We have all been in meetings we didn’t like. Some weeks it seems as though that is just what we are supposed to do — sit in meetings. While some meetings can be very helpful and energetic others can be quite the opposite. Over the past two days I have sat in meetings from 8am-6pm with virtually no breaks and very limited discussion or interaction of any kind. These meetings have been the “other” kind of meeting… one of the kind that isn’t all that helpful and doesn’t bring all that much energy.
Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)
As I reflected on the last two days, I was reminded of this wonderful bit of wisdom, inspiration and challenge from Henri Nouwen. A statement that Nouwen made after many years in ministry…
“More and more, the desire grows in me to simply walk around, greet people, enter into homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice the simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be a part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets.
It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them but truly love them.”
[Quote from: The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Kingdom, written by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. Ffrom Henri Nouwen's book Gracias! published in 1983, pg. 147-148]
May next week be more that quote than like this week.
Thanks Len!
I often think, as I tell people I have another meeting that there has to be more to ministry than this and that ministry has to sound pretty boring to whomever I am speaking to! I think Nouwen put my thoughts into good perspective in the quote thanks Chris for the entry… I’ve got NO meeting today! Today I can walk the streets! Yea!
enjoy your day on the streets ty!
chris
Amen! What a beautiful post. For me, I some times find myself telling people, “I am sorry I cannot meet with you because I have a meeting at that time.” If one says “I have a meeting”, this implies you are important. I hate saying: I have a meeting.
jeremy –
yeah, i hear you. sometimes meetings can’t be avoided but you are right, it sucks when you have to say, “sorry, i have a meeting.” it is even worse when we sometimes drop the names of people we are meeting with to make us feel even more important!! i am guilty of that…
chris
I think if we’re honest a large percentage of us feel and try to live in the tension that Nouwen describes. I know I do deeply. Some days are more one way than the other. Thanks for the quote, it’s encouraging.
Thankfully, I am “allowed” in my ministry to have a ministry of presence and I do not have to feel guilt of meetings and those things that “bog” us down.
jeff-
that is awesome! where do you do ministry? sounds like a great place…
chris
We noticed that you blogged about the Nouwen quote from The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. Thanks for taking the time to do that.
One of the questions Matt and Hugh often received following the launch of that book was “Loved the book, but how do I get my community to do that?” The newly launched The Tangible Kingdom Primer is our effort to help small groups and churches do just that. It is an 8-week guide to creating missional and incarnational communities.
If you would like to receive a free copy of the Primer, please contact us at: books{AT}crmleaders.org. Please provide your name, the street mailing address you would like it delivered to (no P.O. Box please) and your email address. In the subject line, put Tangible Kingdom Primer Blog Copy.