Keeping Centered
2/23/06

I have been assigned to serve as a mentor to one of our conference's ministerial candidates. In our first meeting a month ago I asked her to describe the gifts she feels she brings to the church. She outlined a very successful career in education and business. I affirmed that she seemed to be bringing a lot of experience and skills to pastoral ministry, but added that if they were the only gifts that she brought, that I wouldn't be interested in having her as my pastor. I think people need depth from their spiritual leaders more than they need professional skills. She was taken aback, but then we were able to have a wonderful time of sharing spiritual journeys.

I talked with several leaders of our congregation recently about what has been holding us back in our transformation process, and they quickly identified the general lack of spiritual maturity among the general membership. Of course, that brings up the issue of how well the leaders are modeling the Christian walk. It has caused me to do some self-evaluation not only about how I've been serving as a transformational leader, but how I am allowing God to transform me.

I am easily distractible. I know that from life experience, and it shows up as a "weakness" or "growing edge" on several inventories. A key challenge for my spiritual walk is keeping centered. I know ways to do it. I know how important it is. But I have many interests and get involved in too many activities. I constantly find myself distracted from the quiet center. To paraphrase Paul: " I do not center on God like I desire, but chasing the multiple distractions I do not want to chase is what I do." I need to go deeper, but find it easier to touch a dozen surface issues a day.

Sunday morning is busy for many of us. We feel obligated to make sure that everything is in order so that a good time is had by all. In October we began to have Sunday morning prayer and communion in the chapel, not as another worship service, but as a time for focus and worship preparation. I have found that centering before worship instead of chasing details has truly enriched my experience of worship, and other participants have made similar comments.

I have also become more committed to beginning the day in silence, scripture, and journaling instead of immediately cracking open the calendar and jumping into the activities of the day. It is a struggle sometimes because my many interests have me running to more breakfast meetings than I should. I feel that I am making progress at keeping focused and growing deeper. It really is a matter of keeping first things first. "I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word." (Psalm 119:15-16) Perhaps some of those morning meetings aren't so essential after all!

In our recent TJC Advisory Council meeting we felt it was important to spend time reflecting on our spiritual disciplines. The Jesus Connection process is dependent on the spiritual health of its leaders. As we reflect through this medium on some of our struggles and learning, we invite you to join us in self examination. I'm always eager to hear what you're learning in your spiritual journey, and I hope we can help each other "come to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ." (Eph. 4:13)

            -Loren Olson First United Church, Little Falls, Minnesota