Reflection Roundup: “The Gift of Unhurried Time”
Each week we gather news stories, notable pieces, and other important items for Christian leaders today. As always, listening broadly draws together differing perspectives from which we can learn but may not concur. Here are 10 things worth sharing this week.
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1. “The religious landscape is changing in dramatic and complex ways, and America’s religious life will be shaped not by secularization alone but by whether existing religious institutions simply retrench and atrophy, or whether they refashion themselves through a creative engagement with the changing culture.” In “Behind Gallup’s portrait of church decline,” Reverend Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, 17-year general secretary of the Reformed Church in America, writes for Religion News Service on the multiple contributing factors that may include more than previously considered. Adam Russell Taylor puts meat on the bones of the issue, specifically citing the social justice issues in which folks are anxious to see their churches take greater interest. Citing the familiar adage, Taylor says, “I would rather see a sermon than to hear one,” unpacking ways churches can strengthen their public witness in “It's Time to Rethink American Churches” for Sojourners.
2. In “The Gift of Unhurried Time,” Rebekah Simon-Peter writes of the surprising personal renewal she experiences as caring for those she loves interrupts her personal responsibilities. As post-pandemic calendars pump to refill themselves, she articulates diminishing “free-flowing creative time with God,” the lifeblood of God’s ministry through the people of God, and describes the inner work necessary before outer work becomes visible. Simon-Peter administers an “award-winning group coaching program, Creating a Culture of Renewal,” which is hosting a free webinar on April 29 unpacking concrete next steps toward personal renewal that leads to fresh perspectives on life and ministry.
3. Maybe you’re not a skater, but how could these fellowshipping boarders inspire our imaginations? “Eat. Pray. Skate: A skateboarding ministry offers unconditional love to teens” describes Serious JuJu, one expression of the imagination and understanding of the times Christians must develop in order to know what to do moving forward in outreach to all people. “Ministry that meets young people where they are” is what’s happening these days. Where else might we meet people?
4. It can be difficult to read a piece on contemporary issues, because no matter who we are or where we land, we have gut-level responses to the topics addressed. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove writes “The pastoral challenge of Christian nationalism” for Faith & Leadership, presenting the reader with lots to think about regarding how a faithful Christian witness functions in the world today. Wilson-Hartgrove acknowledges “this kind of community engagement may feel like a stretch to many pastors,” yet “a faithful Christian public witness can join hands with people of other faiths and of no faith to work for the common good.” Christians have done this for hundreds of years, and we must uptake our leg of the race and continue the essential work of “discipling people into this tradition of following Jesus.”
5. The podcast episode “Embrace God’s Gift of Limits” is part 4 in Peter Scazzero’s series surrounding his new book Emotionally Healthy Discipleship. “John the Baptist, Paul, and Jesus all submitted to the limitations given to them by God. In this episode, Scazzero invites us to embrace the God-given limits in our lives.”
6. To an even greater degree and for fresh reasons, small groups continue to be spaces where we feel most safe. To support this priority, Chris Surratt highlights and reminds churches of ways they can care for their leaders in “Why Your Groups Ministry Is More Important Than Ever.” “This next season of ministry will require much from our small groups and leaders. Let’s do everything we can to make sure they’re as healthy as they can be.”
7. We are admonished to “consider the ant” (Prov. 6), but might that also apply to the bee? When we, as pastors, “attune deeply to the abundance, challenges, resources and networks of (our) local communities” we take on a unique flavor similar to the terroir of honey described in “What I learned about ministry from beekeeping,” a combination of unrelated factors facilitated only by the work of the bees. Libby Davis Manning works with the Pastoral Leadership Program at Indiana’s Wabash College, and she and her husband are beekeepers who find within the bees’ ways a particularly insightful reflection of adaptive leadership theory. Manning offers the fun fact that “honey is the only food that contains everything necessary to sustain life,” and proceeds to describe several unique ministry scenarios in which pastors found this to be true. Might we truly look around our ministry contexts and find everything we need as well (Ps. 23)?
8. Nothing serves quite like a parody or a modern-context parable to bring a point home. The threshold of this one might cause us to stub our toes a little. Enjoy Timothy Paul Westbrook’s modern application of Matt. 25 in “The Parable of Three Ministers: A story for churches in a global pandemic.” There’s something for all of us here.
9. And if that one didn’t step on toes, this one will! In a month containing Earth Day, Bill McKibben requests we consider the “One Irritating Thing About the Bible: It keeps instructing us to do things we don't want to.” McKibben’s brief editorial touches on contributors to global climate situations that in turn dispense people from their homelands as food and shelter become obsolete, and reminds us we are commanded to care. There’s something for all of us here.
10. “This is the arc of Holy Week.” Let’s call it the arc of the Easter season and remember we feast longer than we fast.
