Tag: productivity

By Elizabeth Prata

*I’ve been following Reagan Rose for a long time. A real long time. His approach to productivity never ceases to amaze me with his insight and his practicality. And his stance on why we need to be productive for Christ has never wavered: it’s for the glory of God.

I’m currently taking his course “Stewardship and Productivity” at the Institute for Church Leadership (ICL) a part of The Master’s Seminary. His Redeeming Productivity website, motto- “Get More Done for the Glory of God”, includes the Academy, Courses, Resources, Newsletter, and of course the podcast. I receive the Newsletter in my email and I consistently enjoy the podcast. I’m familiar with the bulk of Reagan Rose’s work and his work has stood the test of time.

All that to say, this gentleman is solid. His output is consistently helpful. If you want to be more productive in your Christian walk, and for the right reasons, in my opinion, Redeeming Productivity website is THE place to go for help.

Mr Rose now has his second book published, called Redeeming Productivity. His first book was published earlier this year and is another wonderful contribution to the faith. It’s called Track: Gaming: A Student’s Guide to Gaming (Track: A Student’s Guide). The foreword to the new book, Redeeming Productivity, is by Tim Challies, no stranger to the productivity issue, with his own productivity book, Do More Better (also a course at Ligonier, which I completed and can recommend).

Mr Rose sent any people willing to promote his book the first three chapters to read and spread the word on it. I’ve read them and I’m so excited to highly recommend Reagan Rose’s Redeeming Productivity. It is another work that is up to Mr Rose’s usual high standards.

He has structured the book to biblically present a Pillar (theology underpinning his explanations) with a follow up chapter on how to live the pillar out in Practice. Like this:

PILLAR 1 THE ORIGIN OF PRODUCTIVITY: You Belong to God

PRACTICE 1: CRAFT YOUR MORNING ROUTINE

PILLAR 2: THE PURPOSE OF PRODUCTIVITY: You Exist to Glorify God

Under the first pillar, Rose explains that too many self-help books focus on, naturally, the self. But the wrong approach here is that they ignite what is inside all of us, that old “it’s my life” mantra. It is seemingly “my life”, but in reality it’s not for the Christian. It is our life – to use for His glory. It is our life – that’s really now His, because He bought it when He redeemed us.

For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

My life in Christ exists to put the self down and live for Him according to His principles.

Rose wrote,

The second way “it’s my life” thinking expresses itself regarding personal productivity is in prioritizing productivity for the wrong reasons. Many people, some Christians included, see productivity merely as a vehicle for helping them create the life that will make them most happy. And this vision of productivity is exactly what most self-improvement resources propagate.

Rose always goes back to the main thing: we live for Jesus and His glory in all we do, and that includes how we walk and what we do with our time. And later that same chapter we read,

Reflecting on the price of your redemption should cause you to weep with joy. But it should also cause you to treat your life not as your own but as a precious stewardship from God.

The second chapter, “Crafting Your Morning Routine” was convicting for me. Rose wrote, “The simple choice of picking up your Bible before you pick up your phone in the morning is a cosmic act of defiance against your own sinful heart.“

I often fail at this. I don’t have a phone but I do have a laptop. This chapter was crucial in exposing my selfish heart to the heart of being productive for the glory of God, and I will re-read it time and again, I am sure.

Chapter 3 asks the question, why do you have plans? You have plans, but for what purpose? You can plan to go to the grocery store, but without a list and some discipline, your purposes for making healthy meals will be thwarted. In this chapter we look at the foundational reason behind the fact that we have plans for anything. Rose wrote,

What is the higher purpose of all my goals? What binds them together? If we want to redeem productivity, we have to understand why we are here and what it is we are supposed to be accomplishing with these lives. If the origin of our productivity has to do with whose we are, purpose has to do with where it’s all going. What’s the ultimate point of being productive?

The chapter continues in unpacking these ideas, and much more, with a clarity of thought and an easy flow. The book is easy to read, but hefty in pointed theology and rich with practicality for the Christian who wants to serve our King with honor in all ways.

I recommend Redeeming Productivity by Reagan Rose. On sale at Amazon now.

*I received the 1st three chapters from the author, but used my own funds to purchase the book itself. This reviewer does not work for the author or the publisher in any capacity including as an employee, influencer, or contractor. The statements I made in my review reflect my honest and true opinion of the book which I am reviewing.