We have a distinguished visitor at our church this weekend. (prep for this event partly explains my silence on the blogosphere recently) Anyway, his visit was planned well before I arrived. He is a lovely man. Gives a nice talk/workshop. Gracious to children and old ladies. Doesn't name drop too much--no more than I probably would were I as notable and distinguished as he is. And I'm glad that he is preaching tomorrow and not me because I get to enjoy Saturday for a change.
Here's what I don't quite understand. Part of his distinguishedness is that, in addition to serving several tall steeple type churches, he is the author of more than a dozen books. How did he do that?? I can barely keep all the plates spinning, much less think about doing the research, thinking, contemplating and writing involved in producing an actual book. Even ONCE. Now, I'm guessing he had a spouse that probably didn't work full time. But even if I had a full-time homemaker in my life, I'm still not sure I could pull it off. I can hardly find the time to blog, for pete's sake.
How about you all. Have you figured this out?
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5 comments:
One of my mentors had, in one of his churches, followed a famous preacher. He was told that Famous Preacher spent all his time writing, was rarely available to see anyone, and did little other than hole up in his study reading and writing. I think that's how it must be done. If you serve a big enough church, someone else is visiting, perhaps, going to the hospital and so forth. Maybe.
I also think some of us are driven to write by forces on the inside, whether we have the time or not, so that may be part of it, too.
Could you ask him this question?
I surely don't know, but I suspect Songbird is on to something.
Y...our FabulousBishop says he can only minister half decently if he gets time and space to write, so he gets up at a silly hour each day to enable this. Also, once you get to be in one of those tall steeple type churches, you probably get that wonderful thing called a sabbatical periodically. It does help, I'd imagine!
and erm lack of procrastination? maybe? grin!
happy about your free Saturday though - how nice :)
As a member (and one-time pseudo-staff-member) of a tall steeple church, I think that the whole "someone else" thing is right on. The senior pastor preaches most weeks (the same sermon three times) and edits a major magazine...and writes. He doesn't normally take appointments from church members, nor does he make many visits. He doesn't even return my emails and I have served with him and was a seminarian and now am a missionary under care of the church.
There are other pastors (10 of them at my church) for all that stuff.
Also, he has grown children and a stay-at-home wife. :-)
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