Trying to work the angles of ministry

Gotta tell you a quick story. We usually have several first time guest every Sunday. Yesterday was no exception. One of our guests was asking one of our members who could take communion because she had noticed the communion trays on the table. My daughter, who is only seven, overhead the question and decided that, as the minister's daughter, she needed to answer it. She piped up, "Oh, that's only for the Batpists!" (She meant for only those that are baptized!). Out of the mouths of babes.

Recently I was asking a fellow "pastor" in town about his schedule. He said that he takes at least a half a day to just be with the Lord. A time of prayer; a time of quiet time with the Lord. I'm now trying to take that to heart. It's funny; as full-time ministers you would think that would be an easy thing to do. It's not.

Haven't we lost our way when the minister is too "busy" - saddled with "running" the church, to take a half a day a week just to be with the Lord? Too many appointments; too many activities; too much "stuff". We've become more like CEO's than spiritual directors (or spiritual reflectors).

Eugene Peterson really helped me to see what the pastor's work is in his book "Working the Angle's". He says that ministry has three "angles": Prayer, Scripture, Spiritual Direction. Great book if you haven't read it. I have re-taken his words as things I need to practice!

What I've done lately is just to say "that time is blocked off" - or "I have a standing appointment". I'm learning to protect my time to be with the Lord. Some weeks it still doesn't work out. Now, I really miss it when I don't get it!

I'm just a minister who is struggling to spend less time in the "office" and more time on the "mountian". Can you relate?