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.”