Just heard Pete Scazzero, author of The Emotionally Healthy Church.

Here are some thoughts and reflections:

Most people in most churches are living off someone else’s spirituality. Think of it as vicarious spirituality. It’s very similar to reality TV. We’re spiritual voyeurs! And it’s as old Moses. Read the story in Exodus. The Israelites didn’t want to go up Mount Sinai. They wanted Moses to seek God for them!

Pete shared some of his personal journey. He talked about the way our unhealthy family patterns find their way into our churches. Fascinating to think about the way our genogram affects the way we pastor. A pastor’s personal problems become church problems. A pastor’s immaturities become church immaturies. That’s tough to blog, but it is part of the burden we bear as pastors. And it is a reminder that the key to church growth is personal growth. I’ve always believed that NCC can’t outgrow me as the undershepherd. And if it does outgrow me it’s actually a very dangerous scenario!

The most convicting part of his session was his discussion about the 4th Commandment. Leaders have a hard time keeping the sabbath! We mistakenly think that everything revolves around us and depends on us. The sabbath is a reminder that the world doesn’t fall apart when we take the day off. Part of what makes this one tough for me is that I love what I do! Add in a driven personality and multiple callings to pastor and write and I realize that doing ministry in a sustainable way is my greatest challenge right now! I don’t have it figured out, but I’m so keenly aware of it.

By the way, Eugene Peterson said, “A day off is a bastard sabbath.” A day off is a day off. A sabbath is for resting, delighting, contemplating, and stopping. Scazzero said, “I need a day off to have a Sabbath.”

Here’s a thought: the greatest disservice a pastor can do to the church is to put the church before their family! Way too many pastors have sacrificed their children on the altar of church! A powerful reminder: you made a vow to your wife not your church!

I loved some of the thoughts Pete Scazzero shared on preaching.

He talked about pre-mature sermons that haven’t had time to gestate. Every pastor identifies with that. It is so hard to have a fresh word from God week in and week out. The key is preaching out of experience. I love what Scazzero said, “I’ve determined to start my sermons with prayer, not a clever illustration.”