Session III: The Personal Challenge- Who are you becoming?
5 Thoughts from Mark Batterson
1) Establish Boundaries- helps to maintain sanity
Mark doesn’t travel more than 30 night away from his family each year
Doesn’t check email on his day off
Uses all of his vacation days (owes that time away to his family)
2) Put Family First- do not sacrifice your family on the altar of ministry
One way Mark puts his family first is through his Father/Son challenge (FSM): as his son becomes a teen Mark and his son are participating in a spiritual challenge (reading the NT together), an intellectual challenge (reading books together), and a physical challenge (running a 10-k together)- all this to be intentional about raising his kids
3) Set Life Goals-
Family goals
Travel goals
Physical goals
Influence goals
Financial goals
4) Focus on personal growth- ministry comes from the outflow of your heart (true that!!!) and that is contagious to your people
5) Create Margin– breathing room
Mark takes Mon. off, schedules meeting days on Tues/Thurs, and focuses on study/prep on Wed/Fri
Personal Challenge Q&A
What does your Sabbath look like?
a) Carves out time for spiritual reading
b) Time with family (if you can discipline yourself during the week then it will create more time for you ad your family)
c) connects with wife over coffee- go through important conversations- fill each other in- calendar issues
What does your work week look like?
20 hrs (min.) for sermon prep
Learn to manage your energy- when; at what time are you at your best?
What is the most important thing you do each week?
Speed of the leader determines the speed of the team
Jud- 1) soul care; 2) strategic leading of the leadership team
Mark- 1) Team meeting- Asking the team, “Where have you experienced wins?”; 2) Sermon prep
You talked about FSM, what about your daughter?
Reading together- Chronicle of Narnia
Create open lines of communication
Shemah- as you rise, walk along the road
Notice how your kids express their love to you give insights into how the receive love
I straight printed this one out! Great post!
Michael-
Thanks for sharing your blog with the world… it’s inspiring, and I especially like your insights on ‘U2’… one of my fav bands ever.
As a growing man of God and future father (some day) I’m logging this stuff away for my own use later on.
-Kevin
Thanks guys,
I too am filing this stuff away for when I become a parent. I think the whole purpose is just to be intentional about raising your kids.
I know that there is a stima attached to “PKs” or Preacher’s Kids but I often stop and think, “If I am not learning from the great parental examples around me as well as the not-so-great ones then I should be ashamed.” I am all over the Father/Son Challenge or Daughter/Father challenges.