You Were My Accountability
I knew I would be writing this note tonight, so I purposed to use it as accountability for my study week. Since Bro. Davison is preaching on Sunday, I drove the bus to Ironwood for Junior Camp, and I am using my time here at camp to read. And read. And read.
I mentioned on Sunday night that my call to preach is the primary gifting that will feed the flock of God. This does not at ALL negate shepherding—the individual care of people—but the one area that will touch the most people is through the preached Word of God. So, that is where I put most of my weekly time.
Bro. Sam Davison was my pastor all through college, but I rarely had individual time with him. He helped me incredibly, though, through his preaching, and I would not trade his ministry in the pulpit for anything. I believe I mean that. I have had one-on-one conversations with him that have sharpened me, but his preaching has been the thing that has changed me.
I know I am no Bro. Sam—he was a pastor longer than I have been alive, and he retired about 15 years ago!—but I aim to do my best in the pulpit every week. That pulpit, I have found, requires personal time in meditation, which requires discipline and character. It requires time in prayer. It requires reading and study, thinking and experience. It requires me to know the hearers, and know how the thing I am preaching has affected me.
I know you do not require an explanation or an accounting of my time, but I feel obligated to answer a question that might perhaps be on someone’s mind: “What does Pastor do on a study week?”
This week, I decided to track every minute of the day and share it with you. This is neither a brag nor a defense. God is my witness; I have tried to be honest both with the information and with the motives for sharing, and my motive is to keep myself accountable when I have time alone like this. Here are the numbers.
So far:
- Read 131,406 words of commentary
- Read about 150 pages of books
- Read 47 chapters of the Bible (from Joshua, 1–2 Samuel)
- Wrote 30 notes to counselors
- Cleared a 2.5” stack of paperwork
- Played about 20 games of chess!
And here is the full schedule:
MONDAY
- 3:30 arrive and settle kids and us in
- 4:30 reading Joshua 14
- 5:30 dinner
- 6:00 reading Joshua 14, 15
- 7:00 Night snack and unwind for the evening
- 8:00 clearing papers from desk – random admin (scanned papers from Master Clubs kids, scanned notes from preaching classes, cleared trash scraps)
- 9:00 Shower and bed
(3HRS)
TUESDAY
- 5:30 Devotions
- 6:30 trying to connect wifi – phone and computer
- 7:00 morning emails, etc.
- 7:15 reading Josh 15
- 8:00 update Goodreads (slow wifi issues)
- 8:30 Get ready for day
- 9:00 Write SS letter
- 10:00 Finalize Josh 14, 15
- 11:00 write this schedule
- 11:15 topical Bible study
- 11:30 lunch break
- 12:30 Josh 16–17
- 1:45 planned Testify Night 8/20
- 2:00 congregational singing research
- -Reviewed SING TRUTH TOGETHER
- -NOW SINGS MY SOUL
- -SUCH A JARGON
- 3:00 FUTURE MEN book reading
- 3:30 Josh 18–19
- 4:00 Josh 20
- 4:50 Pre-dinner chess!
- 5:00 dinner
- 5:30 visit with campers and help Charlotte through some struggles
- 6:20 read IN PRAISE OF PREJUDICE book for Pastors Sharpening Week (finished 50%)
- 7:50 Some Facebook laughs
- 8:00 Goodreads updates
- 8:45 Time for some snacks, shower, and bed
- 10:15 sleep
(10.5+HRS)
WEDNESDAY
- 5:00 wake up
- 5:15 time with God
- 6:30 get ready
- 6:50 Josh 21
- 8:00 Josh 22
- 9:30 Josh 23
- 10:00 Topical Bible study
- 10:20 Josh 23
- 11:00 Josh 24
- 11:50 Goodreads updates
- 12:15 LUNCH
- 12:30 writing notes to counselors
- 2:00 delivering notes
- 2:30 prep for Wednesday night
- 4:00 Review stack of books (scan to read or discard)
I have enjoyed the exercise of tracking each day’s progress, and I am thankful for this opportunity to serve. Please continue to pray for God’s direction for our church! I appreciate you all so much. God bless your services tonight.
–Pastor Ryan