We live in a sea of demands; demands on our energy, demands on our finances, demands on our emotions. But it seems like it’s the demands on our time that take the greatest toll. There’s always something to be done. Or, maybe more accurately, 15 things to be done! All right now. All important. All deserving more time than seems available.

I’ve developed a question over the years that has helped me prioritize personally and in ministry. It’s pretty simple. “What can I do right now that best serves us?” In other words, what’s the one thing I can do in this half hour that will best serve us? I love it because it focuses me on the immediate chunk of time I have to work with – not what I might do tomorrow. It also reminds me that my job is to serve – that’s all of our jobs, by the way.

The key is defining the “us.” For me, there are five groups that make up us: Christ, His Church, The Gathering, our staff team and my family and friends. What’s the one move I can make right now that best serves those groups?

Simple question. But it can really help establish priorities.