Trying to figure out what to do with this blog

Meanwhile, stay tuned…

11 Questions Every Pastor Should Ask

Trevin Wax regularly asks himself 11 questions to measure his own faithfulness to his calling:

On preaching…

1. How can I show the congregation how this passage/topic fits into the grand narrative of Scripture?
2. As I preach from the Old Testament, is there anything in my sermon that a faithful Jew could not affirm?
3. As I preach from the New Testament, is there anything in my sermon that a Mormon could not affirm?
4. Am I addressing this topic or cultural issue from a distinctly Christian point of view?
5. What is there in me/us (preacher and congregation) that will rebel against the truth of this text and how can I move us beyond that rebellion?

6. How does the truth I am proclaiming equip Christ’s church to be on mission for the kingdom of God?

On the mission of the church…

7. If our church were to cease to exist, would anyone in the community be affected? Would anyone mourn the loss?
8. What would the result be if everyone in our church shared the gospel as often as I do?
9. What are the unique needs of our community that our church members could address as part of providing a platform for proclaiming the gospel?
10. Are the programs and activities of our church the best way to spend our time, money, and energy to spread the gospel locally and globally?
11. Am I focused primarily on training people to bring the lost to church where I will present the gospel? Or am I focused on equipping people to share the gospel throughout the week in their workplace, neighborhood, and schools?

Click through to read his reasons behind each one.

Seven Thoughts on Time Management (from Doug Wilson)

Some great thoughts on productivity from Doug Wilson:

1. The point is fruitfulness, not efficiency. You should want to be fruitful like a tree, not efficient like a machine.
2. Build a fence around your life, and keep that fence tended. You should have a life outside your work, and your family should be enjoying that life together with you.
3. Perfectionism paralyzes.
4. Fill in the corners.… Do not despise how much can be packed into small corners.
5. Plod. Keep at it. Slow and steady wins the race. Truisms are true. Work adds up, provided you are doing it.
6. Take in more than you give out. If you give out more than you take in, you will … give out.
7. Use and reuse. State and restate. Learn and relearn. Develop what you know. Cultivate what you have. 

(emphasis added)

Read the whole thing to see some points expanded and explained.

[Douglas J. Wilson is currently the Senior Fellow of Theology at New St. Andrew’s College.]