This is another post in my series of reflections on my two days with Eugene Peterson at Q Practices.

Our focus was on Cultivating the Inner Life in an Age of Distraction.

It was such a rich time… and I continue to process and pray my way through my notes.

Our first session on Day 2 was focused on Embodiment.

I find it helpful to think of embodiment — in this case — as trying to live as a physical representation of Jesus, as a “doer” of God’s Word.

This was a very interesting session for a number of reasons… not the least of which had to do with the fact that Eugene Peterson — an 80-year-old man (with all proper respect intended) who continues to communicate and stay connected with the “outside world” via letters and phone calls (no — not email, cell phones, or Skype) — was talking with us about the distraction (and potential danger) of becoming to “high-tech” as pastors.

His wisdom came from observing other pastors and leaders, and listening to them talk about the their lives and ministry, and not through first-hand experience.

Not surprisingly though, his insights seemed spot on.

We’ve let technology define our lives, instead of accessorize it.

While technology should be something that we use to make life easier… it would seem that too many of us are getting sucked in, becoming obsessed with it, and allowing our lives to be overrun by this technology that’s supposed to be “helping” us manage it.

We’re becoming too dependent upon it.

We’re trusting in it to do things (for us, as pastors) that it’s not supposed to do.

Our connections with others — with the communities that God has called us to live and invest in — need to be centered in face t0 face human interaction.

God revealed himself most completely through a human being, in a time with no real technology… at least nothing like what we see today.

It was (and still is) about communion… and not communication.

But pastor has come to mean communicator… Yet it’s so much more.

Pastor = conversationalist. It involves person to person interaction… in time and space. Looking into another’s eyes. Hearing their voice. Observing their body language. Hugs and handshakes.

The human incarnation of God has got to remain central to what we do. God in the human.

But Satan is trying to confuse us and distract us with technology.

And we’re growing accustomed to life as distracted people — and to life devoid of human contact.

Leveraging technology can be dangerous… especially for pastors!

Local and personal is so important.

Pastor is the one vocation that needs to be local and personal and relational. Don’t get hijacked by the glitz and intoxication of the glamour and power.

There’s too much at stake!

Our congregations need us to be present to them.

500 is the number of people that is humanly possible to recognize and relate to.

Face to face is most significant, than voice to voice, last — screen to screen.

Meals — long meals — are a great place for embodiment to be lived out.

If our congregations become too large  to know, and adequately connect with, then Peterson suggests creating a new congregation — a new community in which people can be known. This stands against the mega-church model.

This might entail a return to the practice of “neighborhood pastors” — a way of doing life and church that involves staying right there in the community in which we live — and not traveling great distances to be a part of a community that “fits” to our liking.

There are so many voices, and so many people, that go into forming a pastor.

We can’t do this ourselves! Pastors need others.

What strikes you most about this call to embodiment?

What do you find most appealing? Most challenging?

What are the biggest challenges you experience in trying to help students to live this kind of “with God” life?