I’ve been away from home (give or take) 31 days this year.
That’s a MONTH.
Using some other tools to analyze my time, I realize I spend an average of 2-3 hours a day on social networking sites (checking Twitter, Facebook, whatever).
That would be almost 40 days SOLID in a YEAR!
And I wonder where my time goes.
The stress comes when the things I value in my heart (mainly my faith) are not getting the time and attention they deserve. There’s a misalignment of values. What I say is important and where I spend my time don’t line up to a degree where it’s healthy.
It’s not that I don’t see spending time online, interacting, praying, caring, sharing, and learning with people as valuable. But when it trumps the things MOST valuable to my heart (faith) is where it gets sticky.
Yesterday at lunch I sat down with my calendar and my thoughts. I had to cancel two speaking engagements, not because they aren’t valuable or important, but because ultimately (due to a variety of circumstances) went away from – and not toward – making my faith stronger. Being gone at these specific times would have impacted those things negatively, thus causing unhealthy stress.
We also talked about my time online, and decided because I NEED STRUCTURE, I will be sticking to the following “boundaries” until the beginning of September, when we’ll evaluate and adjust if necessary. I’m not saying YOU should do this. I’m just putting in writing what is best for my faith and myself right now.
Twitter. Currently, I probably check it 50 times a day. Lord knows how many times I actually tweet. New boundary? I’ll check and update only three times a day – once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once in the evening. NO notifications, except direct messages, ping me elsewhere.
Facebook. I’m not on it much anyway, but I’ll only log in to Facebook once a week. NO notifications at ALL ping me elsewhere.
Online Sabbath. Once a week (it’s looking like Saturday) I will be completely unplugged. I will not be checking email, Twitter, Facebook, whatever. If my computer is on, the only thing open is Word so I can work on writing. One day a week, completely computer free.
Stat-Ho. I am only going to check my blog stats, Technorati (as if that means much anymore) and Feedburner stats once a month. I can get obsessed by these numbers and sometimes measuring things too much is a bad idea. At least for me.
So…there you have it. A few new rules in the life of Anne Jackson. I think margin is so important and will talk until I’m blue in the face about it, but if I’m not living that life myself, well, I’m just a big fat liar.
Is there anywhere you need to build in margin? What steps can you take to do it? Sometimes it just takes DOING it.
By now, most of you know my pastor-boss-friend Pete and I are going on a trip to Kolkata (Calcutta), India with Compassion. We leave on Friday and will both be sharing some more about that soon.
However, we were talking yesterday about packing. I told him I was going to start packing last night, and would probably be finished (sans some toiletries) by tonight.
That’s just how I roll.
I use packing cubes and organizers and have backup toothbrushes and a color coded spreadsheet of everything I need, what day I’ll wear what, and pack them in reverse order of need (so I’ll have the things I need first at the top). When I get to the hotel I unpack EVERYTHING and put my suitcases away.
Pete said he’ll start packing a few hours before we leave.
FOR INDIA.
Some may find my habits a little bit compulsive in nature. All I know is I’ll sleep easy the rest of the week knowing I’m ready to go.
Which are you? An OCD packer…or…a last minute packer?
Each person has a unique point of view on faith and Christianity, and needless to say, our conversations varied greatly.
I’m definitely in a season where I’m exploring and discovering what faith is to me – instead of just leaning into the tradition of my upbringing (which, don’t get me wrong, plays an important role).
A book that has helped me define so much of the tension between culture and faith is The Divine Commodity by the aforementioned Jethani.? Skye is a Zondervan author and we work with the same team, so Genius Marketing Guy sent me a copy of Skye’s book a long, long time ago – thinking I’d find it interesting.
I have to admit. I get around five books in the mail each week (not that I’m complaining), but it’s hard for me to find time to read them all. It did take me a few months to get to Skye’s book.
I wish I would have read it sooner.
As soon as I finished, I passed my heavily highlighted and marked up copy to my friend Shaun, who devoured it and gave a few other copies I had to a couple of friends on staff.
If you’ve ever felt a tension between faith, culture, and consumerism, I can’t recommend this book enough.
Skye doesn’t approach the topic critically, which one could easily do. He simply explores how a timeless faith and an ever-changing consumeristic culture mix (or in some cases, how they don’t mix).
Since may of the pastors I know would easily dismiss this book (because hey, let’s just admit that many of us wrestle consumerism in every compartment of life and it’s easy to just let it exist in apathy), I asked Skye about how church leaders should approach this book.
And I also asked to give away ten copies to random commenters.
Below is my conversation with Skye, as well as a quick video we shot at the CT Offices on Tuesday. I realize it’s a little lengthy, but it’s completely worthwhile. Get the book. It’s beautiful. It’s thought provoking. It’s incredibly well written.
Anne: For those of us who have read The Divine Commodity, we know you?re not being divisive or writing about ?what?s wrong? with the church.? We know that it?s a book that explores the culture of modern-day faith and Biblical context and wisdom.
Why should a pastor read this book?? How can those of us who aren?t pastors graciously help communicate the message of The Divine Commodity without coming off like we have an agenda?
Skye: When the Apostle Paul wrote his letters to the churches, his great desire was for them to all reach full maturity in Christ Jesus. This required more than merely forming them into people of love and faith. Paul also diagnosed the ways they had been malformed by false teachers, ungodly cultural mores, empty philosophies, and the deceitfulness of the flesh. Making disciples was not just a process of construction, but also deconstruction. To the Colossians, Paul wrote about ?taking off? certain things, and ?putting on? others.
This is why I wrote The Divine Commodity, and why I believe church leaders as well as anyone serious about discipleship should engage the book. North American culture is dominated by consumerism?and I don?t simply mean the behavior of consumption, but the worldview of consumerism. The book does not take issue with the buying and selling of products, but the extension of self-indulgent and self-centered consumption to the point that it becomes the lens through which we see all of life and the cosmos?including God.
If pastors are passionate about ?going and making disciples,? then they don?t only need to know what to form people into, but also what they must be formed out of?just as a doctor cannot prescribe a remedy until she has diagnosed the disease. The Divine Commodity explores what consumerism is, and how it shapes our understanding of faith, worship, mission, church, discipleship, and even God. Once this malformation is diagnosed, the book prescribes practices (both individual and corporate) that help us ?take off? these things and ?put on? Christ. It is first and foremost a book about discipleship within a consumer culture, and this is why pastors ought to read it?it will help them understand the context in which they are called to make disciples with its unique challenges and opportunities.
Now, to address your second question about how those who are not pastors might graciously communicate the book?s message. That?s a much simpler answer?live it. The book does not advocate a radical coup within the church or call for a revolution in the church?s structure. It?s not about strategy, systems, or programs. In fact, if nothing ever changes about the way your church operates, you are still able to engage and employ the lessons within The Divine Commodity. I don?t believe we can (or should) overturn our consumer culture. Nor do I believe churches (from the mini to the mega) should radically revamp their structures. That wouldn?t solve the threat posed by consumerism?it?s a far more elusive foe because the battlefield between consumerism and the Kingdom of God is not external, but within the heart and imagination of every believer.
As consumerism?s grip over you begins to loosen, and you experience the transforming reality of ?Christ in you, the hope of glory,? the way you worship, serve, and relate will begin to change. In time, through resources like The Divine Commodity and others, perhaps others will join you in your quest for a richer Christian life. The gospel has always been an incarnate reality, transmitted life to life across the medium of relationship. As this begins to take root within your church, regardless of what the leadership or programming is doing, the message of hope, liberty, and fullness in Christ will spread like yeast through a lump of dough. So, rather than criticizing those still enraptured with Consumer Christianity, save your energy and simply let your life reveal a fuller glory which does not fade.
(Also, next Thursday I’ll be giving away 10 copies of another book….stay tuned! This might turn into a habit…)
To win the book, please leave a comment telling me how you’ve wrestled with a consumerist culture and faith, and I’ll randomly pick 10 people over the weekend and send them a copy of Skye’s book.
Shortly, I’ll have some commentary on face to face interaction, but until then, I thought I’d invite you to a couple of events that are coming up where I would LOVE to meet you. Recently, I have met so many of you on the west coast and in Vegas and those moments of connectivity have been transcendent.
This event will be like nothing you have ever experienced before. It is NOT saturated with leadership talks. It is NOT giving you methods or steps. It is NOT about the things we have figured out. What is it? A chance for the light to shine, for the body to gather together and love, worship, sing, confess, and pray together. Blog personalities are off. No facades. Just flesh and blood.
NASHVILLE – MARCH 19
Stories: A Night with Margaret Becker, Anne Jackson, & Chris Coppernoll
Expressing Faith Through Writing. A Discussion for Readers and Writers Alike
Davis Kidd Bookstore – Green Hills
Free!
Margaret, Chris and I will discuss our own journey of writing, and weaving truth into the tapestries of story. From non-fiction, to fiction, to song-writing…this will be a discussion for any artist. Books will be available and signings will follow.
I’ll also be at Unleash at NewSpring Church on March 12, so if you’re going – say hi! They are also kind enough to have Mad Church Disease in their Resource Center, so if you’re itching to get a copy, drop by!
Lots of time on an airplane, or driving over the mountains between California and Las Vegas leaves much room for introspection.? Add in a plethora of amazing conversations, a life changing book, and being reminded that just one year ago, I was leaving Uganda.
Most of this time, I was unplugged.? During my week on the road, I opened my computer maybe three times, mostly to get directions to Dunkin Donuts.? I really didn’t check Twitter that much.? Or Facebook.? Or even my blog.? Or even your blog.
Next week I am going to share with you a commitment I am making.? A commitment that has been prayed over and thought over for hours and hours.? After Monday night, the book reading and gathering with my friend Shaun Groves and me, it only confirms more and more the direction my heart is going.
If you’d like to take a look at bits and pieces of the evening, you can watch the clip below.? Thanks to Steve Eller for putting it together.? It was an honor meeting so many of you face to face.
I’ll share a bit more tomorrow about a few events coming up I’d love to see you at. But for now, I would really appreciate your prayers as I take some more time to focus and pray about the upcoming months.
Sorry for the? lack of interaction and posting…I flew to LAX yesterday then drove to San Diego in time to catch dinner with some friends before they headed back home.? Today I had a couple of sessions, lots of meetings (most over food -yummm!) and have just now settled into my cozy hotel room.
Tomorrow after one final session I am driving back up to LAX to pick up my friend who is accompanying me the rest of this trip (LA>Vegas>Irvine>LA) through next week.? We will be driving a TON (road trip!) so prayers for safety would be amazing!
If you want to see where we are at click on the little “travel/speaking” button over on the right!
Will write more when time allows. Thanks for your prayers today!
Will leave you with a nugget I learned today.
Jesus was asked “Yes or No” questions by both the “religious leaders” and his disciples during his three year ministry twenty five times.? Of those times, 22 were before his trial.? So while in “active” ministry, guess how many times he answered yes or no to those yes or no questions? ZERO.? He elevated them to a kingdom level principle, then took it down to application.? It was never just a yes or no.? Thanks to my new friend Andrew Marin for that thought.
First, today (February 5) is the last day you can register for the Catalyst One Day event in Atlanta and get the best rate.? I can’t wait to go! Working with Craig at LifeChurch.tv was an awesome experience, and I really can’t wait to see what God’s teaching him these days.? Catalyst One Day is February 26 at North Point Church in the ATL.
Now, remember a few weeks ago when Los, Jon and I did our goofy Mogulus announcement (followed by some? live video ping pong?)? We announced that after Catalyst One Day, we are doing a special “Off the Blogs” gathering that evening.? So, you go to One Day, you eat dinner, and you come to the “Off the Blogs” event.
I’ll be posting more information about OTB, as well as a place to register for it if you aren’t attending One Day, as well as some general thoughts behind what kind of movement we know will begin as a result of this gathering.? It is going to be amazing.? God has been igniting a common passion in us, and we think in you as well as people who form the community on our blogs.? A big thank you to Catalyst for sponsoring and supporting this idea.? We love those peeps.
PS – if you are interested in volunteering at the Off the Blogs event, please shoot me an email here.? We’ll need some greeter type people, and some people that are just open to helping however.? Nothing difficult.? Promise.
I’ve never been to NewSpring before and have been wanting to for a couple of years now…plus, getting to connect with other pastors and leaders is one of my favorite things in the world to do!? And with 2000 people there I’m sure there are quite a few leaders I could learn a ton from while I’m there!
AND IT’S REALLY STINKING INEXPENSIVE!? LIKE FIFTY NINE BUCKS INEXPENSIVE!
From the website:
Unleash is a one-day conference hosted by NewSpring Church and specifically-designed to challenge, encourage and motivate church leaders to take action in reaching their communities for Jesus Christ. Unleash 2009 happens on March 12th at our Anderson Campus and features two main sessions from Senior Pastor Perry Noble, tons of breakout sessions and quite a few creative and technical tricks up our collective sleeve. Southern hospitality awaits you.*
(Emphasis mine…I fully expect that “southern hospitality” means Tony Morgan will be giving out hugs to everyone.? And that Perry will be serving us buttery biscuits upon our arrival.)
Okay, okay, okay…so what’s with this “FREE” tickets thing?? Well, since I was going to be blogging about Unleash and all, I decided to ask Tony for a free ticket to give away.? He fired back with something along the lines of “One ticket? You are super lame. How dare you even ask me for such a simple thing.? ONE? Come on, Jackson. You just want ONE ticket? How about FIVE free tickets? So someone’s entire team can come? Because it’s all about the team.”
Okay. Maybe I made the first part of that up.? But he really did want to give away five tickets so a whole team could come.
Uh, deal.
So I’m giving away FIVE free tickets to Unleash!
To enter, leave me a comment telling me what creative thing you’re going to do with the money you’ll be saving by not having to pay and I’ll pick someone at random on Wednesday sometime…whenever I feel in the mood to end it! :)
And if you don’t win – just register! But you better hurry.? It’s super close to being sold out!
And even with the boundaries I established at the beginning of the year, they weren’t specific enough to really help release me from my demon of overcommitment.
