I was sent a copy of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by author John Mark Comer. This book and topic were so wonderful and so needed in my life, that I found myself a bit nervous to interview John on this show. He turned out to be as smart, kind, well-spoken, and humble as his book. He's done his research, and he's lived what he writes about. You'll enjoy every moment of this wonderful interview. John lives, works, and writes in the urban core of Portland, Oregon, with his wife, Tammy, and their three children, Jude, Moses, and Sunday. 

He is the pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church. A church built around the very simple idea of practicing the way of Jesus, together, in Portland. As for education, John Mark holds a master’s degree in biblical and theological studies from Western Seminary, and is currently at work on a doctorate in spiritual formation through Fuller Seminary and the Dallas Willard Center. I love everything about John’s book, and I think you will too. 

Show Notes:

• [06:52] John dedicated this book to Dallas Willard. I first heard of Dallas Willard in John Ortberg's book Soul Keeping.
• [07:23] John reads Soul Keeping every summer.
• [08:05] John Ortberg was mentored by Dallas Willard. 
• [09:02] As Dallas Willard was dying he narrated the event. His last words were thank you.
• [11:08] John had three or four aha moments before writing this book.
• [11:47] John had emotional, relational, and spiritual symptoms. He was burnt out. He wasn't enjoying his work.
• [12:52] When he came across the concept of hurry that Willard called the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. He realized this was the naming of one of the key issues under all of his symptoms. This was all her moment number one.
• [13:17] Aha moment number two was when he realized that people are just too busy to live emotionally healthy and spiritually rich lives.
• [15:02] His third aha moment was when he put his thoughts together on hurry and it resonated and connected with the community.
• [16:32] He decided to put all these thoughts together and write a book.
• [19:32] By the time you're in your twenties or thirties, you can take a guess at who you're becoming. This feeling eventually goes away and is replaced with this is who I became.
• [22:37] The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry was from a quote by Dallas Willard, who was a philosopher at the University of Southern California. He is best known as a writer and a teacher of the way of Jesus.
• [24:05] John Ortberg was mentored by Willard who told him he must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from life. Hurry is the great spiritual enemy of life today.
• [24:37] His entire book was built around this story.
• [25:37] A physician in the 50s was the first to connect the dots between stress and heart disease.
• [27:48] The 1950's were the beginning of hurry disease.
• [28:42] 2007 and 2010 was the release of the smartphone. It's easy to think that this pace of life is normal. 
• [30:32] The badge of honor that we wear for our business makes us seem important. 
• [31:05] The problem is when we have too much to do and have to hurry.
• [31:42] Healthy business is that you are giving your life away. 
• [32:09] Pathological busyness is where you have too much to do but not enough time to do it.
• [32:30] The frenetic fast pace can kill off love, deep relationships, longevity, soul care, and awareness.
• [33:56] What we feed we call forth. Your life is no more than the sum of what you devote your attention too.
• [35:03] What we give our time to is what we will become.
• [36:08] The end of the book is practical with a step-by-step method. 
• [37:22] Life is complex. Slowing down can be hard. There are practices from the ways of Jesus that are incredibly effective at slowing down and tapping into what Jesus called live's that are full.
• [39:07] Followers of Jesus are usually referred to as disciples or family. A better translation for disciple might be the word apprentice.
• [41:01] To apprentice under Jesus is to organize your life around three basic goals. Be with Jesus. Become like Jesus. Do what he would do if he were you.
• [43:03] This practice has been life-changing for John and his family. They have a full day together every week with the phones off.
• [45:28] It's created a space for his family to be together and be happier.
• [47:53] John loves potato hash at Proud Mary. 
• [49:40] Friendship is the mix of vulnerability and accountability.
• [50:36] John shares who could play him in a movie. 

Thanks for joining us on Ordinary People Ordinary Things. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Just like your mother taught you.

Links and Resources:

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• Autographed Copy of Eat Cake. Be Brave.
• Eat Cake. Be Brave. Extended Book Trailer
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• INK Replacing What Stained You With What Can Change You
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• Bridgetown Church
• [email protected]
• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World
• Books by John Mark Comer
• Dallas Willard
• Soul Keeping: Caring For the Most Important Part of You