value Gym", followed by shopping in their aptly named coffee chain "Gloria in Theou" . This is spirituality gone mad. Im going to name my next dog Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.

[unkle e]

And when you get around to eating the dog he can be Maher-halal-hash-beans?