Metz, Steven (2011). Junior leader professional development. Who has the time? Op Ed Strategic Studies Institute. http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?pubID=1060
This article talks about the importance of developing young officers as leaders in the Army. The Army attracts the best leaders in the country and has a very high standard for leadership. The Army encourages these young officers to read a plethora books and other types of informal professional development, but being in the middle of two wars, little time is left for professional development. The main question posed in this article is how are young leaders in the military supposed to develop with no time to invest in bettering themselves as leaders.
I believe that this problem is paralleled in the lives of young leaders in the church. We are expected to be busy all the time, and end up having trouble making time to read and develop our leadership skills. I think that it is important that we fight for time to not only develop our leadership skills, but also to develop our relationship with God. Educational reading is probably the first thing to go, but following that is personal devotional reading. We cannot neglect our relationship with God in order to minister to others. People in the congregation may expect us to do our devotional reading and educational reading before or after work, but not to let it get in the way of our ministry time. I think that there should be time in our daily work schedule for both spiritual and professional development. This is similar to the solution proposed for professionally developing military leaders.
I agree with your assessment that time needs to be carved out from our daily schedules to develop our relationship with God, and not just added as an extra before or after our ministry work. I think we are victims of the Protestant work ethic that has developed along with our capitalistic society which places ultimate value and significance in work itself. Typically, this means that we have to be doing something. Work is practical and should result in something, whether a product or money. The problem with this vis-à-vis our relationship to God is that spiritual work doesn’t always tangibly produce anything and it often doesn’t seem like we are doing anything. Even praying doesn’t seem practical. Couldn’t we just go to that meeting or work on our sermon? Then at least we can be doing something!
ReplyDeleteI also think that devotional reading is extremely helpful for growth in Christ, not just of the Bible, but of our Christian brothers and sisters who have walked before us and have gleaned wisdom from the Almighty. I just finished reading The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi, which was excellent food for my soul. Thanks for the post!