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!