Thursday, February 11, 2010

What’s the plan?

NOTE: We've switched from Quick-to-Listen to Church Unique by Will Mancini. Quick-to-Listen wasn't quick in the mail so we can switch it up for the kickoff of the Friday Book Club tomorrow. We'll just hit the intro so grab a book and let's get rolling.

Yesterday I mentioned I need something to get me a little more consistent on the blogging. When I started this, I never intended it to be for the sake of readership, but for processing my own ideas. At the top you’ll see I read a lot, but don’t think much. This blog is an attempt to change that. Even if I’m regurgitating the thoughts of others, I at least have to process it once. Hopefully more of what I’ve read sticks after that.

I’ve run into a snag, however. I’m busy and I’ve fallen back into the habit of reading without processing. And, since I still have a pretty limited readership (two people, I think), I don’t have great accountability to write on the blog – despite the fact that I really like it. It just takes more discipline than I have (real time example: I’m on a diet for the staff “Biggest Loser” competition and I’m drinking a Grande Mocha Frappucino at Starbucks).

I’ve found that I need structure to do anything with any consistency. It goes for my prayer life, reading my Bible, even working out. (With the latter, I also need accountability. There’s no way I’d survive P90X if my ego wasn’t invested with the other guys in the room. I’d quit after P3X). So here’s the structure that I hope to build around for the near future. I say “near” because even when I have structure, I need to switch things up from time to time. So here’s the weekly plan … subject to change, of course.

Sunday: I’ll put links to some of my favorite preachers and/or someone I’ve heard recently that sounds intriguing … like on a Catalyst podcast, or something like that. This just came to me. It’d be great to hear what God is teaching both of you readers through the Sunday sermon from your church (if you happen to be attending one).

Monday: Mission(al) Monday will cover books, articles, issues that pertain to being a missional, culturally-engaged church and/or cross-cultural missions, theology of missions, and maybe some apologetics stuff, which is what I’m planning on studying a little more this year (if I get to it).

Tuesday: Who knows?

Wednesday: I’d like to cover some history here. It could be church history or US history (or world, but world history isn’t on my reading list yet. I want to get through US history first). Thinking of calling it Hump Day History, but … kinda cheesy title – not that I’m beyond that.

Thursday: Who knows?

Friday: Book Club Friday. A couple friends and I are looking to connect up and down the West Coast with some of the stuff we’re reading. We thought a blog might be helpful. Our first book is supposed to be Quick-to-Listen Leaders. Unfortunately, the book hasn’t been quick to come in the mail for some of us. We hope to start tomorrow, but we’ll see.
Saturday: Who knows?

I was listening to a podcast today and it talked about helping creative types who like to get a bunch of things started, but never finish what they’re working on or hop around so much that they don’t do anything with excellence. I don’t fancy myself a creative-type, but I can tend to hop around. I’m not an expert in anything. I’m a dabbler. But I like it that way so I’m leaving myself room to dabble. Maybe Sports Saturday or something with links … or just those other books that I read or lessons I’m learning or passages I’m teaching. Who knows?! There’s three days of mystery in there … until I give into the temptation to over-structure to over-compensate for the lack of structure I’m currently struggling with.

OK. Enough rambling. I’ll see if I can get some posts in the queue here.

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