On devotions, group devotions, and being annoyed by group devotions.

I have to read a devotional as part of the camp experience.

Recently I had to explain to a pagan what “devotions” are, ’cause it’s one of those Christianese words that never properly gets defined. Not even to Christians. I regularly run into clueless Christians who aren’t aware of the need to do them—or who do them all the time, but don’t know that’s what their called.

Devotions, which I call “devos” for short, are personal time you take with God. You devote a block of time—hence the name—to interaction with God. Might be five minutes; might be three hours; whatever you’re up to. Might involve prayer or bible study or meditation or reading a book about God or a devotional (like my devotional blog) or singing. Or a combination of some of these. Or whatever we might think of that would directly worship God.

There are a lot of things Christians do that really aren’t devos. They may be spiritual, but they’re not devotional. Contemplating nature and thinking, “Wow, what awesome stuff God made,” is appreciating the creation rather than the Creator. It’s good that we do that, but it’s not devos. Trying to cultivate a positive mental framework, or think happy thoughts, or go mentally to your happy place—again, good ideas, but not devos. If we are not attempting to interact with the Being of God—as a Being—it’s not devos. It’s like thinking pleasant thoughts about me, yet not talking to me, or reading my writings, or writing me an email, or anything that would develop any sort of relationship with the actual me. Devos are not about God; they involve God.

The problem with working in a Christian ministry is that most ministries tend to become ridiculously busy. Especially summer camp, when you’re watching kids 24 hours a day. People tend to use their free time for anything but devos. I mean, you might love your mom, but when you’re busy it’s hard to find the time to call her, and when you get some free time, you’re likely gonna spend it on yourself. You need to, really. Up to a certain point, it’s not selfish; it’s self-preservation. Beyond that point, though, we Christians need to block some of it out for God, if not all of it.

Ministries try to acknowledge this by blocking out time for devotions. Mine does. Last week we camp staffers were given a copy of John C. Maxwell’s Running with the Giants, ’cause someone thought it would be a good idea if everyone was given the same devotional to work from. That way we would all be “on the same page,” so to speak. Although I find if everyone, no matter what direction they’re coming from, is earnestly seeking God, we all remarkably are on the same page, regardless. God is awesome like that. But it’s rare that everyone in a ministry is disciplined enough to have regular devos, so it’s rare that anyone has actually seen divine synergy in action… and since there’s a group discount for Maxwell’s books, it’s much easier to take the shortcut of buying matching devotionals for everyone.

Some people think the group devos are awesome. Others think group devos are, most of the time, pitiful and superficial and cheesy and stupid. I would fall into this second camp. I try not to. I understand the purpose of group devos—it’s to get the less-disciplined Christians, who aren’t used to a regular devotional time, to improve, or at least have a devo in the first place. But even though I am an undisciplined jerk in a whole lot of areas, devos aren’t one of them; I need my God-time and will play hooky from other functions in order to get it.

Because I’ve been doing devos for quite a long time, I have little patience for the basic, introductory, lowest-common-denominator devotionals that the Christian booksellers like to showcase in their front window. Those devos are for the group devo leaders, or the Christians who don’t do regular devos, don’t know where to start, and figure a book or a devo group will push them in the right direction. And they certainly can. But I’ve done that already.

I will keep up with the group, of course. I skimmed Maxwell’s book, and approve of a great deal of it. I’m tempted to blog about it. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea that I disapprove of the book; it’s a decent book. Still, just because of where I personally am coming from, it will provoke me to rant… and this blog is where my rants tend to go.