September 13, 2021 - Are You Willing To Lose Your Cookies

Over my years of coaching, I loved having those players that were “game changers”… difference-makers… players that would infuse energy when needed… players that always brought maximum effort and intensity. These were not always the most athletic or the most skilled… but were probably leading the team in deflections and diving on the floor to recover loose balls. These were truly the players where the team was the priority. (I’m picturing many, many years ago when John Sperling would run out the end doors of the Faith Heritage Christian School gym to puke, and then right back onto the floor to finish his conditioning sprints… sacrificing personal comfort for the good of the team!) 

In our ministry I often use the phrase “go MAD” to encourage “players” to Make A Difference… when challenging youth I often remind them to be “thermostats” instead of “thermometers”… bottom line is that we are to not be sitting idly by…

A very common passage I share from has a command to “consider one another” (fix our eyes upon one another… the team) "in order to [paroxusmos]” (Greek word - which is translated in various ways in different translations; some of these are: stir up, stimulate, motivate, spur, provoke…) “love and good works.” (Hebrews 10:24)

We are charged to be very intentional in serving the team… are you willing to “run out the end doors of the gym and lose your cookies” for the sake of the good of the team? Our church experience is not intended to be just about what the church can do for us… but more about what we can do for the church!