December 25, 2023 - Get in the Game and Go Tell

I just returned from a few weeks providing pulpit supply for a church… at a time of year where obviously I talked a lot about the CHRISTmas story… I truly did want to be encouraging and celebratory from the pulpit BUT I do view it as this old coach’s huddle, and also I must correct…

In part 4 of the series, I set them up a bit with a cute Charlie Brown and Snoopy cartoon I put on the screen. It has Charlie praying, “Dear Lord, all I want for Christmas is for my family and friends to know Jesus.” I then brought out my old faithful Bobby Knight quote that states “everyone has the will to win, but few have the will to prepare to win!” Don’t tell me, show me what you want…

I then talked about some unlikely missionaries, centered around the shepherds’ willingness to “go tell”!

Luke 2:17-18 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And ALL THOSE WHO HEARD it marveled at those things which were TOLD THEM by the shepherds.

For our friends and family to know, they must hear!

This CHRISTmas, get in the game and go tell those that need to hear!

December 18, 2023 - The Quiet Zone

Your team is on the road and down 1… you are at the free throw line to shoot 2 with less than a second on the clock… the opposing team calls time-out to “ice” you… thinking that you will get “in your head” and panic… you come out of the huddle, step to the line, the opposing crowd is going crazy making noise and waving their arms… and you sink the first free throw… [TIE GAME]... the opposing team burns their final time-out… again thinking the extra time to think will cause you to break… you come back out from the huddle and toe the line… now the crowd is really going crazy… everyone in the seats behind your basket are waving their arms and towels… and you CALMLY, in “The QUIET”, sink the winning free throw!!!

“The QUIET”? I thought it read that the opposing fans were screaming and waving their arms? (If this scenario would have taken place on the home court, I can picture teammates swinging their arms palms down to tell the crowd to be quiet, and a hush coming over the arena.)

What the opposing coach didn’t realize is that for you, those time-outs were a time for you to find peace and “The Quiet Zone”!

Let me use a Biblical picture of this… Mary and Joseph have traveled to Bethlehem with Mary ready to give birth to Jesus. Not only was there the strain of travel, while fully pregnant, but also the added noise/inconvenience of an overcrowded town… the added concerns of what the crowd  thinks of this young couple expecting a baby that was conceived out of wedlock… the sounds and smells of the manger… and apparently, according to song, a little boy wanting to bang on his drum… “pa rum pum pum pum”…and yet it was somehow a “silent night”?

So how did Mary and Joseph stay focused in the midst of the chaos and noise? Let me share a few things that were told to them in the huddles they had with the angels…

They were told “Do not be afraid” – Matthew 1:20 / Luke 1:30

Mary is told she is a “Favored on” and has “found favor with God” – Luke 1:28 & 30

And when Mary felt this was an impossible task, was told to rely on “the power of the Highest”… that He had prepared the way – Luke 1:35 & 37

A few quick observations about how to handle the pressure… how to find peace…

First, peace and “The Quiet Zone” are not found in circumstances, but found within… so take a time-out to focus on the proper things…

Second, “The Quiet Zone” is a place where there is an inward absence of noise or bustle… a place where one can “drown out the crowd”… to be quieted, or still in the midst…

Third, in putting together these truths: Peace requires a contentment that is found in the confidence of knowing who you are and what your purpose is!

I believe the coach in the huddle was telling his player, “Do not be afraid… you’ve taken thousands of free throws to prepare for such a time as this… you’ve practiced with the team for such a time as this… you’re the man for the job!”

Believer, being o n God’s team means that you are “in Christ” and empowered by the Holy Spirit.. this is who you are! Therefore, your purpose... your why, is to “step to the line” and Go MAD (Make A Difference)!

I really am restraining myself not to go into more depth this week, but the ref is blowing the whistle telling us to get back out on the floor… live this week in contentment… at peace!

John Wooden said, “Be quick but don’t hurry”;  I’ll add that only happens with  being “calm in the quick!”

December 11, 2023 - John Wooden and Truett Cathy In Same Game Plan (This must be golden!)

This week’s Game Plan is going to be short and to the point… I cant even claim it is because of lack of time or fatigue, as I am sitting in the Bahamas as I serve a church throughout December. Yes, I am preaching/teaching multiple times a week but also have a lot of free time…

I’m using that free time to work on end of year stuff for InBounds, and of course planning the 2024 season. As I am doing that, I have asked a few guys to write some stuff for me that goes with one of our outreaches I will be promoting. I got one of those responses today and it was more than I bargained for… I was looking for some marketing fodder and got that and then some… the response was uplifting and encouraging… it was motivating… it was timely!

Even though I am working on plans for outreach… even though I am in a place where I also can rest and relax a bit… IT IS STILL DRAINING sometimes to make plans and question if one should go on…

I talk OFTEN on the importance of TEAM… on the importance of intentionally acknowledging one another. I think of Coach John Wooden demanding that his guys point to the teammate that gave them a pass/assist to thank them… and a player asked, “What if he’s not looking?” Wooden simkly replied, "He will be.”

The reality is that we all need to be encouraged and recognized… we need each other. As I was preaching last night, I reminded the church (which had quite a few old timers in the audience) that we all know we are to “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.” (Hebrews 10:25) And as old timers we often bring up that verse when we look around and see few young people… therefore we complain about the younger generation. BUT I question if we are to blame? With an emphasis on just showing up, it is no wonder they don’t feel like they need to be there.

Verse 24 and the latter part of verse 25 gave the description as to what “assembling” should look like: And let us consider (INTENTIONALITY) one another in order to stir up love and good works… exhorting one another…”

Man, a place where I’m going to be encouraged? I want to go there! Encourage me I’ll be looking!

This thought was spawned as I saw a clip of Jeff Foxworthy talking about when he was a boy hanging out at the original Chick-fil-a… He said that Truett Cathy asked him, “Do you know how you can tell if someone needs encouragement?” Jeff responded that he didn’t and Mr. Cathy said, “If they are breathing!”

Mark someone today to give encouragement to… even old guys like me appreciate it and feed off of it!

December 4, 2023 - The Big Mo (Are You PUSHing Me?)

“The Big Mo” – Back in the 1960’s this was a title attributed to sports teams as they seemed to develop MOMENTUM as they strung together good plays. And for decades now commentators have played off of that idea as they analyze which way MOMENTUM has shifted…

This thinking came out of a very real study analyzing BEHAVIORAL MOMENTUM… in 1938 B. F. Skinner proposed that there was a correlation between a resistance to change and a rate of reinforcement. In other words, figuring out what causes someone to go from a static position to gaining MOMENTUM… In the sports world, maybe a team is “flat” and not performing well, but then a player makes a big play… excites the team and the fans… and the behavioral reinforcement is to repeat that energy/effort… thus, no longer being “flat,” and stringing together multiple good plays!

MOMENTUM is a very real thing… BUT we must understand that it is only MOMENTUM if there is MOVEMENT! We live in a world of a lot of talk and a lot of dreaming… and not a lot of doing! A simple definition of MOPMENTUM is: strength or force gained by a MOVING object.

As a player or a coach, I always loved the ones that would step up and bring energy to the team to get us out of being “flat.” I’ve always believed that energy and effort are contagious!

I could spend a lot of time on these ideas this week, but the Game Plan isn’t really as much about MOMENTUM, as it is about TEAMMATES… Are you surrounded by people that PUSH you? (And I guess there needs to be even further clarification, that PUSH you in the right direction?)

TEAM CHRISTIAN is dependent upon PUSHing one another! It demands being ACTIVE, not just talking…

Romans 1:12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you…

The word “encouraged” has the idea of being exhorted or strengthened or comforted… PUSHed!

Romans 15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good edification.

This is the idea of promoting one another’s growth… PUSHing!

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another…

The word “comfort” also carries the idea pf to exhort and strength ten… the word “edify” to promote growth… PUSH!

Are you pushing me? I sure hope so…

Surround yourself with TEAMMATES that PUSH you.. it will help you build The Big Mo!

November 27, 2023 - The Design of the Game (Part 3: Biblical Coaches are Decisive and Deliver!)

The last few days have reminded me of an important truth… I’ll set the stage, as usual, with some news from the wide world of sports…

The past couple of weeks, I have noticed the firing of many football coaches. Most of them involved support staff / assistant coaches that were deemed to not be getting the job done.  And a few cases involved head coaches getting axed… (Frank Reich got fired from the Carolina Panthers after just 11 games as their head coach…)

I want to focus for just a moment on the assistants getting fired. Say it was an offensive coordinator… this guy is getting axed due to decisions he was making that players were not executing well. The problem is that ultimately the head coach still had to approve of what the OC was doing, yet not held responsible. There is the old phrase, “The Buck Stops Here!” Good leadership requires an understanding of where the buck stops…

Don’t get me wrong, I believe in plurality of leadership for wisdom and direction, but at some point someone has to be responsible… This came to mind over the past couple of days that I spent in a hospital. Let’s just say there was a lot of frustration on the customer service and communication side of things… frustration that easily could have been directed at nurses and support staff, even though it was about things in which they had no authority. And then when I did talk with some brilliant, well-trained specialists in their respective fields, I was told over and over again that they didn’t have the authority to discharge me. Each time a high level member of the team said things like, “I’m good with you going home as long as so-and-so signs off on it.” When working with my nurse this afternoon he stated that I was “discharged if…” and then read stipulations of approval from these different doctors. The nurse simply stated that discharging me was above his pay-grade. Eventually he got each member of the physician coaching staff to answer the “if questions.”

When there is not a clear leader, it is hard to get things accomplished in a timely manner. “Ifs” are not good leadership strategies. (In honor of the season I’ll remind us how Don Meredith answered Howard Cosell in an interview in December of 1970: “if ifs ands and buts were candies and nuts, we’d all have a merry CHRISTmas!”)

We have been talking the past few weeks about The Design of the Game… How God intended for Team Jesus to play the game. This week the plan is to talk about strong, decisive coaching/leadership. Decisions are made based upon either the methodology and/or the message…

Well The Playbook (Bible) gives us many leadership lessons… In Ephesians 4 it says: Verse 15b… we should "…grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ –"!

I realize that it sounds like I am just being spiritual in talking about the headship of Christ… but this statement was preceded by the how to in doing this, by being grounded in the decisiveness of the Scriptures as the Word of the Head of the church… that we would “no longer  be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting… (Verse 14)

So the first rule of leadership, be it a church… a home… a team… etc., is that ultimately the buck stops at Jesus and His word! When ifs ands and buts carry us away from His truth we are in trouble!

And as for the decision making of leadership, the Head (Jesus) is clear… “But let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’, ‘no’. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37)

And before you think this is just about the words we speak, this is Jesus following up the command to “perform your oaths to the Lord.” (Matthew 5:34) That word “perform” literally means to deliver…

In Biblical leadership “the buck stops” with Jesus and His word!

In Biblical leadership, leaders are decisive and deliver!

November 20, 2023 - The Design of the Game (Part 2: Play Fast or Play Slow...)

Last week I shared what I called part 1 of The Design of the Game… it had a byline of to “Attend with Attention!” Shortly after writing that Game Plan, I was listening to a podcast and the guest had played D1 hoops in college and followed it up with a stint as a Navy Seal… when asked for a great nugget of truth he shared that he had been challenged to “pay attention to what you are paying attention to.” This challenge is based off the studies that show we have up to 70,000 thoughts per day… that is the highest number I found… and the numbers varied greatly… BUT all of the “science” seemed to agree that for most people up to 95% of thoughts are simply repetitive… and typically 80% are negative… So the goal of paying attention is to get our minds to think on the right things!

Colossians 3:1-2 If then you were raised with Christ, SEEK those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. SET your minds on things above, not on things on the earth.

Last week we looked at the mental challenge to be attentive to our teammates! The idea the “game” is designed as a team sport… and I even emphasized that it is not a solo sport. This is true AND YET it is also true that there is a responsibility to pay attention to how we are playing as an individual. After all, the team is a make-up of individuals supplying their parts… The passage in Colossians I just cited gives a different challenge on our ATTENTION… one that says it does matter how you play the game as an individual…

I often hear people comparing styles of basketball teams/players… the arguments center around style. (I hear arguments about churches that center on the same thing… style.) In hoops some like teams/plaers that play fast… some prefer teams/players that shoot the three… some prefer a slowed down offense that pounds the ball into the paint. (In churches I hear the arguments of what type of music is played… on how casual vs formal people dress… etc.)

In the early 90’s a new “style” appeared in the marketplace… And1 Basketball emerged and was super exciting! BUT those players/teams were not only had a different style, they also played a different game… the basic foundational rules of the game were thrown out the window… there was no concern with travel or double dribble or carrying the ball. It was “streetball” not “basketball” But due to its popularity it melted into the actual basketball scene where often times today you hear old guys ruing the downfall of basketball…

I remember years ago when I was asked to co-direct a basketball clinic with an old time coach… as the bhoys were warming up in a lay-up line, this guys went off on them dribbling between their legs and doing finger-rolls; YET I loved it and encouraged it… when I train players I love to not only see, but encourage players to bring their personality and style to the court. BUT… the older coach and I were in agreement that in order to be successful in the game, this must be done without breaking the rules. (I could appreciate the old coach’s style… but he didn’t like mine at all!)

I could go on and on about these ideas… but in the idea of how the game is designed for the church as a whole and as individuals… I encourage that methodology can be ever-changing… but the message is never-changing!

The Apostle Paul wrote much about our freedom to play the game… and in doing so he also reminded us to pay attention to what we are paying attention to… in the verses of Colossians 3 that follow there is a challenge to the individual believer/player. The passage is not about style but instead about substance. It is a challenge/command to play the game the way it was designed to be played!

Galatians 5:13a For you, brethren, have been called to liberty (freedom); THIS IS A STYLE STATEMENT… PLAY THE GAME FREE!

Galatians 5:13b only do not use liberty (freedom) as an opportunity for the flesh…; THIS IS A SUBSTANCE STATEMENT… WE ARE STILL DESIGNED TO HONOR THE RULES OF THE GAME!

Play fast or play slow… let the shots fly from deep or pound it to the post… dribble between your legs or stay very basic… but do these things without traveling, double dribbling, carrying the ball… fouling… etc. Play the game the way it was designed to be played!

November 13, 2023 - The Design of the Game (Part 1: ATTEND WITH ATTENTION!)

I was reminded last night of a game I was in back in high school… it is one I think I have written about in the past during these Game Plans, yet one worthy of using again as an example…

It was the ‘81/’82 season, and we had a game against another small Christian school… we did not have a great team… but neither did they. They were not very athletic… and honestly, not very well coached. Our coach utilized some very simple action off high screens and picks… action which got the opponents in a ton of foul trouble. And their coach, for some reason did not explain to them how to go under or over the pick or screen… leading to many of their players fouling out. They ended up with not enough guys on the court to compete…

You see, In order to compete in a game that was designed to have 5 against 5, it is greatly helpful to be able to put 5 guys on the floor…

You see, I loved suiting up for games… even tough there were times I didn’t like all my teammates a whole lot… some of my teammates were pretty good… some not so good… some thought they were good. There were times I didn't like the style of basketball we were playing or how I was being used as a player… didn’t see eye to eye with my coach… but I loved suiting up for games! And to be a part of a game that was designed for 5v5 action, I was totally dependent on having teammates!

This came to mind while watching the Jesus Revolution movie, and one of the scenes showed “Greg Laurie” sitting outside of the meeting tent by himself… when a reporter from Time Magazine askes him what he is doing out there, “Laurie” responds, “I fell like worshipping alone.” In the story “Laurie” had been hurt and let down by others… wasn’t very happy with his “teammates.”

(Recent surveys show that over 56% of Americans attend church infrequently or never at all. Since the pandemic I have heard many say that they prefer to “worship alone.”)

The reporter responds to “Laurie”: “I’m no expert, but I don’t think that’s how this thing works.”

This thing called Christianity is not designed to be a “solo sport”!

This is part 1 of some Game Plans I’m calling The Design of the Game… so a very basic first reminder is the importance of attending…

Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some…

Yet I also want to challenge those that “attend” without attention… a preface to the command to assemble as the team, is the command to “consider one another,” (v 24) a command to be attentive to others and to be the best teammate you can be to them… so if your reason for not suiting up with the team is a complaint about what the team has done for you, maybe a better question is what have you done for the team? DON’T ATTEND WITHOUT ATTENTION!

The ”game” is designed as a team sport!

November 6, 2023 - When I Grow Up I want To Be.... AVERAGE???

I think it was around 15 years ago when Monster.com came up with a hilarious commercial… it included numerous kids completing the statement: When I grow up _______________...

My world revolves around being a coach… a motivator… an equipper; all these things work around the question of what one hopes the future looks like. Maybe it is a short-term goal of what the next game looks like… or the longer view of what a season will look like… and even longer view of what a career might look like.

The commercial was so funny because it centered around kids “setting the bar” in such a way that they are content with mediocrity. Some of the answers in the script were… “I want to file all day” … “I want to climb my way all the way up to middle management” … “to be a yes-man” …

The last few weeks on these Game Plans for Life, I have talked about “raising the bar” and being “obsessed” like a “gym rat.” Since that time there have been numerous more reminders that we tend to “set the bar” way too low as believers. On the positive side, have heard some solid messages from our previous church home, LifePoint Church, during their current series called “Suit Up.” In it there has been an emphasis on a higher pursuit… and in the bumper video there is a quote from a Nick Saban speech… I looked up the speech and Saban said the following:

“Mediocre people don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.” Saban is discussing building a championship culture… he went on to state that during spring football he is simply trying to make sure they get “the right guys on the bus… and the wrong guys off the bus.” He talked of a culture where everyone “buys in… to the same principles… value the organization to the same high standards…”

I stated there were a few things that keep this thing going… I have also dealt with Christian folks recently that have talked negative about a Christian that expressed high standards / convictions. The complaint was that the Christian with high standards was unreasonable, that it was “too much.” In fact, there is typically more of a backlash to high standards than low ones in church and Christian school circles.

I remember one young lady that came to a Christian school I worked at when she was in 10^th grade.  She was fired up about serving the Lord… she valued the Head of the organization… This young lady would eventually become a missionary and has served the Lord faithfully, and to a high standard, throughout her life. Yet she left our Christian school after one year because she said she got more backlash/persecution at the Christian school than at the public school she had gone to. WHAT A SHAME!

When we received ETERNAL LIFE, we received not only quantity of time but also quality of time… the Greek word for LIFE carries the idea of “absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical,… A life ACTIVE and VIGOROUS, DEVOTED to GOD, BLESSED…”

When John 3:16 promises ETERNAL LIFE to those that believe… it promises not only a pardon from sin and life everlasting, BUT ALSO a life that can “BUY IN” to a whole new beautiful culture.

And this includes many passages urging us to pursue excellence… to avoid mediocrity… to despise the idea of just being average… to be high achievers…

“THEREFORE, (because of our Heavenly inheritance), GIRD UP the loins of your mind, be sober,… not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance, BUT as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:13-16)

I would say there is a higher standard in the organization that we should all be striving for… (and make sure you have the right people on the bus in your inner circles)!

When I grow up I want to be a spiritual giant!

October 30, 2023 - Gym Rat

As a kid/young man I LOVED basketball… I would have been classified a “gym rat.” I liked all sports, and played everything competitive that I could… baseball… softball… soccer… tennis… a little football… bowling… even backyard whiffle-ball tournaments. Yet I would always find myself making my way back home to my basketball goal in the backyard… or a goal at the local school playground… the park… the YMCA… we even rented gyms from churches in order to get a run in.

I read in one article that “gym rats” are becoming extinct… and I would agree. We live in an age of more trainers and clinics than we ever dreamed of when I was young… in turn most playing takes place in organized, scheduled times; fewer games are simply taken up on driveways or at parks. And honestly I have seen a lot of players that have great mechanics and not a clue of simply how to play… When youth don’t have a scheduled event they tend to stay in the house and commit to smart phones… or X… or Snapchat… or video games… etc.

As a “gym rat” I guess you could say I was fanatical about hoops… I played religiously. I’ve even told my own kids at times that they have liked something but not loved it… LOVE LEADS TO OBSESSION! And I mean that in a good way... the word obsession has the idea of something or somebody you think about all the time…  the idea of being motivated or compelled… “Gym rats” get after it even if there is not a scheduled practice or game… they are there if the lights are on or off… working on their game. (I can remember many nights playing in the dim light cast off the corner flood light of our school cafeteria, and would illuminate one of the playground goals.)

I made sure I took care of business in every area of my life… giving my best effort to my studies and to each of the other sports I played. Yet my mind always looked toward getting to the court. I wanted to be excellent! As a result, I had some pretty good success when I laced them up! I was definitely a “gym rat” or maybe you could have labeled me a “hoops freak.” Most people did not understand my obsession…

In the church world, many decades ago, we started hearing the term “Jesus Freak” in relation, usually to hippies and used in a derogatory way… commenting on their radical approach to Jesus’s teachings. Oter terms that have been used for radicals, that still are used, would be “Bible Bashers”; referring to someone that is obsessed with the Word.

Well, just like I have spent many years in the hoops world, I have also spent decades in the church and Christian school world. And what I have seen over and over again is that anyone that “religiously” wants to live for Jesus is labeled a “freak” – or in most circles they try to make it sound like the person is wrong on the basis of “legalism.” And my fear is that in our teaching platforms that warn of legalism, we in turn encourage, and even applaud, mediocrity.  

First note that “being religious” and “being legalistic” are not synonymous…

Legalism simply means a strict adherence to law. And teachers, myself included, will use te book of Galatians to warn about being law-driven, as though that is how we obtain God’s favor. IT is really easy to discredit legalism… because “if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Galatians 2:21b)

Religious, on the other hand, is simply defined as faithful devotion to a deity… AND FOR AS WRONG AS LEGALISM IS, BEIGN RELIGIOUS IS RIGHT! Why are we, in church and Christian school circles, so afraid these days of the idea of someone being sold out for Christ and His word?

Do you love Jesus? Then you will obey Him… that is not being legalistic… it is being devoted or obsesses with the One that you love… it is about thinking about Him all the time… it is about being motivated or compelled to sere Him and serve others… IT IS OK TO BE A FREAK OR A RAT!

Jesus’s words: "If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John  14:15)

Obedience and Obsessions are driven by love not law…

October 23, 2023 - Raise the Bar! (Part 2 - avoiding mediocrity)

Last week’s game plan ended as follows: (And I repeat for two reasons… first it is a good intro into this week’s plan… and second, because I just pulled up the website and realized that it was “hidden” as a font color didn’t change. [Which also made me realize that those who “read” it on the site didn’t bother to tell me it was “hidden”])

I love the way my dear friend Grant Hawley put it in his book The Guts of Grace: “The believer has been called to a life that is far more holy and righteous than what was called for in the law, but by giving Christ to indwell and empower us. God has supplied everything to make that not only possible but realistic. ‘We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.’” (Romans 8:37)

We are living in some challenging times… I spend much time in evangelism, BUT also, as a coach, I want to call the team to, in the midst of our freedom, RAISE THE BAR (in our Behavior… our Attitudes… and our Relationships!!!)

I love the words “far more” in Grant’s statement… the reality is that my thought of “raising the BAR,” stems from years of seeing “players” settle for mediocrity!

In athletics, players are content to work hard in practice and the weight room… they will play hard during games… but they are not committed in the off times! Let’s take a simple scenario of the weight room: no one can lift weights all day long, every day… that is not practical. Yet, how the athlete lives in the off times does affect how beneficial the time in the weight room is… You see, “far more” carries the idea of commitment… if one is sold out to maximum benefits of the weight room it will affect how he eats, sleeps, etc.

I am tempted to go on with an athletic lesson, but that will take entirely too long for this space… to the point: often when I see a child of God fully committed to maximum results, that person is often labeled over-zealous or fanatical or legalistic. My concern is that in the process of viewing life from our liberty/freedom has resulted in a lack of understanding what we are “free from” or what we are “free to.”

So let me give a quick lesson on “legalism.” I am in full agreement, especially since   the Scriptures say so, that WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE LAW… we are not striving to earn or gain God’s favor… that was found through the lawful substitutionary death and resurrection of Christ. By faith we receive pardon and life! But the word “legal” is not a synonym of “law.” It refers to what the law established… Christ came to fulfill the law (See Matthew 5:17), not to abolish it. And he also explains what the law established was the idea that we should love God and love others! (See Matthew 22:36-40)

There is an established goal of living our lives in a way that glorifies God and serves others… there are many commands of what we should and shouldn’t do as a result of loving God and others… to be radically committed to these commands is NOT GOING BACK UNDER THE LAW… to the contrary IT IS LVING LIFE LOVING GOD AND OTHERS! It is RAISING THE BAR (in our BEHAVIOR, ATTIUDES, and RELATIONSHIPS)!

This may include giving up some things… it may include being careful of what “junk food” (see Philippians 4:8) we are putting into our minds… it may be a “legalistic” approach to the Law of Christ… please hear me clearly… this old coach is calling us to excellence… to rise above mediocrity and see the results of a committed life!

5 But also for this very reason, GIVING ALL DILIGENCE, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. (2 Peter 1)

October 16, 2023 - Raise the Bar!

As a player I loved pick-up games and church league games because of the freedom that was found in just playing, and the reality was that I valued each game… each possession… greatly! I found as a coach that my players enjoyed things more when there was freedom as well… I still had expectations of how I wanted my teams to play - I still taught them what good shots vs bad shots looked like – I still taught them how to make good passes, even under pressure – I still taught them how to set screens for one another to free up offensive opportunities – I even taught them some plays/sets to run out of in order to create space and opportunities – BUT I LET THEM PLAY! (Especially the players that were more experienced… i.e., I was a bit more “legalistic” coaching my daughter’s 5^th/6^th grade team than I was with my varsity high school teams... but I also had MUCH HIGHER EXPECTATIONS of my high school teams!)

Often times I hear arguments against preachers/teachers (myself being one of those teachers) that emphasize grace, claiming we don’t care about holiness or commitment. That is absurd… to start with salvation required Christ’s perfect holiness and complete commitment… HE WAS “ALL IN” TO THE POINT OF DEATH ON A CROSS! (Philippians 2:8) And the fact that I/we teach that as our sole means and satisfactory payment for sin, does not mean we don’t care about holiness…

I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. (Galatians 2:21)

Yet Paul also wrote these words under the inspiration of the Spirit:

·       What then, shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Certainly not! (Romans 7:15)

·       For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. (Galatians 2:19)

I will not ever apologize for teaching the truth that our salvation/justification is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone! This gives FREEDOM/LIBERTY!

Yet I also will never shy away from the following call of Scripture: For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; ONLY DO NOT USE LIBERTY as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13)

I love the way my dear friend Grant Hawley put it in his book The Guts of Grace: “The believer has been called to a life that is far more holy and righteous than what was called for in the law, but by giving Christ to indwell and empower us. God has supplied everything to make that not only possible but realistic. ‘We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.’” (Romans 8:37)

We are living in some challenging times… I spend much time in evangelism, BUT also, as a coach, I want to call the team to, in the midst of our freedom, RAISE THE BAR (in our Behavior… our Attitudes… and our Relationships!!!)

October 9, 2023 - RULE #1 (Sounds Important Doesn't It?)

As a coach, I typically have certain rules that are non-negotiables… rules that carry maximum emphasis… and, typically, these are RULE #1 according to the setting… and shared right out of the gate to get things started!

For example, if I am doing a clinic for kids it might be that RULE #1 is to “Obey the Whistle”! If I blow it it means to start what I have just instructed you to do OR to stop what you are doing and listen for instructions… when heading out on a mission trip RULE #1 is to “be dogmatically committed to flexibility” because inevitably, in spite of all the planning that has gone into things, things are going to change… or there was PLAY #1 with a group of young men that were playing under the name of InBounds Ministries in a basketball league, and were instructed that no matter what the circumstances, honoring Christ was first priority!

I think you get the picture… whether it is RULE #1 or PLAY #1, that carries extreme importance!

We have been in the midst of a theme this year about GOAT Status (How Jesus defines and demonstrats greatness); we have seen that His idea of greatness is quite different than the world… it is found in humility and servanthood, and given as a GAME PLAN for us in our walk: (“For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” John 13:15)

This command, given after washing the disciples feet comes at a section in the book of John where the emphasis shifts for a moment from evangelism to discipleship. Jesus is in His last hours with His team and giving instructions (RULES and PLAYS) for them once He is gone. And it is quite interesting what He decides is going to be RULE #1:

“A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34)

This RULE #1 should define and characterize our “team”! Just as some teams may be known for a pressing defense or a fastbreak offense, we should be known for our love… when people see how we love…

“By this all will know that you are my disciples, IF you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

October 2, 2023 - A Great COACHING STAFF Is The Key To Victory

I saw a notification this morning from a former player/student I had MANY years ago. It was an encouragement, and to be honest, a bit of an embarrassment… his comment stated “Best coach!” I absolutely love the relationships I was able to build on the hardwood, and was able to have some SUCCESS in teams performing beyond their expectations. But that statement is humbling when I weigh it against the MANY coaches I know that are far superior to me in basketball knowledge…

I immediately also thought about times I have preached/taught in churches or conferences where I was surrounded by teachers that are far superior to me in Biblical knowledge. Yet I find myself at times speaking in these places, (and even had one of these guys I’m talking about have me preach at his church on the tour I just did.)

So how have I found any semblance of SUCCESS in the coaching ranks or in the preaching world? Are the things I have learned applicable to just everyday living? In answer to the second question, YES, they are applicable… in a sense we are all coaches of our own lives… we make decisions every day that lead to SUCCESS or to sustaining or to possibly failure. (This weekly devotion is called Game Plans for Life… in other words ideas to help you make coaching decisions for your day/week/life.)

On the surface, I believe that some of the SUCCESS is a result of an emphasis on looking for ways to apply the FUNDAMENTALS of the game and of the faith. I have often stated that “FUNDAMENTALS are the anchor that will hold in the storm!” So, my coaching and teaching is most often centered around finding ways to free up the FUNDAMENTALS. And then to make sure I coach from a relational approach… I want my players to know I love them… that I am on their side. I want to hear from them almost 20 years later and have them fondly remember my role in their lives!

But beneath the surface is one of my true keys to success… it involves assembling a great “COACHING STAFF!” I have found much more success when I surround myself with more knowledgeable people than me! By “COACHING STAFF” I don’t necessarily mean the guys that sit next to me on the bench, although that is a part of it… (I think of guys like Rick Lewis of Phenom Hoops that was my assistant that knew way more basketball than me, and what a HUGE help he was in game plans and adjustments!)… but I also mean guys outside of my inner circle that I seek for advice. In the basketball world that meant at times watching videos… reading books… or going to clinics led by brilliant coaches. In my ministry world it involves much of the same… books, articles, conferences, and even direct messages asking for advice/explanations.

I mentioned recently speaking at a church with one of these guys… he happens to have contributed to some of the books that are my go-to references… he works directly with some of the guys I consider giants of the theological world. So even though there could be some hesitancy to teach, it is overridden by a confidence of knowing instead that he is on my “bench” with me to help me make “game decisions.”

Who have you chosen to be your “COACHING STAFF”? Do you have those that are trustworthy advisors?

Proverbs 24:6 For by wise counsel you will wage your own war (you will be the coach of your life), and in a multitude of counselors there is safety. (The word safety is better translated victory from the Hebrew... could read, in a GREAT COACHING STAFF there is victory.)

I like the way Eugene Peterson states it in the Message paraphrase: “Strategic planning is the key to warfare; to WIN you need a lot of good counsel.”

September 25, 2023 - Half-Hearted Results

I’m currently sitting in NC with my son and watching a little Monday night football… we have covered over 7700 miles so far on this tour and still have a ways to go… I’ve been enjoying not having to be anywhere tonight (even though I am due to share tomorrow morning in a chapel)… and then it hit me, “It’s MONDAY night football”! I’ve only been doing these weekly MONDAY game plans since the beginning of 2002… and yet it was still slipping my mind in the midst of the crazy travel… but MONDAY is the day I gotta get it done!

In my teaching on this tour I have been emphasizing that God is not impressed with our willingness but instead in our action… that is why Jesus says things like “…blessed are you if you do…” (John 13:17), not blessed if we are willing to do…

Every year as a coach I heard players set grand goals and tell me they were willing to give it all, only to see many that simply weren’t putting in the work. Michael Jordan’s name has come up often on this tour as I ask who the greatest basketball player is… he stated this: “I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do I can expect halt-hearted results.”

Before Jesus made the statement I shared in John 13, he stated “If you know these things…” What things do you “know” that God has called you to do? James 4:17 says this, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not DO IT, to him it is sin.”

I believe we celebrate to much the idea of being willing as opposed to doing… and it leads to half-hearted results.

September 18, 2023 - Benched! For Making A Shot?

Recently I was having a talk with a dear friend who is a pastor in Indiana… we were discussing life and ministry, and waxing philosophical… and during that, as he shared an illustration he had used in a sermon, we landed on a simple truth that good and right are not synonyms!

Let me explain what I mean from a hoops perspective… when I was 18 years old I was coaching my first team, a junior high team that was at a school that hadn’t won a junior high game in many years. The players on that team were for the most part very inexperienced, with only one or two guys that had actually played organized. I was making many of my decisions based upon long term goals, more so than short term scoreboard gains. The season was going pretty well as we opened up with a blowout victory over a rival conference school… BUT there was so much learning to do, and as a coach the job was about more than the won/loss column!

This was at a time when the 3-point line had been introduced to the game… and during a hard-fought game one of my guys let a 3 fly… swish… nothing but the bottom of the net! I’m sure our fans, and especially his family members, were going crazy… I’m equally sure they were going crazy in a bad way when I immediately benched him! (Which left us with just 4 players due to others fouling out earlier…) I’m sure I looked like an idiot to the fans… and one referee came over and questioned my decision. Remember I was a really young coach.

Yes, the shot was a good shot… BUT it wasn’t the right shot. You see I had told my team how many passes I wanted them to get in on each offensive set, and the 3 was taken after just one pass. It may sound like I was a control freak, but I knew my guys needed the work to grow as a team, and I happen to believe players should listen to their coaches!

In Genesis 2:9 the garden is described as “every tree… pleasant to the sight and good for food.” So is each tree good? Of course… but not each tree is right… as the “Tree of Knowledge” is mentioned as being part of that garden of trees… and we know that in verse 17 God clearly said it was not right to eat of that tree… you see it? GOOD and RIGHT are not the same thing!

Bottom line this week is that God is the Coach, and we should listen to Him even if we don’t feel like it… even if something to the contrary looks good… even if it is good… I love an old phrase I heard: Don’t let good be the enemy of the best!

Yes, in the game I was coaching the 3-pointer gave an initial gain, but it harmed the process of the team learning to trust the coach… of the team allowing the coach to teach them things that would help them grow as players.

What God says to do or not do is right! “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” (Proverbs 3:5) 

September 11, 2023 - The Big 3

Greetings team from the shores of Salt Lake… On our ROCK’em Road Trip entitled GOAT Status (How Jesus defines greatness.) As I think about greatness in the sports world, I realize that a player can be a great athlete but not a great player… a player can have a great mind for the game yet not have the physical attributes to be a great player… a player can have both physical and mental greatness but lack the understanding of being a part of a team, and thus not be a great player… (As I am typing this I can remember some of the most talented guys I knew,  that rode the pine for their college programs!)

John Wooden had what he called “the big 3” on what had to be present in a great player: Conditioning/Fundamentals/Teamwork.

Let me remind each of us this week on the importance of these things in our Christian walk…

Conditioning: Are you spending time in the Word and in prayer… simply allowing yourself to be “transformed” (Romans 12:2) and to “know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19)? That is being well-conditioned!

Fundamentals: are you familiar with the Playbook and the things God says should be true in our fundamental living? “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Teamwork: “We are His workmanship…” (Ephesians 2:10) Do you see the plural “we”? Christianity is a team sport!  Figure out how you can be the best you can be FOR THE GOOD OF THE TEAM!

September 4, 2023 - The Leading Scorer On A Losing Team

Man did I love playing the game of basketball! As I was driving today (while on a speaking tour) I was thinking about different ideas for this week’s game plan… I had spent Saturday with some high school and middle school aged basketball players and then got to hang out with some old buddies I used to play hoops with… I guess I got kind of nostalgic and while driving flashed back a bit to my high school days.

The reality is that our team was not very good in those years… in my freshman year we had some success, but even though I was able to dress varsity, the rest of the team were juniors and seniors; so the reality is that as far wins and losses that year, the most I could claim is that maybe I helped prepare our guys in practices… but then my final three years of high school I stepped into a starting role and was the leading scorer each of those years on a losing team… we not only had more losses than wins, some of the losses were absolute blowouts that would embarrass many. Many times, I even played hurt… BUT I LOVED PLAYING…

I still to this day will often say, “If I lace them (my shoes) up, I’m gonna try to beat you!” I was always happy if we won but was joyful just to get to play. Notice I didn’t say “I will beat you,” I said “I’m gonna try…” My joy was/is found in playing and competing hard, not in scoreboards!

I preach/teach often about the apostle Paul and his wild outlook on life… even from prison chains he penned an entire letter centered on the theme of joy… he often talked of the people in the churches being his joy… he was “competing” for the opportunities to serve and to share and that superseded his freedom… superseded his circumstances… superseded his comforts…

And of course, there is the example of Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame…” (Hebrews 12:2)

We are told often to have joy… to rejoice… and these are not commands about circumstances but about opportunities and growth! James 1 tells us to be joyful in even in our trials… It is easy to get caught up in judging God’s goodness, or even questioning His existence, based upon the scoreboard (circumstances) in our life. Which means we have taken our eyes off of the opportunities to serve and to share.

When it gets really hard just remember to “…consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” Hebrews 12:3

August 28, 2023 - WE ARE NOT ON GOD'S TEAM TO BE BENCHWARMERS!

As I write this week, I must confess I am a bit overwhelmed as I prep for a HUGE trip… It is not uncommon for me to get a bit amped up when our trips approach as I simply am trying to make sure everything is lined up… that I am fully prepared. (In spite of the realization that being prepared is often a illusion… thus our number one rule of missions: Be dogmatically committed to flexibility!)+-

But the bottom line is that I’m getting off the bench and in the game!

I think I have shared this story in the past, but I remember many years ago when I was coaching a 5^th/6^th grade girls team so I could spend more time around my daughter… during the first game of the year I turned to a young lady to put her in the game and her eyes immediately welled up with tears… she was nervous and felt unsure of the preparation we had put in. Shortly after that, a friend of hers who was also a first year player, looked at her and stated, “I’ll go in if you will go in.” The young lady went in and ended up loving basketball and playing all the way through her high school career! I wasn’t angry as a coach at the initial refusal as I understood I was dealing with a 5^th grader that simply needed to gain confidence. (In fact, one of the reasons I was putting her in the game was to instill some confidence.)

That is a positive story of “refusing the coach’s direction”; on a negative side, in the 1994 NBA playoffs, the Chicago Bulls’ Scottie Pippen was given direction from Coach Jackson in the final seconds of a playoff game against the New York Knicks. Scottie did not like the role he was given in the play, (probably because he wasn’t called on to be the hero), and he refused to take the floor. The player that was designed to take the winning shot did so successfully and in the immediate aftermath, it didn’t appear that Pippen’s refusal hurt the team… BUT IT DID!

Stories are even shared of a player crying afterwards in his frustration. The Bulls offense was designed in a way to be reliant upon all the parts, so when any part was missing the results were negative to the team. Jackson was interviewed about the incident after the game and he stated, “Everything we stood for had gone. In one moment, everything had changed.”

Christianity is a team-sport! God has designed for us to work together as one… as a body… as a team.

So what role is God calling you to play? Are you lacking confidence, thus staying on the bench?… Are you unhappy with that role and ignoring it? I will tell you this, if the Coach (God) is calling you to do it, then He knows you have something the team needs or there is something you need in your growth as a “player.

How has God gifted you? He intends for you to be in the game, not on the bench! Is He calling you to be the one taking a shot? Is he calling you to set up someone to take a shot? (Much of a team offense is dependent upon players willing to set up the score! In ministry this can be done by those willing to do the behind the scenes things… or maybe those willing to schedule the opportunities… or maybe when God calls folks to financially support a work…)

WE ARE NOT ON GOD’S TEAM TO BE BENCH WARMERS!

As each one of you has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10)

August 21, 2023 - BE INTENTIONAL BY BEING ATTENTIONAL!

A topic I have written about in the past is “Game Management” or “Clock Management” --- or event to the point of “Down Management” --- with the idea of playing to win each down. By that I was simply teaching that each snap of the ball matters… one can’t focus on the play before or the play after… the job has to be done in the now…

I though about this over the past week as I have had the opportunity to pour into some young men… to encourage them about the choices they make in life. The reality is that most of us waste a lot of time… more importantly, we waste a lot of opportunities!

Just like in a game, I want to learn to be more intentional by being more attentional (yes, that is a word, I looked it up.) There needs to be an attention to details to make the right “plays.”

Ephesians 5:16 states that the wise man will be “redeeming the time…” (Intentional) This comes what verse 15 commands… to “walk circumspectly.” (Attentional)

The other thing that prompted me to this point is the reminders of life’s fleeting status… it truly flies by and we need to take advantage of what opportunities we have. One of those reminders came from my dear friend Freddie Coile, who is battling brain cancer, yet is still not only preaching and doing his podcast but also still actively sharing the Gospel! And in his last podcast I sensed even a sweeter spirit about wanting to take advantage of time! (You should check out Focus on the Bible… Instagram = focus_pod)

The other was a sweet poem I read this morning… written by another dear friend that has been in a cancer battle… (that c-word tends to make us think about time!) Her name is Chela, and her testimony and smile throughout this battle is only understandable through the hope found in Jesus… the confidence found in God’s grace… the urgency found in “redeeming the time”…

The Thing About Life (Chela Armstrong)

A moment, an hour, a day, a year.

The clock strikes crescendo within my ear.

I’ve traveled, I’ve attained, I’ve accomplished success.

Yet the question remains, is it all meaningless?

Have you anything to show of the time that was spent?

The days, they would blend as they came and they went.

Regrets, are they heavy? Is there something undone?

What’s the purpose of life under the sun?

The thing I find curious; we live without thought.

Innumerable pleasures! What else have I sought?

Am i walking with Jesus? Am I holding His hand?

Do I give up the intimacy for other demands.

“There’s always tomorrow” but is that really true?

What is there to offer when I finally see you?

Will I cast any crowns as I worship your name?

Or will smoke fill your nostrils as I stand there ashamed?

Help me learn from the waste. Redeem what was lost.

I want to lean in, no matter the cost!

I press towards my goal of that heavenly prize.

I know it is worth it to look into your eyes

To hear your kind voice as all else is destroyed.

Well done, my daughter, now enter my joy!

BE INTENTIONAL BY BEING ATTENTIONAL!

August 14, 2023 - Coach's Favorite (Teacher's Pet)

Have you ever come across a situation where the coach had “favorites”… Or maybe it was a teacher that had “pets”… maybe a parent that had a favorite kid…?

That tends to be used in a negative way, and at times can be (if the favoritism is based upon nepotism or cronyism) but that is usually not the case. Bottom line is that favorites, most-often are in that position because of how they have conducted themselves. Things like work ethic, punctuality, attitude can all lead to a favorite-status…

My favorite players to coach were not always the most talented on the team, but I will say that often the most talented got that way by work ethic, attitude, etc.  Therefore, it may be that the star of the team is the favorite of the coach…

Proverbs 14:35 The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, but his wrath is against him who causes shame.

The idea of a “wise servant” is one that is prudent, circumspect, and even the idea of one that causes to prosper… BUT the alternative is the one that “causes shame.”

Be the “player” that the Coach can depend on to make right choices and make a difference for the team!

I label teaching I do from the letter to the Colossians as “Coaching from Colossians.” The letter deals so heavily with having the right mindset… and in chapter 1 Paul writes this:

¹⁰…that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…

I hope and pray you desire to be a Coach’s Favorite…

August 7, 2023 - The Coach Has Called You Into The Game

Years ago, I was coaching a young girls’ basketball team (5^th/6^th grade) and had a few girls that had never played before. I remember in the first game I coached them as I turned to one of the girls and asked if she was ready to go in… tears welled up in her eyes and she couldn’t get out any words… I’m sure there was some embarrassment, a lot of fear (of going in and of answering no to me), etc. I immediately let her know that it was ok, and we would send her in when she was willing.

The reality is that the young lady was equipped to go in the game… I wasn’t asking more of her than she had been prepared for in our practices… and during the practices she absolutely felt that she was willing to go in the game when called upon… but when it came time, she initially chose the bench over getting in the game…

This is on my mind after preaching yesterday and dealing with the reality that most Christians say they are “willing” to do what God ask… they will sound spiritual by even quoiting Isaiah, “Here am I; send me…” (Isaiah 6:8) And then they wait for some big extraordinary calling, and then often find excuses to ignore those or reason them away.

Can I just remind us this week that the coach is usually not sending us in the game for something extraordinary… but simply to play our position and help the team. The Coach has called us off the bench… it is not a question of “if” He calls…

We sit under Biblical (Playbook) teaching, not to make us willing, but to make us ready to be working (doing)! The Scriptures are given to make “equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:17)

Yesterday’s message involved looking at many areas that God has called us off the bench to make a difference in the game… remember the commands are not to be willing to go… but to go!

Cool side note: The young lady mentioned in the start of this game plan eventually went into the game because she had a caring teammate that offered to go in with her… she entered the game and did very well… had a good season… and many years later had completed a high school career that even included a school rebounding record… FIND SOMEONE YOU CAN ENCOURAGE TO GET IN THE GAME! (“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24)

July 31, 2023 - Play By Faith

Sometimes the game simply isn’t going the way we planned… maybe it is a close hard-fought game where we expected to be winning handily… maybe we just are stinking it up one night… or maybe we are simply getting the crud beat out of us because the opposing team is bigger, stronger, faster, better, etc. Man, I remember some nights where it seemed like the opponent was overwhelming us like a flood…

So much of our training in sports (and in life) tends to revolve around outcomes/scoreboards while there is so much to learn about how to deal with it when things aren’t going our way.

The Apostle Paul writes about this often… in fact, one of his most famous verses he penned under the inspiration of the Spirit, stated that he could "do all things through Christ" --- and the context indicates he is referring to both winning and losing… (Philippians 4:13)

This idea was shared by Dustin Poirerer after getting knocked out in a fight this past weekend: “If I win like a man, I’ve gotta be able to lose like a man.”

The reality is that life is at times really hard! Even as I type this week’s Game Plan, we face some exciting upcoming opportunities, yet also face some very serious obstacles… BUT we know what the Game Plan is… what God has called us to in spite of the circumstances… and as a result we take instruction from what Paul shared to the Corinthians that were facing some very serious struggles… even to the point of death.

Paul states, “Be steadfast, immovable…” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

When troubles hit… when the game isn’t going the way we planned… there is a call to stay firm and unwavering to the Game Plan… “always abounding in the work of the Lord.”

There is no need to tell us to be steadfast and immovable unless there is uneasiness around us… when the scoreboard isn’t showing what we want, we have the choice of quitting or pressing on… of coming up with our own  plan or trusting the Coach… (I choose to play by faith…)

Recipe for Losing: Focus on self above team… instead of self for the team!

Recipe for Losing: Focus on self above team… instead of self for the team!

I’ve written in the past about guys I played with that couldn’t wait to see the scorebook or the stat sheet after each game… this was even true in post-scholastic rec leagues I played in… and I confess was true of me to some degree through high school. I cared about our team greatly but, to be honest, we were not a “winning program” and I found myself often focused on individual victories. To this day, when I reminisce about high school ball, I tend to talk about what I did more than what we did. The only team victories that come to mind are games where I scored a last-second winning shot… or had a big scoring night against bigger players… or even my first coaching victory when, as an 18 yr old, when I led a jr. high school team to a big unexpected “W”! (I detect an “I” problem in that paragraph!)

Yet as I matured, I started playing a different position than I did in high school… I moved to the point guard position and discovered a whole new joy in playing! Granted this was just at the adult rec league level, but I found that my teams had much more success in the wins column when I started taking pride in making others around me better. I still scored the ball… a lot… but also found myself piling up the assists. I started taking notice of little things such as where certain shooters liked to receive the pass to be in their best rhythm... or how words of affirmation would encourage stronger effort… I was “considering” what set up my teammates for team success!

The majority of the New Testament is written to them team, and many of the things we attribute to the individual is better translated to the team as a whole… and when we do read individual instructions of how we should be playing the game, they tend to be in the context of how that will help the team.

Hebrews 10:24 tells us: “…consider one another in order to stir up love and good works…”

This is not a game plan that tells one to ignore his personal game/growth… but to the contrary… one that says, “get better… grow… be the best you can be… for the sake of the team!”

Ephesians 4:16 says: “from whom the whole body (the team) joined and knit together by what every joint supplies (the individual player), according to the effective working by which every part (the individual player) does its share, causes GROWTH of the body (the team) for the edifying of itself in love.”

This week’s game plan question: Have you ever done something because others were depending on you?

The team needs you.. it is hard to run plays when players are missing!

July 17, 2023 - Let your ATTITUDE determine your ALTITUDE!

I have said before that I have never entered a huddle with one of my teams and told them what they needed to do to lose… the same would obviously be true of God and His Word… He always gives us the best way to find victory in circumstances. (Note: Victory “in” is different that victory “from” – God doesn’t always remove circumstances but always provides for victory “in” or “through” them!)

Our devotion site is titled “Game Plans for Life” with a goal of helping navigate the ups and downs of the game… to help with when we are winning or when we are losing. The reality is that we can’t always control the scoreboard, (sometimes we have a bad game… sometimes the other team is simply better…), but we can control our ATTITUDES…

When our physical ALTITUDE (circumstances/the scoreboard) determines our ATTITUDE, we will only find joy/peace/satisfaction if things are going our way… BUT… when our ATTITUDE determines our spiritual ALTITUDE, we will find joy/peace/satisfaction in spite of circumstances/the scoreboard…

I’ve written about this part of The Playbook many times, but felt it appropriate again this week…

Philippians 4:4 is an incredible ATTTUDE verse: REJOICE in the Lord ALWAYS. Again I will say, rejoice! (I figure if the Spirit can prompt Paul to write it again, I can share it again… and again… and again!)

He goes on to mention having gentleness (vs 5), contentment (vs 6), and peace (vs 7)… These are all examples of a spiritual ALTITUDE that is a result of a proper ATTITUDE...

This plays out in Paul’s life in not allowing his physical ALTIUDE to determine his ATTITUDE… in verses 10-12 he reminds us that the physical ALTITUDE is ever changing… many ups and downs… but one’s ATTITUDE determines how he/she handles it…

4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Paraphrase: Circumstances/the scoreboard will not determine my ATTITUDE… my victory is in Jesus… not in what I am taken from… left in… or going through! I will REJOICE in or out of the storm!

Next week I plan to share a recipe for a losing attitude: When there is too much focus on the individual instead of the team…

July 10, 2023 - Have You Committed Any Turnovers Lately?

Sometimes statistics can be a bit misleading… especially when we lose sight of what it really means to be a good player…

This past NBA season ended with the Denver Nuggets on the championship podium. They had great contributions from many players in the playoffs with 6 guys averaging double figures in scoring… their biggest star, Nikola Jokic, came close to averaging a triple double for the playoffs (30 ppg, 13.4 rbg, 9.5 apg.) Nikola is a phenomenal player yet he also led the team in turnovers per game at 3.5 per game…

In the meantime, there were 3 Nuggets that averaged no turnovers per game for the entire playoffs… BUT… the three of them combined only averaged .5 ppg, .8 rbp, and .4 apg! You see those three guys spent most of their time on the bench, and we measure how effective a player is being by what he contributes, not by what he avoids.

Simply put, Nikola did lead the team in turnovers because he handled the ball the most… the offense flowed through him… and, in the words of John Wooden, “the doer makes mistakes.”

I fear that in church circles we spend too much time just focused on the “do nots” instead of the “dos”! We say things like “he’s a good Christian boy, he doesn’t…” (fill in the blank.)

We were set free at salvation and told to be sanctified… set apart… but remember these truths:

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

I love the way the NASB puts it: But prove yourselves doers of the word…

Galatians 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Our set apart lives were never intended to be sitting on the bench and averaging no assists… we are called to Go MAD (Make A Difference) in the game! And sometimes that may even mean we mess up…