People who know me know I’m not really an administration or organisation person.
(To put it mildly, cue unrestrained laughter from my kids and mildly frustrated laughter from my wife.)
In my dream world someone would tell me where I need to be next, or what work I needed to have finished by when and I could just do it.
But when Matt Perman put out an invitation for interested people to help launch his book on productivity I signed up.
Perman has history with John Piper’s Desiring God ministry, and it shows in the biblical underpinning of the book. (And the foreword.)
What’s Best Next interests me because it seeks to unpack the ideas that being a Christian has something to do not only with the work that we do, but the way we do that work.
The preface sets a foundation in setting forward some positions which stand at odds with ‘myths’ about work and productivity.
Some of the truths that resonated with me are: Productivity is about effectiveness, not efficiency; Productivity comes first from character, not techniques; Productivity is first about doing good for others to the glory of God; We need to measure productivity by results, not by time spent working; and We will (sometimes) suffer from our work, and it is not sin.
Sound interesting?
It does to me.
I’m not looking for a book to change my life. Jesus has done that.
But maybe it will provide a few insights into the changes Jesus has made in me and how they relate to my fruitfulness in work.
So, I’m going to have a read through over the next week or so, post some thoughts and the odd quote if anything stands out.
Then there’ll be a bit of a review.
The book itself is available in print and kindle editions at Amazon, and no doubt will arrive in Australia soon enough.
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