... Take a Break from Technology Yes, we all love our smart phones, iPods and tablets. But as convenient as they can be, they can also drain your time and distract from other tasks. Maybe you check your email compulsively, or maybe you waste way too much time on Angry Birds. If that technology has taken over your life, consider implementing one (or a few) of these tips to help you take your life back.
Start Journaling (on Paper)
... END A DWINDLING MINISTRY The men’s breakfast is attracting four people and three of them are on staff. Ever since your church relocated, kids don’t show up for the afterschool tutoring sessions. No one wants to play church softball, but guys sign up out of obligation. Attendance for the Friday night open mic night continues to drop. If your church has a ministry like any of those mentioned above—something that began with the best of intentions but just isn’t effective now—maybe it’s time to cut bait and cast your nets elsewhere. Ending a ministry is a tough decision. It can be hard to overcome the temptation to see it as a failure. It’s a reality that some ministries are effective for a time, but as your members, their passions and their
needs change, so too should the ways you minister to the congregation and the community. Maybe you know a ministry that needs to go. Before you bring it up at a board meeting, talk to the people who have spearheaded that ministry. You might find they are worn out and eager to end it. Sometimes they will be heartbroken, unwilling to see their passion isn’t meeting a pressing need. Through talking with them, you may realize it’s possible to rework and revitalize the ministry. But if not, meeting with them gives you a chance to assure them their hard work is appreciated and, if possible, to figure out how you can elicit their involvement in another ministry—whether it’s one that already exists, or a new one that will address an unmet need.
Get out an old-fashioned “tablet” and write. It will probably take a few minutes to get used to again, but you might find it cathartic, relaxing—or a waste of time (since you can type three times faster and remove mistakes with a keystroke). Don’t worry about putting together a perfect essay; just jot thoughts and see where it takes you.
No-Tweet Tuesdays
Pick a day of the week and choose to abstain from tweeting, texting, researching your fantasy team, surfing the web, emailing or whatever technology vice tempts you most often. Use that time to pray, read the Bible or spend time with your family.
Handwritten Words of Encouragement
... START A NEW MINISTRY No church meets every need. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Sometimes an obvious need surfaces (i.e., in the wake of a natural disaster), and the response is almost automatic. But within your church and your community, there are people who are hurting, lonely and desperate for help. These needs will never be as obvious, but they’re just as real. Finding these aches and pains takes a little investigative work. Start by asking church members whether they have any ideas for a new ministry or if they know of any needs that aren’t being met. Maybe it’s a Bible study for widows and widowers, a small group for college students when they come home in the summer, an accountability ministry for those
struggling with an addiction to pornography or volunteers willing to help people who are incapable of raking leaves and shoveling snow. In addition to the suggestions from those within the church, you can also talk to others in the community. Start conversations in the grocery store, your neighborhood, at youth sporting events and anywhere else you see unfamiliar faces. Ask everyone what they would like to see a church doing in their community (if possible, invite these people to become a part of it). Once you have a list of ideas, find people who would be excited to spearhead that specific ministry. Work with them, make suggestions and then give them the reins.
Handwrite encouraging notes for your co-workers and drop them in their mailboxes. Not only does this separate you from that computer screen for a few minutes, but handwritten notes can also be more meaningful to the recipients.
Quiet Times
Consider creating a new “quiet time” in a place or time that isn’t usually quiet. Maybe spend a week without listening to music. Whenever you’re tempted to pop in those ear buds, use that time to pray. Or instead of watching the news, set aside time to pray for your friends, family, the country and your community.
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