Our Service Programming Division Retreat
I decided to take my team on our annual retreat in the same community that we minister in. We are in midtown Atlanta surrounded by all the people we want to impact. It has been so cool to commune in the city and I think we are feeling the energy that I had envisioned.
As well, I am focusing this years retreat on Health and Wellness.
4 Areas.
1. Spiritual Health.
2. Physical Health.
3. Relational Health.
4. Intellectual Health.
I honestly believe that if we are going to be as effective as we want to be we cannot work 55 hours a week while eating fast food while ignoring our families and friends and spending our free time watching tv.
That is what we are fighting against so that we can work to our fullest potential as “ministers”.
We have already had 2 pastors from outside our organization come and to speak with us in small groups about our spiritual health.
Inman Houston, great friend and senior pastor of Lawrenceville First Baptist Church where the average age of his attender is 63. He is 33 and has been there 4 months. He spoke some major TRUTH into us last night.
Dereck Sweatman, great friend and pastor of Christian Church Buckhead. The same church who hands out maps with directions to our church for the people who accidently show up at his church down the street instead of ours. Yea. He’s amazing.
This morning we had Elizabeth David from Chick-Fil-A come and talk to us about our physical health. My team was energized about tackling this issue together.
During the rest of the trip we will focus on our relational and intellectual health.
Which area or areas would you say you need to grow in and why?
Los
RAIN IT DOWN
Spiritual Health: I’m a struggle Christian. I have a million questions and sometimes it feels like the only people that can answer my questions have not been alive for 2,000 or so years. I need more faith.
That would be struggling* Christian.
Physical health. I am way overweight. I work for a Christian company and recently the owner started a beta test of a wellness program for employees. I’m in that group. It has been eye opening but it all boils down to discipline for me. I just need to make time to exercise and also make good decisions about what this fat boy eats.
dont forget emotional health
What a great area to focus on with your team. I just finished reading a great book that addresses those 4 areas. It is called ‘The Power of Full Engagement’ A great book with lots of practical advice to develop ‘rituals’ in all 4 areas that keep us fully engaged.
Great job los. You’re a great leader.
After last nights dinner conversation I think we all agreed that emotional health is all of those united.
Good point.
In Early Childhood Education, we teach P.I.E.S. Physical, Intellectual, Emotional & Social health. Without one, the “pie” isn’t complete.
I guess it should be SPIES. Spiritual + the others. =)
This sounds like loving God with all you HEART, SOUL, MIND & STRENGTH to me.
Although, I love the “spies” idea from Mandy. Maybe even use the “spies” Coldplay song?
I think if I’m honest I could do better in all areas. But someone mentioned emotional health above in the comments (AJ). That’s the big one for me. That would be the one I need to work on the most for sure! Allowing God to lead and conquer depression/anxiety/need for attention/approval/and all that. Yep.
My big struggle right now is balancing time between family, ministry, friends and my day job. The “free time watching tv” part of the post got to me. I could use improvement in all areas, but I spend WAY too much free time on things that aren’t that important. We all need a release of some sorts, I guess. But where’s the line?
Figuring it out….
I am not slow to speak. I am a reactionary. I need to get that inline with Jesus. Also, I am really struggling with White Suburban Teens. I really cant stand them and I know I need to love them. It’s just hard. SO, I have LOTS that needs work. God help me.
Intellectual. Honestly I don’t spend enough time in the Word, and if someone comes to me with a question or for help, it shows.
Relational health – working hard with our counselor, husband, friends, on why I’m so danged DEFENSIVE (sensitive??), even though I try hide it as much as I can.
Physical health. I find it very hard to work out and eat right when I am delivering kids to games, etc after working 10 hours. They its home to eat a half carton of Blue Bell strawberry…
Funny you bring this up… I am working on all those areas this year (and probably always will!). I decided to tackle one area each quarter. This quarter is physical. Gotta get rid of this ragamuffin top!!!
What Derek said about the heart, soul, mind & strength. For years I have seen my weakness in loving God with all my strength which I have equated to my body. Over time I have tried to improve–quitting smoking(13 yrs ago this month); decaffeinating; eating habits etc. So now it needs to get kicked up a notch to really be a body of worship. I like Steve’s quarterly system.
well Derek is a huge influence in my life as a close friend and my pastor. he’s inspiring me to take better care of myself in all ways, but more importantly in the physical and spiritual ways.
Derek’s my biggest encourager when it comes to my half marathon training. heck, he ran my first 5k right by my side, cheering me on the entire way.
CCB challenges me like never before in the spiritual realm. being a Dad will do that to you as well. i’m trying to learn more, experience more and connect with God in ways i never have before.
Spiritual and physical health are mine. I feed my relational health like crazy as well as my intellectual health. But my spiritual and physical are suffering under the pressure to spend more time task managing and getting things done. I’m making changes…