Prioritized Schedules: The Number One Priority

One of the activities in the Living Life with Purpose Curriculum is to distribute a blank daily scheduling sheet and have students block out what they would be doing over the next twenty-four hours. They are then to think about what they would do differently if they knew it would be their last twenty-four hours on earth. In teaching that session, I’ve primarily heard responses such . . . Continue reading Prioritized Schedules: The Number One Priority

Prioritized Schedules: The Second Priority

When asked about the Greatest Commandment, Jesus broke it down into two commandments. He said the “first and greatest commandment” was to love God with the whole of our being. While He stressed that love for God is our number one priority and that He gets our “all”, He went out to mention the second priority — loving others as we love ourselves. Continue reading Prioritized Schedules: The Second Priority

Time for One Another

Read through the list of verses with the “one-another” commands of Scripture and you’ll have to conclude that this kind of mutual, reciprocal relating with each other takes time. Church leaders serious about following God’s design for interdependence among the Body must etch time for Body life into their busy schedules. And, they must structure to allow for it to happen within the hectic church-wide schedule. . . . Continue reading Time for One Another

Accountable Schedules

As a leader you want to see people in your church maintaining schedules that are honoring to the Lord which will be reflected in what they watch on TV, listen to, what they do on Internet, how they spend their leisure, etc. You want them to live holy lives (Rom. 12:1), fully devoted to God.

. . . But, can church leaders keep members accountable for how they spend their time? Continue reading Accountable Schedules

Spiritually Blessed Schedules

When describing our schedules as spiritually blessed, we might say they are schedules with which God is pleased and honored by and therefore blessed by Him. That could be correct because God does bless our faithfulness and stewardship of the time He has given us. But, I want to look at spiritually blessed schedules as . . . Continue reading Spiritually Blessed Schedules

Christ-like Schedules are Purposeful

We don’t read of Jesus using a day planner for Himself or a master calendar for His disciples. We don’t read of Him sitting with a committee to plan out the next year’s calendar of events. And, of course, we don’t read of Him using a cell phone or other electronic device to remind Him . . . Yet, as we look at Jesus’ life we do find evidence of Him purposefully using His time. . . . Continue reading Christ-like Schedules are Purposeful

Spiritually Productive Schedules

Spiritually blessed schedules, governed by who we are in Christ, are all about the work God has done in our lives because of and through Jesus. Prioritized schedules, emphasizing love for God and others, center on divine, not human love. Sustainable schedules, requiring that we nurture our relationship with Christ, provide the sustenance we need to keep going. Do you notice the theme? These kinds of schedules require . . . Continue reading Spiritually Productive Schedules

Hindrances to Spiritual Productivity

If we want spiritually productive schedules then we must live according to the strength Christ provides which we find through His Word, by grabbing hold of His grace, as we walk in His light and devote ourselves to doing what is good. It’s about far more than checking things off our “To Do” list. Spiritually productive schedules move leaders beyond mere activity and accomplishment to . . . Continue reading Hindrances to Spiritual Productivity