Todd Hiestand

Thinking about 2009 - A More Disciplined Life

I’ve been processing things like resolutions and goals more than ever this year. I’ve been thinking through a lot of different things but the one I keep coming back to is my need for a more disciplined work week.  It’s not that I am totally undisciplined. I mean, if I were there is no way I could run my own freelance design business and pastor at The Well.   But there is a need for me to have more boundaries and guides so that I can be faithful to my responsibilities. 

I currently love my lifestyle. I am mostly my own boss.  Each day I wake up and can choose what I want to work on (at least, mostly) where I want to work on it.   The “what” means I decide if I’ll be working on design work or church work that day. Depending on the week, some days  I need to focus on design work and others I need to focus on church work. Its up to me to figure out how to spend my time.  

Of course, the “where” is the most fun part.  I can’t imagine my life inside a cubicle (sorry those of you who are currently reading this from your cubicle!).  Each day I wake up and say to myself, “Where do i want to work from today?”  Sometimes its my office in the basement but most times its my office in one of the local Starbucks locations around my area. I also can head up to the cool little town of Doylestown and plop down in the local coffee shop or even spend a couple hours in the coolest cigar shop ever (if i have studying or reading to do since there is no wifi there).  

It’s funny, I woke up one day and was complaining to my wife that I was bored with all my “offices.”  She just looked at me and shook her head.  It’s amazing how spoiled one can get…

While this way of life is great, it requires that I find some more discipline.  It’s all too easy to spend my day doing things that are “work” but are not really the things I should be doing at the moment.  When things get crazy at church, its all too easy to forget about design stuff.  When things get busy with my design work, its all too easy to get the small (but important things) at church fall through the cracks.  In all of this, the tyranny of the urgent usually kills me. Bigger, longer term projects keep getting pushed aside because I am only thinking two to three days in advance.   This obviously isn’t good.  

In all of this, its all too easy to let my two jobs invade my personal life and family time.  Not having a permanent office means that my office is wherever I am.  Which, of course, sometimes means my office is my living room.   Which of course, sometimes make the family a little frustrated!

So, over the next couple weeks Melanie and I will be working through a more disciplined schedule together.  So far I have Monday mornings figured out.  This is the time that I am setting aside for scripture reading, book reading, prayer,  reflection, etc.  This is something I desperately need and want to do but its one of those things that doesn’t seem “urgent.”  Once a month during this time I’ll be meeting up with three other pastors who have become such incredible friends and brothers and I can’t imagine living without. (JR Briggs, Tom Ward and LT).  

I’m working out the rest of the week so that I am able to set aside specific time for sermon study, admin work, design work and meetings.  It might be more annoying for people to schedule time with me since Ill have specific times I am available for meetings but I definitely need boundaries so that I can be faithful to all my responsibilities. 

So, here’s to 2009.  

Oh, and my other major goal is to beat my 5 year old’s record in Wii bowling.  He bowled a 263 a week or so ago…

The Task of the Church

From Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics v.4.3.2 - The Doctrine of Reconciliation

To sum up, we may say there is committed to it the gospel, I.e. The good, glad tidings of Jesus Christ, of the real act and true revelation of the goodness in which God has willed to make and has in fact made Himself the God of man and man His man.  This great Yes is its cause.  It has no other task besides this. (page 800)

Books of 2008 - Theology

Last year I listed out the books I read in 2007. It was fun to look back over the year and see what books influenced me and shaped my thinking. You can see the list for 2007 here. This post is made of the books that relate to Theology and Church for 2008.

You can see the books of 2008 that relate to leadership here.

Believing in the Future (Christian mission and modern culture) - David Bosch
This little books packs a serious punch. It’s a great follow up and addition to his mega-book Transforming Mission (which, yes, I am still reading!). This is one of those books I should have underlined the things I didn’t want to remember because pretty much the whole book is one continuous underline. It’s a hard book to find since it is out of print but I found it cheaper than its listed right now but it would be worth every penny. It’s one of those books that a pastor should have in his/her library.

• Blog Posts on this Book: What Do We Become Christians For?, What is Mission?. Also check out my friend John Chandler who has a longer series of posts here where he actually engaged with the text instead of just copying down quotes.

The New Conspirators: Creating the Future One Mustard Seed at a Time - Tom Sine
This may very well have been my favorite book of the year. In fact, yes, it was my favorite book. It was inspiring and full of great research, advice and examples. I read this right as I got back from Africa so I was seriously ripe for its content. In fact, what I would consider some of my most significant thoughts of this year flowed from reading this book. Those thoughts are outlined in the first related post listed below about the Suburban Mob.

• Blog Posts Related to this Book: Are You Rioting with the Suburban Mob, The Great Sin of the Western Church?, Begin Reimagining Your Life.

 
African Friends and Money Matters - David E. Maranz
I started reading this book before I went to Zambia this summer. It was really, really helpful as it gave me a glimpse to the culture there. The author gives 90 observations about how money is handled differently in Africa than the West. I’ll probably pick it back up again and try and finish it before I head back next summer.

• Blog Posts on this Book: Observations 1-5, Observations 6-11
  

Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation - Parker Palmer
This was surprisingly good book. I think the author hits on some seriously important things as we understand ourselves, vocation and calling. He named a lot of the stuff I’ve been working through personally and it gave me some good language to understand how to view myself (and others) in light of the gospel. Highly recommended.

The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God’s Call to Justice - Mark Labberton
I read this book in Zambia. Labberton lays out well how the church simply cannot ignore the poor and still call what they do worship. I gave this book to our worship pastor and he loved it as well.

Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life - Ed Cyzewski
My friend Ed sent me a copy of this book for review and I really enjoyed it. You can read the review I wrote here.

The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible - Scot McKnight
I generally like everything that Scot writes. This was no exception. I think he handled this topic very, very well and would consider using this book in a book study small group. I think it would generate some great discussion on some important topics, namely reading the scriptures with a view of the entire narrative.

Practicing His Presence - Brother Lawrence & Frank Laubach
I read most of this book. I was highly challenged by it and I keep coming back to its concept which is, what if we were constantly mindful of the fact that God is present? Like the journey the author takes in this book, its something that grows with time. But this little book was a significant help for me here.

The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting New Churches - Bob Roberts, JR
I really enjoyed this book. Very practical if you or your church is ever considering planting churches.

Links for 2008-12-29

• Reclaiming the Mission :: The Weblog of David Fitch
  End of year missional linkage. Some great blogs on the subject from David Fitch whom I greatly respect.
  (tags: missional)
• kinnon.tv: What is Missional? or A Little More Missional Shampoo
  I need to get me some missional shampoo! that stuff looks great! seriously though, this is a great post from Bill Kinnon on the concept of “Missional”
  (tags: missional)
• A Pastoral Week | Dwell Deep
  Matt Chandler shares his weekly schedule. One of my goals this year is to continue to do a better job of scheduling my week, especially since i am bi-vocational, that makes it even more important.
  (tags: pastor)
• Some Christmas Eve Thoughts, Responding to Michael Medved, and Tonight’s Message - EdStetzer.com
  An interesting article from Ed Stetzer of whom I have much respect on how we can’t make people say “Merry Christmas” who don’t hold the same faith as us.
  (tags: stetzer christmas)
• Brackish Faith: Are you Mino?
  Are you missional in name only? An interesting post….
  (tags: missional)
• broken//stained//glass: A Christmas Gift for Mohammed
  A great post from my friend JR Briggs on talking with someone about Jesus with someone with very little understanding of the story of the Christian faith.
  (tags: jesus)
• Foreclosures Don’t Spare the House of God - NYTimes.com
  This is an interesting article on church buildings and the recent economic downturn.
  (tags: church tithing)