Monday, June 6, 2016

June 6, 2016 - The Flow of the Game

When I was young I spent a lot of days and nights on the basketball court. I played in my back yard, at the school lot, if friends’ back yards, at parks, in rented church gymnasiums, at the Y, in college rec centers, etc. And it was awesome when I got to team up with someone that was likeminded…

Certain guys just seemed to click with me on the court. If I went on the court with my buddy JJ we simply knew where each other was going and when we would get there; this being a result of being on the court together hundreds of times… we simply knew each other’s game. Then there were guys like BR (big on initials tonight) that from the first time we stepped on the floor together it was like we were Siamese twins connected at the brain; we simply knew… even without the benefit of hundreds of times together on the court… the game just flowed!

Now that I am decades into the ministry life I am reminded of the importance of being “on the court” with kindred spirits. It makes ministry exciting, encouraging, and more effective. I love Sunday nights as I get to meet with my team/family at The Arena… (this is a group I get to go “on the court” with often); I loved it last week in the Dominican Republic as I met a young missionary church planter and immediately found a like-minded partner in ministry (clear on the Gospel and with a great understanding of missions.)

This is important for my own encouragement and also for when I am gone to know that my teammates are trustworthy in ministry.

The Apostle Paul had that in Timothy. In Philippians 2:19-24 Paul tells the Philippians that many are self-centered and not good teammates in ministry (vs 20) but that Timothy is like-minded and of great character (vs 22.) Timothy and Paul had been “on the court” together in the sharing of the Gospel and Paul had complete confidence in him.

I love reading of Paul’s excitement and eagerness to send Timothy. I relate to it with the teammates I have been blessed with. How about you? Do you have teammates like that? Most ask the question if you go to church… but I think we are called to a team that is Going MAD (Making A Difference) in our community and beyond.  Make sure you have a Paul or Timothy in your life… and the “game” will just “flow”!

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