Do you feel like your ministry could soar if only you had just a little more time?

You can’t create more of the limited commodity of time, but the good news is that you can learn to utilize what you have been given to propel you to a higher level of living.

Our 3-part blog series on how to leave average behind in your life to develop into a Renegade Pastor includes a few commitments all pastors should make (Go back and read Part 1 if you missed it!), and in Part 2, we will discuss the commitment to manage your time well.

These 3 tips will transform how your ministry operates:

#1: UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE.

You can be efficient without being effective, but it’s hard to be effective without being efficient. Your efficiency hinges on how quickly you are able to do your work well. But here’s the catch: You can easily become efficient at doing things that don’t matter.

While efficiency is about doing things well, effectiveness is about doing the right things well. Ask yourself: Does this need to be done at all? If the answer is no, don’t do it. If the answer is yes, focus on doing it efficiently. Spending your limited time on something you don’t need to be doing is bad stewardship and robs your priorities of the energy that’s due them.

#2: PRAY, “GOD, WHAT IS THE BEST USE OF MY TIME RIGHT NOW?”

We cannot expect to do anything well, including manage our time, if we don’t invite God into it. According to James, if you need wisdom about something, all you need to do is ask God, and He will give it to you (see James 1:5). Applying this biblical principle to your life cultivates an attitude that should cover all of your time management efforts.

The goal of time management is to ensure that you are making the highest use of every day. When you ask God to direct you, that goal becomes much more achievable.

Now, let me be clear, this is not an invitation to chuck other time management principles. Instead, it’s a reminder to approach the work you’re called to by being open to God’s guidance. Remember to seize every opportunity to partner with Him in crafting your time for His glory.

#3: ADOPT AN OFF-PEAK LIFESTYLE.

For everything you do in life, there’s a peak time to do it — a time that requires more time, effort and energy — and an off-peak time. As a pastor, when it comes to life’s routine demands (going to the bank, the dry cleaners, the grocery store, etc.), you don’t have to keep the same schedule as the rest of the working world. You can take care of these necessities at off-peak times and therefore do them much more quickly.

Take a look at these examples of how to live in the off-peak:

Restaurants: What time is the lunch rush in your area? Find out and then plan your own lunchtime around it.

Grocery Stores: The busiest time to go to the grocery store is right after work. Don’t waste time standing in long lines if you have the flexibility to run by at a slower time of the day.

Doctor Appointments: Personally, I’ve found that the first appointment after lunch is the best. In the morning, doctors often get behind schedule due to issues and emergencies that happened overnight. But no matter what, they come back from lunch on time.

Commute: You likely have the freedom to decide what time you get to your office and what time you leave. If leaving for the office an hour earlier or staying an hour later means you won’t have to sit in rush-hour madness, take advantage of the flexibility you have.

Simple tweaks to your routine can save you hours over the course of a month. Reap the benefits of having a self-directed schedule to have more time for the things that matter.

The greatest ministries require the greatest time management. The greatest lives do too. You get to decide how well you do in this area. By making the commitment to manage your time well by living out these three principles, you can leave average behind in both your personal life and ministry.

Stay tuned for the final post in this series to hear about another commitment you can make to overcome mediocrity by embracing the mindset of a Renegade Pastor.

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

P.S. When it comes to abandoning average and living a no-holds-barred life of a Renegade Pastor, you must follow 7 essential commitments. By following through with these, you can leave mediocrity behind for good and move toward the excellence and impact you are called to.

Take the risk-free step today to test out the 7 commitments and my Renegade Pastors Network for only $1. You’ll receive 60 days of coaching including tools and strategies just for senior pastors, training calls, a print newsletter, a private member hub with bonus content and much more!

You’ll also receive a free copy of my book, The Renegade Pastor, and other free resources (over $895.45 value).

Click here to learn more and give it a try.

$1 test drive will be open thru Friday only.

© 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.