I ran across a quick article from Matt Perman of Desiring God, that addresses the issue of multitasking. Surprisingly (at least to me) his article outlines some findings from a research study at Stanford University that discovered the more a person multi-tasks, the worse they get at it.

Multitasking, in short, is not only not thinking, it impairs your ability to think. Thinking means concentrating on one thing long enough to develop an idea about it. Not learning other people’s ideas, or memorizing a body of information, however much those may sometimes be useful. Developing your own ideas. In short, thinking for yourself. You simply cannot do that in bursts of 20 seconds at a time, constantly interrupted by Facebook messages or Twitter tweets, or fiddling with your iPod, or watching something on YouTube.

Pastors and preachers, if anything in the world requires all of our concentration, it is sermon preparation. In the world in which we live, it is tempting to do sermon work in very unstable environments (a term I use loosely here, not as in a war zone) filled with distractions. We must work and strive to find time away from distractions and interruptions to spend time alone with God focusing on hearing his voice and then clearly planning the communication of God’s word to God’s people.

This isn’t easy, but it can be done. I find great times of productivity at home before anyone else wakes up. Sometimes for the sake of concentration on sermon preparation, I actually leave my office and find a quiet hide out so that I can’t be found easily by well-intentioned visitors to my office and harassing sales calls. Develop a plan to get away and get alone. God will be glorified, your sermons will be better, and God’s people will reap the benefits.

Below is a testimony given by Dr. Chuck Lawless, Dean, Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary during a chapel service last week.  Dr. Lawless is a godly man, and I am thankful that I was able to learn from his life and teaching while a student at Southern.  Listen to this testimony of God saving his father, after he and countless others prayed for his salvation for over 30 years.

Pastors, who are you praying for God to save by his grace and for his glory?

“Preachers must discipline their lives so that there is no time in the pastoral week when a sermon is not in process, when the pastor is not wrestling with the biblical text and the demands of the congregational context.  Preaching is hard work, requiring the cultivation of a host of skills that are difficult to develop.  If we are called to preach (and who would take up this task without being called to do it?) then we must be obedient enough to the vocation to work at it.  I believe the roots of clerical sloth are theological rather than primarily psychological.  We become lazy and slovenly in our work because we have lost the theological rationale for the work.”

-William Willimon, Proclamation and Theology (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2005), 72.

HT: Carl Trueman

On Monday, I made a new friend. I was introduced to a first grader who has no dad at home and needs tons of attention. He struggles in reading class and in other areas, but has an incredible smile and is enjoyable to be around. Did I mention that he needs Jesus?

I don’t know much about my buddy’s home life or his background. I know nothing of his parents or his grandparents. But, like all people in this world, I know that he needs Jesus. For now, I’m just volunteering at his school, helping him to read. We give high-fives and I put my arm around his shoulders to tell him he’s doing a great job. His teachers tell me he has never sat so still and attentive.

Teachers ask me why I’m taking time out of my “very busy” schedule to volunteer at their school. I’ve had the opportunity to share tell them that the Gospel has changed my life and I want to live out the implications of the Word by making a difference in the lives of others. See, I’m realizing that “very busy” is often an idol in my life that keeps me from being “very concerned,” “very evangelistic,” or “very loving.”

I’m a pastor. I pray that God uses our church to change hundreds of lives, but for now I’m also going to focus on changing one life at a time. I’m not too busy to change a few lives one-on-one, and you aren’t either. I’m praying that eventually I’ll have the opportunity to share the gospel with my little first-grade buddy, but until then, I’m going to live out the gospel in front of him every chance I get.

Cam Huxford from the Mars Hill Downtown Seattle campus created this beautiful video to tell of his idolatry. Pastors, what idols does God need to crush in your life? Ask Him…

“Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

Mark Driscoll has written on “Pastor Dad” which can be downloaded for free (and which I have not yet read), that reminds fathers that they are all pastors in their homes.  I am learning a few things about being Pastor Daddy in my home and am being reminded that just as all fathers are pastors, all pastors should be good fathers and husbands. My children are reminding me that they need me a lot, and that my responsibilities with church and anything other else does not change their needs. Even when I’m busy, they still need their daddy (and for the record, that is not such a bad thing).

Sunday I preached on Jesus’ care for his mother from the cross (John 19:26-27). In light of his spiritual responsibilities, Jesus did not neglect his natural and family responsibilities to his mom. Regardless of what else I have going on, I am called first to minister to my family.

Wyatt is two and is struggling to understand all of this, but in his struggle he is helping me. You see, he doesn’t understand why I’m daddy to him and ‘Pastor Craig’ to all of the other kids in our church. Sometimes he slips and calls me ‘Pastor Craig,’ but recently, I have heard ‘Pastor Daddy’ a few times. My son is reminding me and teaching me that even as I pastor others, I have to pastor him, his sister, and his mom as well.

Pastors, being married to us or fathered by us must be weird. Do all that you can to remove the weirdness, give your family the pastor that the rest of your church enjoys. Pray with and for them, teach them the Word, disciple them, love them, and spend tons of time with them. They are your responsibility too.

“Of course the preacher is above all others distinguised as a man of prayer.  He prays as an ordinary Christian else he were a hypocrite.  He prays more than ordinary Christians, else he were disqualified for the office which he has undertaken.”

-C.H. Spurgeon, Lectures To My Students (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2008), 42.

“Leaders, pastors and elders are responsible to teach, to warn, to rebuke, and to encourage. They are foremen and organizers, guardians and mobilizers, teachers and models. They provide the conditions under which the rest of the gospel partners [church members] can also get on with vine work–with prayerfully speaking God’s truth to others.  However, at a profound level, all pastors and elders are also just partners…A pastor or elder is a vine-worker who has been given a particular responsibility to care for and equip the people for their partnership in the gospel.”

-Colin Marshall and Tony Payne, The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift That Changes Everything (Kingsford, Australia: Matthias Media, 2009), 67.

Westminster Bookstore (P4P’s favorite bookstore) is currently having a great sale on the excellent Pillar New Testament Commentary Series.  Until March 9th, they are offering an Extra 10% off of EVERY Pillar volume when you purchase 2 or more.  The price automatically adjusts when you place the books in your shopping cart.  That comes out to 44%-55% off of retail, depending on which commentaries you choose.  AND only $1 Shipping.  Happy shopping!

A Word of Forgiveness–Luke 23:34 from Malvern Hill Baptist Church on Vimeo.