By: John Muhanji on October 8, 2019
It has always been a practice by my Kenyan tribe to take their time to do something in life. They have always believed that hurrying to do something is a waste of your energy, for you will find yourself at the same place you were. This was a practice in the early period of life…
By: Rev Jacob Bolton on October 8, 2019
This past summer has been one of great transition for my family. We moved from the New York City area to near Washington DC, changing jobs, schools, careers, and homes. Though at times quite difficult, this transition has provided us with many new opportunities. The opportunity for me to craft my pastoral identity in a…
By: Nancy VanderRoest on September 22, 2019
Distractions are inevitable! T.S. Elliot explained, “Distracted from distraction by distraction creates distraction.” That clears up the dilemma! (lol) Webster defines distraction as a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else. Newport explores how distraction can be detrimental to us in both our personal and business worlds. The author’s goal is…
By: Wallace Kamau on September 21, 2019
Jesus is teaching on the shores of lake Gennesaret where Simon peter and his friends have toiled the whole night trying to catch fish with no success. He asks to use their boat to preach to the crowd, and then asks Peter to cast his net deeper but Peter is hesitant trying to argue that…
By: Tammy Dunahoo on September 21, 2019
This reader engaged Deep Work during a critical time of reflecting on my potential next assignments and found useful guidelines for reorienting back to a healthy rhythm. Georgetown University computer science professor, Cal Newport, has written extensively on how technology and our distracted, multi-tasking society is affecting break through thinking and overall happiness in our…
By: Harry Fritzenschaft on September 21, 2019
Previously I read the assigned Newport’s Digital Minimalism with surprise and fascination. I was surprised by Newport’s emphasis on reduction of tech distractions for both himself and his audience. Newport’s focus helped me to reduce the distraction of checking my phone for messages or updates (even in the presence of others). One would think I…
By: Karen Rouggly on September 19, 2019
It’s rare that an academic year goes by without some upheaval and change. In fact, the years I didn’t expect change, it came dramatically and with full force. In my role as Director, I’ve learned to not just expect change, but I need to be actively and regularly planning for it. So when an employee…
By: Sean Dean on September 19, 2019
This past spring a documentary was released in conjunction with the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. This film was mostly made up of found footage from NASA of the crew and support staff during the mission. It was an amazing film. I brought my boys to see it in…
By: Harry Edwards on September 19, 2019
Political theologian William Cavanaugh asks a provocative question: “How does a provincial farm boy become persuaded that he must travel as a soldier to another part of the world and kill people he knows nothing about?”1 That is a stunning way to start a book. Cavanaugh is asking what in human nature compels us to…
By: Andrea Lathrop on September 19, 2019
Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people or gifted people but for deep people.[1] This is one of my favorite all-time quotes. I read this from Richard Foster at just the right…
By: Digby Wilkinson on September 19, 2019
Cal Newports, Deep Work (1) , reminded me that being comfortable in my own ministry skin is a pleasant place to be after years of self observation through eyes of everyone else. It means I read leadership books or theology material with a degree of detachment because I’m not looking for the idea, concept or…
By: Jenn Burnett on September 19, 2019
A deep yearning for depth is arising. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga gifted us the haunting tale of the exhaustion of living in the shallow places. Busyness has replaced meaning. Constant access to increasingly alarming headlines (hello click bait) are nurturing societal anxiety while entertainment addiction leaves us decreasingly socially active. Cal Newport draws out…
By: Mario Hood on September 19, 2019
In Deep Work, Cal Newport, associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University, lays out his argument for focused work or what he calls deep work. The guiding principle Newport lays out is one that encourages the reader to engage in work that demands your full focus. By engaging in this type of work, one…
By: Rhonda Davis on September 19, 2019
Cal Newport, Computer Science professor at Georgetown, is perhaps more widely known for the imprint of his writing on the world of productivity. I enjoyed his book, Digital Minimalism, and am fascinated by his disciplined work and full life. Though there is much to digest in Deep Work, I gleaned two particular things from the…
By: Rev Jacob Bolton on September 18, 2019
Cal Newport is an Ivy League trained, associate professor at Georgetown University. In America, this usually means you are a pretty big deal, and Cal Newport certainly is. Not because of his computer science research, which is the field he teaches at Georgetown, but because of his incredibly popular, mass media, self-help books. His collected…
By: John Muhanji on September 15, 2019
A culture of discipline is not a principle of business; it is a principle of greatness. This reminds me of King Solomon’s words of wisdom, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1) I come from a culture that was raised on a…
By: Harry Fritzenschaft on September 14, 2019
I had never read Good to Great and have always felt a bit like I missed out on digesting the principles of this oft-cited alleged inspirational leadership cult classic. Probably I should have covered this work within my MBA studies except that I completed my degree in 1982, and this source came out in 2001.…
By: Digby Wilkinson on September 14, 2019
Allow me to apologise. What follows is hastily put together. It lacks references, bibliography and may be slightly incoherent. I am leaving the country in a matter of hours and I am so excited I’m currently performing La Macarena while typing. It is not a visual symphony. I, however, do not care. In the beginning.…
By: Wallace Kamau on September 14, 2019
“Humble yourselves before God and you’ll be exalted[1]” is a cardinal rule for the success of the godly, coupled with diligence and could not have been a clearer advice to a wise and discerning leader than it is in Jim Collins (2017) book[2]. The title Good to great at the onset might suggest otherwise, especially…
By: Mary Mims on September 13, 2019
Children’s ministry is sometimes the stepchild of the church. Observations from a Facebook group on resources for children’s ministry show complaints of low budgets, scarce resources of all kinds, including lack of volunteers, and lack of dedicated spaces in buildings. Of course, this is not true for all churches. Many of the large churches make…
