Yesterday for our staff meeting at Vintage Faith Church we spent the meeting discussing the book "Too Busy Not To Pray" by Bill Hybels. At our Christmas Leadership Night in December we gave out over 100 copies of the book to our key volunteers in our church as a Christmas gift. So we also read the book as a staff and had discussion on it yesterday.
When I began the discussion, I pulled out three different copies of the book to show the staff. I have a copy I bought back in 1990. Then I have another copy I bought which was the 10th Anniversary edition of the book. Then I had the 20th Anniversary edition we gave out last month. This is book is the book I used to give out to all high school ministry interns as we would start a new year. As well as when I led a young adult ministry. I've probably read the book around 10 times over the years.
I shared in the staff meeting that this book is not a book which says we should all live passive monastery-like lives as Christian leaders. It is a very realistic book. No where in the Bible does it say that when you are on mission, it is not going to be time consuming or difficult. Whether you are on staff or volunteering in a church. I don't agree when I hear that church leaders put in more time and are more wiped out than the average person. I know moms at home that are consumed all day with working hard raising their kids and wiped out at the end of the day. I know people who commute almost an hour back and forth to high stress jobs in places. There are students who work full time jobs and go to school at the same time and try to juggle everything. Then on top of that they faithfully volunteer time in their local church. In many ways, church staffs have more flexibility with time. I do think that pastors and leaders of a church bear more burden for the whole church and the whole mission. So I think that is different to some degree. But volunteers are heroes as they give up time for the mission in addition to everything else they are doing in their lives and jobs.
I shared with the staff is that those in ministry have the most urgent and critical mission on earth. We are leading the mission of being the body of Jesus and communicating and living the gospel here on earth (empowered by the Spirit). So of course we should be working hard. And of course it isn't going to be easy. And of course there will be very tough times and extra hours. I think of the book of Acts and the stories of the disciples on mission. Most of us in the USA aren't having to experience being beaten up, stoned, and put in jail and even killed for our faith. So our efforts and time is not about running programs or putting on Sunday gatherings (although that does happen) but it is about lives being transformed here and for all eternity. What greater mission is that? So as we strive and put time and energy and effort into ministry, it is worth the effort. And it isn't easy. But it is worth it.
But that is why "Too Busy Not To Pray" is such an important and helpful book. We need to be healthy as we serve on mission. We do need times of "rest" and slowing down. For church leaders or non-church leaders, it lays out the fact we do live hectic lives in the culture but then paints a realistic way of making sure we have prayer and dependency on God in the midst of it all. It is easy to read. It is filled with very practical examples. And that is why I have bought so many copies of it for church leaders I serve with over the years.
So if anyone is looking for a book to give to staff or volunteers in the church as we start a year - I certainly would recommend this one. I've been appreciating it all over again having gone through it once more as we went over it with staff yesterday. Our mission is too important not to pay attention to the truths of this book - as we can't be "too busy not to pray".
