{"id":31195,"date":"2022-09-10T15:20:44","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:20:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-distractions-pastors-must-avoid-right-now\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:20:44","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:20:44","slug":"5-distractions-pastors-must-avoid-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-distractions-pastors-must-avoid-right-now\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Distractions Pastors Must Avoid Right Now"},"content":{"rendered":"
Darius Bashar photo – Unsplash <\/p>\n

By Kevin Freeman<\/em><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one word I would use to describe my life during the pandemic, it\u2019s distracted<\/em>.<\/p>\n

As I still work from home and help my kids with their virtual schooling, ministry has become all about finding snippets of time, burning the midnight oil, and getting creative.<\/p>\n

Perhaps now more than ever, pastor must kill the avoidable distractions in their lives. Do any of these step on your toes?<\/p>\n

1. Technology<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Suddenly, we\u2019ve had technology foisted upon us as both our savior and lord in these troubled times. We\u2019re glued to our screens more than ever before, mostly out of necessity.<\/p>\n

Whether you believe the lockdowns to be a necessary step or an epic blunder, we\u2019ve come to rely on technology more than ever to carry out our ministry.<\/p>\n

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The arrangement is making many people miserable\u2014so miserable that many school districts have decided to make the students learn online, too.<\/p>\n

I am currently fostering a four-year-old who is expected to spend hours each day learning on Zoom.<\/p>\n

A recent Barna study finds that one-third of engaged Christian parents are media-stressed. While we must be thankful for what connections via technology have enabled us to do, we also must recognize their effects on us.<\/p>\n

We may not be able to extricate ourselves from that technological grip, but we can take steps to mitigate the distracting nature of its ever-increasing hold on our lives.<\/p>\n

The sneaking creep of technology in our lives subtly takes away our ability to focus, to think, to meditate on God\u2019s truth.<\/p>\n

The Psalmist extols the blessed person whose \u201cdelight is in the Lord\u2019s instruction,\u201d meditating on God\u2019s Word \u201cday and night\u201d (Psalm 1:2).<\/p>\n

Pastors must guard their time carefully and even institute technology blackout times to focus on the things of God. Otherwise, we draw from a shallow well.<\/p>\n

Putting aside the texts, tweets, and emails for a block of time will allow us to focus and delight in the promises of Scripture. It\u2019ll also help put everything else into perspective.<\/p>\n

2. Relaxed pandemic expectations<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Some of us are experiencing lessened pressure and fewer expectations to carry out the tasks assigned to us. A pandemic doesn\u2019t diminish the Great Commission call to make disciples of Christ.<\/p>\n

Depending on where you live, your strategy for accomplishing Christ\u2019s commission may have changed, but no pandemic can supersede our heavenly call.<\/p>\n

Some of us might relax amid adjusted expectations, but the gospel mandates that we make disciples in every circumstance.<\/p>\n

Peter reminds us to \u201cshepherd God\u2019s flock \u2026 as God would have you,\u201d a job that done well results in commendation and aware from the chief Shepherd on day  (1 Peter 5:2-4).<\/p>\n

Pastors are ultimately not accountable to the board or the members, but to Christ.<\/p>\n

Habitually lowered expectations\u2014arising from pandemics or otherwise\u2014don\u2019t constitute acceptable exemptions from our task.<\/p>\n

3. Politics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s incredibly easy to be sucked into the endless vortex of political intrigue.<\/p>\n

We must remind ourselves that the answer to society\u2019s ills is not in Biden over Trump (or vice versa) or Republican over Democrat (or vice versa). The answer is Christ and the good news found in the hope of the gospel.<\/p>\n

Yes, there\u2019s a need for Christians in the public square, but those Christians must prioritize the kingdom of heaven over the United States.<\/p>\n

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Overcome this distraction by following Paul\u2019s advice in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, and praying for our elected leaders\u2014even giving thanks for them.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a political junkie, pray for each official and candidate in every article you read, \u201cso that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Isolation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Depending on your personality and family life, you may have celebrated the lockdowns that enabled you to hunker down, but isolation has harmful long-term effects.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve found myself more easily agitated during months of staff meetings over Zoom.<\/p>\n

Without the ability to interact with people in true face-to-face format, so much is lost. We find ourselves easy prey for our enemy, who is \u201cprowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour\u201d (1 Peter 5:8).<\/p>\n

How does a lion catch its prey? By isolating an animal from the rest of the herd.<\/p>\n

The church has become more isolated than ever, and many people now prefer online worship in their pajamas over the real thing.<\/p>\n

To the extent that you\u2019re able, prioritize in-person connections with people, prayerfully taking your own unique circumstances into account.<\/p>\n

Some ministers have found great connection through dropping off adult curriculum materials to church members.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s amazing what added details we get from people\u2019s lives when we\u2019re in person and the conversation really gets going. Stress meeting together for worship as the goal, without shaming those who aren\u2019t ready to do so.<\/p>\n

Hebrews 10:25 sets a high bar to not neglect gathering together.<\/p>\n

Christians may set that bar at different levels, but emphasis on the need to meet together may remind those who tune in online out of convenience that they need to be in person sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

5. That thing you\u2019re hoping I won\u2019t mention<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yes, a list of five distractions isn\u2019t exhaustive. What\u2019s keeping you from wholeheartedly pursuing your walk with Christ, leading your family well, or shepherding those entrusted to your spiritual care?<\/p>\n

Is it a streaming video series or playing golf? Is there a sin issue that has entangled you? Whatever it is, let me encourage you to \u201crun the race\u201d before you, laying aside every weight of sin and every distraction.<\/p>\n

Not every distraction can be listed, but the solution is ultimately clear.<\/p>\n

It comes by \u201ckeeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God\u201d (Hebrews 12:2).<\/p>\n

Now there is a joy laid out before us, to not simply walk in the footsteps of Christ but run in pursuit of the glory to which he calls us. Let us run this race well.<\/p>\n

KEVIN FREEMAN<\/strong> is the associate pastor for discipleship, youth, and families at Redland Baptist Church of Rockville, Maryland.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Click Here to Pray: How the Church Connects to Technology What Do Pastors Believe About the End Times? What Do Pastors Believe About the Book of Revelation? 3 Ways to Reach Non-Religious People in Your Community <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Darius Bashar photo – Unsplash By Kevin Freeman If there\u2019s one word I would use to describe my life during the pandemic, it\u2019s distracted. As I still work from home and help my kids with their virtual schooling, ministry has become all about finding snippets of time, burning the midnight oil, and getting creative. Perhaps … Continue reading “5 Distractions Pastors Must Avoid Right Now”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31195\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}