maggi dawn: The Busy Pastor

In The Busy Pastor Maggi includes this quote:

"The adjective busy set as a modifier to pastor should sound to our ears like adulterous to characterize a husband, or embezzling to describe a banker. It is an outrageous scandal, a blasphemous affront..."

and then writes

I read this today in Eugene H Peterson's The Contemplative Pastor. It's an excellent book. If you are too busy and run off your feet, buy it right now, take the afternoon off and read it. The busier you are, the more you need to read it.

I have taken the advice (at least part way) and ordered the book.

It is of course being busy that has stopped me blogging over the last few weeks. Not blogging and not reading blogs has been a spot of self protection by trying to make sure I had time for more important things. Not always successful but a worthwhile attempt.

Anyway this week has been planned to be rather lighter. I have some gaps in the diary and will hopefully get quite a bit of writing done. Maybe I'll even do a bit of blogging (they idea of blogging about maybe doing some blogging always makes me smile a little).

Comments

[David Goodall]

In a similar vain I can highly recommend 'Busy Christian Living' by Emma Ineson.

It is really good and says being busy is ok whilst also suggesting too busy isn't. I got lots from it.

[Dave]

David,

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look it up.

Dave

[Tim]

I'm a big Peterson fan and that book is one of my favourites of his. I also really like his 'Under the Unpredictable Plant', which mines the book of Jonah for insights about pastoral ministry!

[angela Shier-Jones]

I first encountered this quote in his book 'The Gift' and have learned to balance it with the other gem which says 'its only work if you would rather be doing something else'
In other words.. other people's idea of how 'busy' I am is most often based on what they think is my 'work'.
I am happier to 'be' than to be busy - but I never lose sight of the fact that the gospel promises life in all its fullness.. as long as God keeps filling my life - I'm gonna keep living it!

[PamBG]

I like Petersen too and keep meaning to reread "Under the Unpredictable Plant" (now where is it after the move?)

I always think of a retired Anglican priest who was in one of my classes at Theology College. He talked about his retired vocation as "being available" to people and he reckoned he was now doing more good than he did prior to retirement.