While at Work, WORK! (and other Habits)

[featured_image]My friend John Maly’s blog post today hit the nail on the head!

Many church planters and pastors struggle with maintaining a healthy work ethic, especially when they are the only “employee” of the church and their board or supervisor provides minimal supervision.

Church planting is hard work! Church planters need to work hard!

I believe that God expects His workers in the harvest to be hard workers. And He blesses those who work hard at starting a church.

But unfortunately, there are many things that keep church planters from working hard.

John writes to all workers — It is all about habits.

I would like to talk about a habit that will pretty much guarantee your success in business over the next 5 years.

The best habit that you could develop is HARD WORK! If you want to get ahead at work, you are NOT going to do it working 40 hours per week. The people that get ahead are going to be those that don’t wear a watch. They are not checking to see if 5 PM has come. They are going to do whatever it takes to accomplish the tasks at hand. Yes, they are going to be checking emails at home. They are going to be thinking about projects on the weekends.

But what is NOT hard work at work?

• Checking your Facebook
• Doing e-shopping
• Scanning Pinterest
• Keeping up on your Fantasy Teams
• Being up on your Twitter Feed

All of these things are available to us 24 hours a day. While you are at work, DON’T! While at work, WORK! Develop the habit to do these activities at home. (If you say, you don’t have time at home. I would say, you don’t have time at work!) [read more]

I want to echo John’s words to all church planters!
“It is all about habits.”

9 Areas of Habits that Church Planters Need to Develop

1. Work Habits – do the best, work hard, start early, give more, don’t hold back, don’t cheat, be an example, finish the task, and then some.

2. Devotional Habits – spend time with God daily, pray, fast, feed on God’s Word, internalize the Gospel, try SOAP Journaling.

3. Obedience Habits – do what God says, trust and obey, immediately, completely, repeatedly, then teach others to obey.

4. Generosity Habits – be a giver, don’t ask for “clergy” discounts, tip well, bless others as you’ve been blessed.

5. Rest Habits – don’t be addicted to your work, find ways to be restored, take appropriate breaks, schedule your vacation, (then get back to work!).

6. Disciplemaking Habits – help others to follow Jesus, train them to help others to follow Jesus, and train them to train others to follow Jesus, get out of your office, hang out with lost people, engage in spiritual conversations, be winsome, reproduce disciplemakers, work on your disciplemaking engine.

7. Neighboring Habits – get to know your neighbors, build friendships, serve them, hang out with them, share meals with them, love them as you love yourself.

8. Lifelong Learning Habits – don’t think you’ve arrived, read, ask questions, get a coach, find a mentor, evaluate what’s working and what’s not working, keep learning.

9. Humility Habits – confess your pride, repent, be thankful, recognize the work and contribution of others, be a true servant, stop being arrogant, preach the gospel to yourself daily, remember that pride comes before a fall, invite others to help you address your pride issues.

What other areas might you develop habits? (add to comments below)