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Summer Break (I’m Curious)
- What are your plans for a summer break?
- Where will you vacation?
- Do you have any great recommendations?
Vacation Reading
I typically take a break from ministry books on vacation. (If you have a killer recommendation, I might make an exception.)
My recent reading includes:
- What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (Highly recommended. My leaders are taking many staff members though this one.)
- The Shack (Everyone I know has read it. I’m about 1/3 through it.)
- Crazy Love (Chan is incredibly challenging.)
- UnChristian (Very interesting.)
- The American Church in Crisis (I wrote the forward for this but am reading again slowly to digest Olson’s rich and meaningful work.)
- Pop Goes The Church (Tim’s work is extremely valuable for ministers.)
- It All Goes Back in the Box (Ortberg is alway good.)
- Acts and Romans
- Looking forward to Wild Goose Chase
What books have you read recently that you’d recommend to me and to our swerve community?
categories: priorities
To Unplug or Not To Unplug?
Some say to really rest, you need to totally disconnect. That means no cell phone, no email, no blogs, etc.
For me, checking in occasionally relieves me of any concerns. I’d rather have a few questions answered than be away and wonder if certain things are covered.
I find a quick scan of emails or occasional call helps me to relax.
What about you? Do you stay totally connected, semi connected, or disconnect totally?
categories: priorities
Lessons from a Reforming Workaholic
Here are a few things I’m learning about taking time off:
- Two consecutive weekends off from preaching is ten times better than one.
- Time off makes “time on” much more effective.
- Even if I don’t feel like I need to be off, my family often needs me off to focus completely on them.
- My church enjoys hearing from others.
- Most people are supportive when you take care of yourself.
- Staying in town when you’re off doesn’t feel like being off. (Someone always needs something.)
- Speaking somewhere besides your church is not a weekend off.
- Going to church somewhere else is a huge blessing.
What can you add about taking time off? What works?
categories: priorities
Time Off
Many pastors and church staff members don’t take much time off from the church.
There are many reasons:
- The pastor might not have a staff, so he believes he can’t be away from church.
- The pastor is worried a guest speaker won’t do a good job.
- The staff member feels guilty when they take off.
- The student pastor might not be able to afford to get away.
- The church staff member is afraid she’ll be viewed as a slacker if she isn’t at church.
- Some pastors are so driven that they don’t want to take time off.
Whether the reasons are fear, guilt, misplaced passion, or some combination of these, the tired and burdened pastor will be less effective in ministry, more vulnerable to sin, and at a higher risk for burnout.
Is it hard for you to take time off? I’d love to hear from you. Please explain your struggle honestly.
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