Meet Tim Hsieh
These are interview questions modeled after CJ Mahaney’s. He has an interview series with many great men of God. I found the questions and answers useful and insightful. I would like to hear what my friends would have to say so I figured I’d do this facebook style. You know how it goes, answers the questions and tag the person who tagged you and tag whoever else you’d like.
Please describe your morning devotions. What time do you wake up in the morning? How much time do you spend reading, meditating, praying, etc.? What are you presently reading?
I wake up at around 8am. I’ll read a section of the Bible and do a quick inductive-type study on it. I’ll summarize it or write down something that stuck out to me. Then I’ll write down an application. I’ll pray for 20-30 minutes through the passage, for myself, and various other topics. All in all, takes me almost an hour – I’m so glad I don’t have to be in work until 10. I just finished reading through 1 Corinthians with my coservants. Now I’m reading through Jude. There’s lots of content in Jude even though it’s just one chapter.
What book(s) are you currently reading in these three categories: (a) for your soul, (b) for pastoral ministry, or (c) for personal enjoyment?
A) I wouldn’t call it reading but I’ve been browsing through Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology to brush up on my theology as we go through Romans.
B) I’m finishing up Ed Welch’s Depression a Stubborn Darkness I’ve come across a number of depressed people in my small groups so I want to know more about it and be more equipped to help them. The next book on my list is Albert M. Wolters Creation Regained
C) I don’t really read for fun. I like reading blogs. My favorite ones are Tim Challies, Mark Driscoll, John Piper, and CJ Mahaney. I also frequent Google News, NYT and WSJ Opinion pages.
Apart from Scripture, what book do you most frequently re-read and why?
It takes me forever to read so I don’t get to read much. Plus we have to finish the Bible every year so that consumes most of my “reading” time.
When you finish a book, what system have you developed in order to remember and reference that book in the future?
My broke memory. That’s what Google Books is for, right?
If you could study under any theologian in church history (excluding those men in Scripture), who would it be and why?
I don’t know many theologians. They did a series on ‘New Calvinists’ on the Resurgence Blog (Mark Driscoll) so that’s been helpful for me to know more. I’d probably pick Jonathan Edwards but I’d probably die from trying to keep up with his pace.
What books on small group, or examples of it, have you found most influential in your own small group ministry? (Adapted from Mahaney’s question)
The biggest piece of advice that has influenced my approach to small group came from my pastor the first week I was preparing to lead a small group for the first time. I left Servants Retreat shocked that I would be leading a small group. I was flooded with feelings of inadequacies and anxiety. I was a mess. I met up with PJoe that week before school started and shared all this with him. He listened to me fret about how I wasn’t ready and how I was going to mess people up and on and on. When I was done, he looked me square in the eyes and told me I wasn’t God. He told me I wasn’t powerful enough to mess up what God wanted to do. If God wanted to bless this small group, there would be no way that I could mess up what God would do. In the same way, there is no way with all my perceived ’skills’ and ‘abilities’ I could do anything on my own. I could only do what God wanted me to do. I left comforted by the sovereignty of God, that I could not mess up what he would do. I would go on to make many mistakes that year and the years to come but I have full assurance that God will accomplish his plans in my small groups.
What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your effective use of time?
After Missions I realized how I loved sleep so much. I was resolved to sleep less. After awhile, I realized that after prolonged periods of only 4-5 hours of sleep a day, my body would crash. I talked to Pastor Min about this during Marketplace Bible Study. He shared that people all need different amounts of sleep. Some people can perform on 4-5 hours; me, I need 7-8 hours for maximum efficiency. God designed us to need sleep so it’s not a bad thing if we do it responsibly. He challenged me to get my 7-8 hours and work as diligently as I can for the 16-17 hours I am awake. Establishing a good sleeping schedule has helped me make effective use of my time.
What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your leadership?
1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. I try to put Christ on display, not me. I try to lead by example and the example is me trying to follow Christ.
Where in ministry are you most regularly tempted to discouragement?
What discourages me the most is when people don’t come to small group. I’m a Love-Me Time so when they don’t come I feel like they don’t value my time – ultimate rejection. Over the years I’ve learned not to take it personally but it still hurts me when people can’t make it, esp. close people even for legit reasons.
Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?
Currently I like watching NCAAB – (go MSU, Big Ten!) I also like watching my Yankees and well coached football. I enjoy playing Ultimate Frisbee and running.
What do you do for leisure?
I enjoy playing computer games. FPS and RTS. Current game of choice is Left 4 Dead w/ my friends. And anything that is done (re: spending time) with my friends.
If you were not a Christian, what occupational path would you have chosen? (Modified from Mahaney’s original question)
I’d tell you but then I’d have to kill you. One of those kind of jobs.