All ministers will understand this post immediately! Especially the title! And, most other folks will too - though your schedule might vary a bit! In ministry, you life passes quickly - a week at a time! "No kidding," you say!! I know, it is the same for everyone - but in ministry- this passage of time is particularly keen!
We ministers certainly have daily tasks - and we click them off like everyone else who has a job! But our unique ministry is very "Sunday" oriented! Someone coined the phrase, related to the death, burial, and ressurection of Christ, that "it is Friday - but Sunday's coming!" For the minister, one could implement the phrase, "it is Monday - but Sunday's coming!"
I am astonished at how much faster the Sundays are coming! It is fully a reality related to my age! When I was younger, I did not appreciate how precious each day and each moment was! As I have aged, faced struggles both emotional and physical in nature, I have become aware of how little "time" there is! So, tomorrow is "game" day for me! It is the day upon which, for better or worse, rightly or wrongly, everyone pretty much decides whether or not I am doing my job! Sunday is THE day for the minister! It is the day when we see pretty much everyone and everyone see us! Hours and hours and hours of preparation have taken place at the hands of our staff and many volunteers! People will show up - and leave - and for many of them - that is all until the next Sunday!
Our goal, of course, is that they show up - receive a word - an instruction - a break-through - that leads them to engage with the Kingdom of God daily until the next Sunday! So, our work is two fold each week. We spend time trying to engage the egageable - and we spend time getting ready for the next Sunday! It takes the full week - and then we start over!
I usually reset to the new week sometime after church on Sunday night! I usually already have a pretty good idea of where I am headed in preaching for a few weeks, so I start working in earnest on the next Sunday's message on Sunday night! Monday is a busy day! We are busy trying to catch up with all the news, information, and needs uncovered on Sunday! Administratively, it is a busy day!
Tuesday, we are all full in the race! We are prepping for Wednesday night - making visits - doing ministry and work on Sunday services is beginning to spin up front and center. There are themes to be discussed - worship ideas to be finalized - plans to be made. Wednesday is a pivotal day! Lose your focus on Wednesday and you will be sweating the next couple of days! Things have to get pretty nailed down on Wednesday because the worship team will be rehearsing for Sunday on Wednesday night! Engagement with deacons, teachers, and others will take place on Wednesday evening for us! We need to know where we are going beforehand! Thursday is get it done day! We have to get everything else finished on Thursday! Visits - tech - preparation - building prep - logistics - all have to be communicated and a plan put in place to carry it all out. FRIDAY is our day off! (Sunday is definitely not our day off) In our staff, each one of us takes a weekend on call! When we are not on call - we are still loosely on call! But, we largely get to enjoy the day. Yet, on Friday, I usually spend at least 2 to 3 hours in sermon prep - finalizing details of the message! Saturday I will be checking with folks to make sure everything is ready - spending more time looking over the message - trying to be sure I am aligned with God's message for the day. Then it is Sunday! Often a marathon day! By the time I go to bed on Sunday night, I will have attended many functions of the church, preached or taught a couple of times, answered about a thousand questions, counseled one or two people who have problems that can't wait, and been engaged in a battle with Satan for the hearts and minds of our people!
Oh, I am not complaining! I love it! I love what I do! But, here we are - tomorrow we start the third month of Sundays this year! I am already praying over messages I will be doing in May! The year is FLYING by - one week at a time! Each week seems like a day - then it is over! Redeem the time - the days are precious - and few!
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