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Tag Archives: patience

The Unbusy Pastor/Leader

Pastoral busyness is a “blasphemous anxiety to do God’s work for Him”(Hillary of Tours).  I reread Eugene Peterson’s The Contemplative Pastor in preparation for my sermon last week on Sabbath. Written 24 years ago, who would have imagined how much our busyness would have increased? A “busy pastor, ” he argues, is like being called an “embezzling pastor” or an “adulterous pastor.” Our calling is to pray, bring God’s word out of quietness and solitude, and to listen to others with unhurried leisure. The roots of our frenetic activity come from two sources, says Peterson: 1) vanity and 2) laziness (it is easier to let others decide how I will spend my time). Take a deep breath. Close your eyes for a 2-3 minutes. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Ps. 37:7).  Read Peterson’s book. Remember: It is very difficult, if not impossible, to lead people to a quiet place beside still. Read more.

Patient Leadership

Patience is a form of wisdom. Some things must unfold in their time. A child that rushes a baby chick to hatch ultimately kills it. The straining and process of birthing is God’s way to prepare the chick to survive into adulthood. In the same way, God rewires and forms us into our true selves in Christ, burning out that which does not belong to Him, through our slow sufferings and struggles. God’s process cannot be hurried. As Rilke says: “Have patience with everything that is unsolved in your heart, and try to cherish the questions themselves. Perhaps one day… gradually… you will live right into the answer.” Move towards your goals, but with a sacred patience. Prayerfully ponder the questions to which you have no answers. He will lead you into the answers.

What is Success?

As thirty churches have finished up the EHS Church-Wide Initiative and I have continued to interact with Pastors around North America, I am now convinced that defining success is a critical question for us in leadership. Sadly, it has been defined narrowly as numbers and budgets. I don’t think I am going too far in saying that may be idolatry and the very antithesis of the mustard-seed nature of Jesus’ kingdom.  To do leadership in the church differently is no small challenge. The following is my first draft for success as a Senior Pastor (for me): 1. Walk in Integrity – with God, self, and others. This is reflected in a sense of peace, rest and a life filled with communion with Him. 2. Experience a  joyful marriage with Geri where our we serve our children and others out of a cup that overflows.  3.  Provide leadership in short, mid and long range issues that is thoughtful, prudent,. Read more.

Learning to Lead: Part 2

“If there aren’t specific goals and steps to follow in sequence,  there won’t be a goal, only a wish.”  Michael Yapko         My greatest growing edge in both maturity and spirituality (as if they could be separated) revolves around thinking. Yes – thinking and not following my emotions as I lead NLF, parent, and make decisions.          This is, I am finding, easy to understand, but quite challenging to do. It takes time, prudence, patience, and character especially if it is done prayerfully and before the Lord. Proverbs is full of insight on this. It is the sacred, holy work of leadership.         Few do it well. It is not simply a skill but a level of character that is required so that I can do appropriate introspection as to motives and past material in my life that is impacting the present. It all comes out in the pressure cooker of leadership.           For example, as. Read more.

Impatience and Leadership

Now that we are entering fully into new year here at NLF and the flurry of activity that goes with it, I find myself feeling the winds and waves of our culture, demonic forces behind that, and my own tendency to do my will and get caught up in the anxiety around me.  I am reminded of Tertullain (155 – 222 AD), a church leader and prolific author of early Christianity),  said that it is God’s nature to be patient, and that when the Holy Spirit descends, patience and waiting is always on its side. Eugene Peterson once remarked that “impatience is the besetting sin of pastors.” The more I ponder that remark, both in my life and in Scripture, I think he may be right. It is a deep, wide root out of which many other smaller sins fall – at least in my life. I medidated deeply this morning on Psalm 27. Read more.