I’m having a hard time with priorities lately.  Overall, my life is
more in balance than it’s been in years.  (Which sounds weird, because
why on earth would I have trouble with priorities then?)

Several years ago, I wrestled down the work-a-holic demon. Some good
friends gave me good counsel, and my idol of performance as a measure
of success has been slowly hacked away at over the last few years.  I
love that Connexus is committed to a simple model
of ministry.  My calendar is no longer married to a crazy church
schedule. When I have evening meetings, I actually want to go to them
because they are important and rare. Usually, I go home at night and
hang with my family.  Imagine that! Unreal, I know.

I’m just thinking through the time I actually spend in ministry
during a typical week.  A priority is simply a pre-decision about my
time (thanks to my friend Reggie Joiner for that definition). What are my priorities?

Here’s how I’m thinking through these:

• The most important thing I do is communicate, yet I might only
  spend 10 hours a week on that.  Too little.  I’d love to get two days a
  week to pray, plan and write.
• The next most important thing I do is invest in staff.  I spend 10 hours a week with staff in meetings/one on ones.
• I love to meet with Connexus people (volunteers, just plain
  people).  That’s on average 4-6 hours per week. It’s low this week,
  high seven days from now (elder’s meeting and baptism stuff…cool!)
• Growing over the last three years is my time with leaders from
  other churches.  This week it’s a huge investment: 14 hours (one full
  day retreat in a mentoring circle with Willow Canada
  friends) plus a day with miscellaneous ministry friends.  Other leaders
  sharpen me. I hope I sharpen them.  Typically it’s 4-6 hours a week.  Too much?
• Correspondence/email/blogging has got to take 10-12 hours per week. 
• Miscellaneous drivel consumes the rest, I’m sure.

What are helpful priority management techniques you’ve found in
ministry/life/work?  Comments on my priorities?  What would you
change? 

Oh yeah, personal time with God is my time…Christian first, pastor
second.  So that’s how every day begins (that’s why it’s not in my
‘work’ schedule).