Monday, March 09, 2009

Changing the parameters

Tonight I will be doing an experiment with my students. We are changing the parameters of a meeting we've been doing for a year. We're changing locations, changing format, and changing their role in the meeting. It's an attempt to get them to do more than think outside the box. It's an attempt to get them out of the box. Hopefully, by 7:30 tonight, I'll have a handful of adventurers and not a handful of whiners. Although, after 20 years of pastoral ministry, I anticipate the latter.

My goal is to shift the parameters of how they see their spiritual formation. As we continue to read "The Tangible Kingdom," we are moving into a section on doing. We've laid the foundation for why, now we come to the how. If you haven't read the book, I highly recommend it.

For those of you reading this, though, let me challenge you to change your parameters. Take something you would normally do in your office, home, or an otherwise alone spot (reading, prayer, study, meeting, etc.) and take that activity to a local hang out. It can be the Mall, a coffee shop, or town square. See if it changes how you do what you are doing. And, if at all possible, take someone with you!