The below excerpt is from my book The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life and Ministry.

What are the pressure points that you are constantly running into with your spouse or children? Those are generally good indicators of where you need to lay down some boundary lines. Think about something that frustrates you and your family, then back off that frustration and ask yourself what kind of boundary could eliminate it.

For example, if your spouse is frustrated that you always have your phone in hand–texting, emailing, talking or whatever you are doing–when your attention should be on the family, create a boundary to alleviate that frustration. Here are some possible guidelines that could do the trick:

• Decide to put your phone away between the time you get home for dinner and when the kids go to bed.
• Set a “no cell phones at the dinner table” rule for you, your spouse and your kids. This boundary alone can go a long way toward connecting you with your family on a daily basis.
• Set a “phone off” time every night and stick to it. Once your phone is off, put it out of sight until the next morning.

– Nelson Searcy

The above excerpt is from p. 49 of The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life and Ministry.

Drawing from Nelson Searcy’s decades of ministry experience, The Renegade Pastor is a relevant, step-by-step resource for church leaders who are ready to step up in surrender to the pursuit of God’s best for his or her life and work.

P.S. – Click here to grab your copy from Amazon today!

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.