John Piper is just back from a four-week writing leave, during which he wrote four books. "It was more productive than I thought it would be," he said. Yes, I'll say. Praise the Lord.
What can we learn from this about biblical productivity?
1. We must avoid comparisons or exalt one person over another because of his visible productivity. God has given all of us different functions in the church, different gifts, and different measures of faith. We are not all supposed to be productive in the way:
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:4-8)
So we have to fight the temptation to look at ourselves when we hear about some else's fruitfulness. I'm sad to say that my fallen heart went first in that direction..."How does he do that? I'll never be that productive." That kind of self-focus is wicked pride.
2. That said, we can and should pray to be as fruitful in our gifts and ministries as John Piper is in his. May God be pleased to give me the ability and grace to do much in and through me--show me my equivalent of four book in four weeks and be my hands as I do it!
3. Our life, work, and ministry experience should make us more productive with age. Piper can write more books per week now than he could 30 years ago because he has preached 30 years worth of sermons, and lived 30 years worth of life with the Lord. He did not sit down and come up with four books ex nihilo. He wrote from sermon manuscripts and notes, which he had prepared and prayed over before. God has given him a ministry that builds grace upon grace, and blesses more people as it goes. The corresponding questions I can ask myself are, "Am I becoming more fruitful over time?" "Am I leveraging the experiences and resources God has given me in the past toward greater Kingdom productivity in the present and future?"
4. I want to have the kind of discipline that can take advantage of windows of opportunity. What would happen if I had a four-week unscheduled leave? Would I know what to do with it? Thanks be to God, I feel more equipped than I was a few years ago, but I still fear that I would waste valuable time. This question is more than theoretical for me right now because I am in the midst of a job transition that will give me more unscheduled time. Pray that God will be pleased with how I use it.
I can't wait to read the books Piper wrote during his recent leave. I have listened to many of the sermons that formed the backbone for the books, and I'm so grateful that Bethlehem chooses to give their pastor time to put all of those Bible-saturated messages on printed page to bless and inspire many more people.
What can we learn from this about biblical productivity?
1. We must avoid comparisons or exalt one person over another because of his visible productivity. God has given all of us different functions in the church, different gifts, and different measures of faith. We are not all supposed to be productive in the way:
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:4-8)
So we have to fight the temptation to look at ourselves when we hear about some else's fruitfulness. I'm sad to say that my fallen heart went first in that direction..."How does he do that? I'll never be that productive." That kind of self-focus is wicked pride.
2. That said, we can and should pray to be as fruitful in our gifts and ministries as John Piper is in his. May God be pleased to give me the ability and grace to do much in and through me--show me my equivalent of four book in four weeks and be my hands as I do it!
3. Our life, work, and ministry experience should make us more productive with age. Piper can write more books per week now than he could 30 years ago because he has preached 30 years worth of sermons, and lived 30 years worth of life with the Lord. He did not sit down and come up with four books ex nihilo. He wrote from sermon manuscripts and notes, which he had prepared and prayed over before. God has given him a ministry that builds grace upon grace, and blesses more people as it goes. The corresponding questions I can ask myself are, "Am I becoming more fruitful over time?" "Am I leveraging the experiences and resources God has given me in the past toward greater Kingdom productivity in the present and future?"
4. I want to have the kind of discipline that can take advantage of windows of opportunity. What would happen if I had a four-week unscheduled leave? Would I know what to do with it? Thanks be to God, I feel more equipped than I was a few years ago, but I still fear that I would waste valuable time. This question is more than theoretical for me right now because I am in the midst of a job transition that will give me more unscheduled time. Pray that God will be pleased with how I use it.
I can't wait to read the books Piper wrote during his recent leave. I have listened to many of the sermons that formed the backbone for the books, and I'm so grateful that Bethlehem chooses to give their pastor time to put all of those Bible-saturated messages on printed page to bless and inspire many more people.
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