What do you do when you are pastor constantly bombarded with questions which require you to constantly be thinking of the ideas you hold in your head?
Maybe you are having a problem finding the time to explore your ideas because you are constantly required to think on your feet.
The solution is simple. Use the hobbies you may already have at your disposal to create a mental exercise workflow for yourself.
So, in this article, we will explore 9 hobbies for pastors that can drastically improve their critical thinking skills.
Without having high-order thinking skills, your ministry will suffer, and attracting people to Christ will become extremely difficult.
Let Us Dive In!
Why Is Critical Thinking Important For Pastors?
Critical thinking skills help you to improve your ability to make quality decisions.
The more critically you think, the better you are able to employ your higher-level intellectual tools to conceptualize and analyze information. And the more information you are able to process, the better your ability to solve problems.
The Bible is full of complex ideas and thinking critically is the only way to move above those ideas and see the bigger picture. A feat that is far above the reach of many preachers.
Coding Programs
Coding is not only meant for geniuses.
Learning even the very basics of coding software will give you concepts that will drastically increase your thinking speed and skill.
This improves both your critical thinking skills and very adept at problem-solving.
Such skills can help you figure out the ideas in the bible and other religious texts and distill them down into simple ideas your congregation can easily digest and understand.
An example is the idea of deconstruction of the process into manageable
Journal Writing
The best thinkers in the world are those who find the time to explore their ideas in writing.
Journals are effective mediums that can help you get familiar with your thinking and begin to redesign how you think about the world. Whether it is learning about a specific scripture through different perspectives, journal writing will help you boost your thinking powers to a whole new level.
Start a journaling practice now with our journaling section here on Hobby Sprout.
Reading Books
I have never seen a good writer who does not love books.
To think you need ideas and reading is one of the best ways of acquiring new ideas and perspectives. If you find the time to read, take note of all the ideas, and later explore them with journal writing mixing different thinking tools to create new view pints you might not be aware of.
It will make you a more rounded pastor and better communicator since you can come to a topic with multiple views in order to find the correct one.
Solving Complex Math Problems
Math involves thinking in different and complex ways to solve problems.
Whether it is university or secondary-level math, mathematics will teach you serious mental skills that can improve your ability to comprehend complex ideas.
You can start learning and solving math problems with Brilliant which is paid or for free with Khan Academy.
Remember, if you are not a math person, start small and grow your way up.
Playing Puzzles
Puzzles are mental buffers.
When you start playing puzzles, you engage the prefrontal cortex of the brain which is essential for thinking through ideas and developing high-level critical thinking skills.
Whether crossword puzzles or even online jigsaw puzzles, your mind will be greatly improved because of the constant use of the mind.
Board Games
Board games are packed with lots of opportunities to train your thinking skills.
Examples such as codenames and many others give you new ways of thinking about the world. This, you can apply to the analysis of scripture and also bring real-world problems are ingredients to gain a complete understanding of the world.
Check our board games section for more ideas on how to get started with some of the best board games that can help teach you strategic thinking.
And one more thing, you can involve other colleagues to play such board games and elevate each other’s thinking skills.
Weight Lifting
Although weightlifting is physical, the brain benefits from the experience in that it strengthens your prefrontal cortex.
This part of the brain is responsible for critical thinking, which improves your ability to analyze issues in depth.
Running
Running is also another physical activity that improves your cognitive functions.
The more you run, the more your brain releases endorphins and other neurotransmitters like dopamine which are key elements for strengthening the brain for faster learning.
Cycling
Cycling is an effective physical activity that improves your mind when done consistently.
As a pastor heading a congregation, you might get busy during the mornings and probably early afternoon. Take some take off work and get on a bike and start enjoying the cognitive benefits of riding consistently.
