Fanning the Flame

Last week was an amazing week with our high schoolers on the beach.

This week is a furiously paced VBS week at our church. I'm also catching up with the administrative duties of being out of the office for 6 days.

In 19 years of ministry, I've learned a few things to help me recharge during times like these. After all, according to the latest Barna report, Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.) One of the things I do is journal (blogging doesn't count). Another is reviewing journals from years past.Tonite I found a journal entry from several years ago with these words:

"Never forget that you can learn something from leadership.
Growth is not optional.
Be willing to learn from unlearned men.
Haughtiness is not Holiness.
Schedule 'love time' with your kids. Not quality time, but *quantity* time.
Be prayer partners with members of your family.
Build your family into your schedule.
Rest and relaxation are NOT second-class use of your time.
It is NOT glamorous to burn out.
Do not sacrifice your family on the altar of ministry."

Good, albiet random, thoughts. If you haven't seen it, Mark Driscoll, Pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, has a great post called Death By Ministry. Some of the suggestions he offers are great. I especially like #2, #3, and #9. You should read them for yourself.

Tonite, the boys and rented a slew of animated Spiderman DVD's and laid in front of the TV pretending we had Spidey Sense.

The realization came to me that the only man in the room with super-human strength was the guy in red and blue tights.

God give us strength. Slow us to the rhythms of Kingdom living. Be our Sabbath rest and remind us that Your yoke is truly easy.