"I don't have enough time to be missional!!!"
Today a friend of mine asked me: "What's the deal with your faith? I know that it's not typical, but what exactly does your life look like?" I started to try and explain, practically, what a typical week looks like for me. Before I had a chance to explain my simple rhythms, she interrupted me and said: "Whoa! I don't have that kind of time to spare! Those rhythms would be too much of a time commitment for the average person!"
I thought about it, and decided to break down how my time is spent now on kingdom stuff compared to how I spent my time when I was involved in traditional church.
Basic breakdown of my time each week spent missionally:
(IMA paradigm of time management)
210 min - Start my day off on my knees praying empathetically
30 min - Bless one non-Christian from my tribe each week
30 min - Bless one Christian from my tribe each week
60 min - Eat with one non-Christian from my tribe each week
60 min - Eat with one Christian from my tribe each week
105 min - Read one gospel each week
20 min - Meet with my DNA partner every other week to review our rhythm journals and discuss life issues
Total= 515 min= 8.5 hours per week
Which works out to about 1 - 2 hours per day
If you consider the fact that I have to eat anyway, then the 120 minutes for eating can be considered the same in either paradigm, so that would make the total hours per week more like 6.5 instead of 8.5
Basic breakdown of my time spent in traditional church:
(ADH paradigm of time management)
180 min - Sunday Service
180 min - After Service Lunch Fellowship
180 min - Midweek Bible Study
180 min - Church Class or Ministry Group
Total= 720 min= 12 hours per week
Which works out to about 0 - 6 hours per day
Obviously, these are approximations, but I am astonished that not only do I accomplish more in a week for my own spiritual nourishment, deeper fellowship with believers, and deeper connection with non-believers... but I accomplish more - IN LESS TIME!!! than when I was operating under a ADH paradigm.
Of course, most people don't understand this because it's never been modeled to them. When I started operating in the IMA paradigm, I also thought that it would consume all of my time, but I was really surprised in the power of wholistic spirituality. I no longer have to commit an entire evening to a church activity... now, my rhythms fit right into my schedule in the midst of all the rest of my life- and now I'm free to get involved in the community since my evenings and weekends aren't blocked out anymore.
I thought about it, and decided to break down how my time is spent now on kingdom stuff compared to how I spent my time when I was involved in traditional church.
Basic breakdown of my time each week spent missionally:
(IMA paradigm of time management)
210 min - Start my day off on my knees praying empathetically
30 min - Bless one non-Christian from my tribe each week
30 min - Bless one Christian from my tribe each week
60 min - Eat with one non-Christian from my tribe each week
60 min - Eat with one Christian from my tribe each week
105 min - Read one gospel each week
20 min - Meet with my DNA partner every other week to review our rhythm journals and discuss life issues
Total= 515 min= 8.5 hours per week
Which works out to about 1 - 2 hours per day
If you consider the fact that I have to eat anyway, then the 120 minutes for eating can be considered the same in either paradigm, so that would make the total hours per week more like 6.5 instead of 8.5
Basic breakdown of my time spent in traditional church:
(ADH paradigm of time management)
180 min - Sunday Service
180 min - After Service Lunch Fellowship
180 min - Midweek Bible Study
180 min - Church Class or Ministry Group
Total= 720 min= 12 hours per week
Which works out to about 0 - 6 hours per day
Obviously, these are approximations, but I am astonished that not only do I accomplish more in a week for my own spiritual nourishment, deeper fellowship with believers, and deeper connection with non-believers... but I accomplish more - IN LESS TIME!!! than when I was operating under a ADH paradigm.
Of course, most people don't understand this because it's never been modeled to them. When I started operating in the IMA paradigm, I also thought that it would consume all of my time, but I was really surprised in the power of wholistic spirituality. I no longer have to commit an entire evening to a church activity... now, my rhythms fit right into my schedule in the midst of all the rest of my life- and now I'm free to get involved in the community since my evenings and weekends aren't blocked out anymore.
Labels: faith
Dec 24, 2006 9:07:00 PM
Hmm...thanks for this enlightening post. it not only makes me realize that a time should not be an issue, but a little discipline in my life would be helpful and would keep me from just thinking i am living missionally, and make me actually do it. i'm a big fan of regular practices or disciplines and love these examples.
good stuff. thanks! top
Dec 24, 2006 9:53:00 PM
Glad that you were inspired by these Todd. It's kind of a silly post, just random thoughts, but I'm glad that you were able to connect with them. Thanks for popping your head in and leaving a comment. The web can be a real interesting place for exchanging ideas with people you might not typically get to meet. I bookmarked your sight and I'll make sure and occasionally pop in from time to time.
Peace,
Chris top
Jan 1, 2007 6:48:00 PM
Chris, yeah, this might be a simple post for you but i liked it because it has a profound way to show that living this way is actually more helpful and provides a more well rounded life. i'm taking some time to think some through a similar approach and we'll see what happens. i;m sure i'll blog about it at some point if it catches on with me. top