Daniel Im

Pastor + Author

Leadership

Pivoting and Planning in a New Day of Mission

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When we moved back to Canada last year, one of the first things that I did with my wife was sign up for a gym membership. When Christina and I were figuring out which gym to join, one of the sales associates decided to go with the “personalized” approach to try to “tailor” what his gym offered to our needs.

Anyway, he started with Christina and asked her what her goals were and why she wanted to join the gym. She said things like, “I’m thinking about doing a marathon,” “I want to stay healthy,” and other reasons along those lines. With quite the approving head nod, he wrote down her answers, made a few encouraging comments, and then turned to me. How about you Daniel?

I still remember his reaction to this day. When he heard my answer, it was utter shock. In fact, he stumbled over his words—not quite as long as Prime Minister Trudeau did when he was asked about President Trump’s response regarding the protests—but it was something like that.

“Chips. I love eating chips. I also love smoking meat on my BBQ. I just love eating. That’s pretty much the only reason I’m working out.”

Alright, so what’s the point?

We ended up joining the gym that day, and for several months, I made the commitment to not go into work until I first went to the gym—even if it was for only 30 minutes.

While I didn’t hit that goal 100% of the time, I actually did quite well.

For the first time in my life, I was working out more than once a week! My body, my health, and how I physically, mentally, and emotionally felt was the best it had ever been. And then COVID-19 hit. And then the gyms closed. And then grocery shopping got a little more complicated. (But, fear not, I still had my chips!)

In that moment, instead of hunkering down and just waiting for things to go back to normal, Christina and I decided to pivot and figure out a new rhythm and routine for exercise.

Pivot. Doesn’t it seem like the word of the year?

Although it seems like everyone and their mom are using this word, it really does encapsulate what we’ve had to do over these past few months. It’s either pivot or die.

Pivot or Die.
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There’s no going back to pre-COVID days. Yes, COVID-19 will eventually fade away, but it’s so deeply changed the fabric of our society and the way “church” looks, that even when we’re gathered together again it will be different.

It’s kind of like how Jesus interacted and ministered with his disciples pre-resurrection versus post-resurrection.

Let’s think about that for a moment.

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Creating New Habits and Rhythms

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When we left Nashville and moved back to Canada, I was resolved to fix this one thing that had eluded me my entire life.

No matter how hard I tried, I could never figure it out.

Was it that I didn’t care? Or was it just that the pain of changing was greater than the pain of staying the same?

All I knew was that if I didn’t address this one thing, it could potentially lead to the downfall of my marriage, my family, and my ministry.

Before I share this one thing that I’m referring to, I’m curious whether you have something like this in your life? Is there something that—if left unattended—could eventually undermine your life and ministry? Some part of your life that isn’t necessarily an example for others in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity? (1 Timothy 4:12)

Is there something that—if left unattended—could eventually undermine your life and ministry?
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How Our Brains React in Crisis

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Yesterday on a podcast, I heard Dr. Henry Cloud share a profound insight on the way our brain reacts during crisis—like the global pandemic that we’re all living through at the moment. Here’s my attempt at a summary and paraphrase.

Generally speaking, our brains make maps about how to do life.

For example, when we are hungry and want to eat a sandwich, our brains have a map that will show us how to get out of our chairs and walk to the fridge. But let’s say, someone rearranged the furniture in your living room over night, and the next time you were hungry, a couch was blocking your way. In this instance, your brain will actually register this as an ERROR according to neuroscientists.

Generally speaking, our brains make maps about how to do life.
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When this happens, your whole system amps up. And for a moment—when your system is really amped up—you lose emotional, spiritual, psychological, and physical functioning and you are thrown off. However, once you recognize that it’s just a couch and that you can walk around it, your body begins to go back to normal. 

Right now, we are living in an ERROR.

Because of this global pandemic, our entire lives are registering on our brains—with red lights twirling around and sirens blasting—ERROR ERROR ERROR.

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Do You Believe These 3 Lies of the Side Hustle Culture?

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The side hustle. 

To some, it’s something to do in your spare time that’s more productive than binging on Netflix or Disney+. To others, it’s the new credit card. And for everyone else, it’s become the new normal. After all, if you don’t have one, you’re likely funding someone else’s.

The allure of the side hustle is that it promises a life of freedom and flexibility—or control.
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The allure of the side hustle is that it promises a life of freedom and flexibility—or control. It goes something like this:

“You have unlimited earning potential, so if you want to go on a trip, just gig for a few hours.”

“Want that new outfit? Sell a few things.” 

“Want the latest phone? Hustle for it. After all, everyone has free time that they waste, so just use that time and earn some extra cash. Be productive! You’re in control, so make it happen—rise and grind and get it done.”

Experts are calling this the gig economy and in 2019, according to a study commissioned by Upwork and Freelancers Union, 35 percent of the American workforce was a part of it — up from five years prior. That means 57 million Americans were self-employed in a part-time or full-time capacity getting paid for their time, skills, possessions or expertise. To give you some perspective, that’s more people than the entire populations of Canada, Liberia, Greece and Puerto Rico combined! 

57 million Americans are a part of the gig economy.
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What’s so surprising about it all is just how rapidly the gig economy has grown. I mean, can you believe that 68 percent of all gig workers surveyed joined the gig economy in the last five years? You see similar trends in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, where the growing gig economy continues to affect normal everyday life.

Although the news is covering how the gig economy can be both positive and negative to your mental health — or how Uber and Postmates are suing the State of California to stop the new AB5 Gig-Worker law — no one is talking about the unintended consequences that this rapid shift in culture is silently ushering in.

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A New (or Ancient) Way of Addressing the Lies of our Culture

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The gig economy affects everyone and everything. It’s the new normal and it matters.

But as I’ve been sharing over the past few weeks, it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. The seven lies of the gig economy all hold a critical role in the way that you see yourself, but they are not the way to see yourself because they all come up short.

They’re incomplete precisely because they’re half-truths. As a result, there are unintended consequences behind each and every one of them.

This is why you can’t let any of these lies become the primary lens through which you view yourself, and also why we’re so particularly vulnerable to these lies.

Living according to the lies of the gig economy is like living in chains.

It’s tiring.

It’s a grind and a hustle just to try and keep up. And it’s actually a fool’s game because you will never feel caught up.

Living according to the lies of the gig economy is like living in chains.
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