tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80383055129874101232024-03-18T17:05:13.177-04:00Game Plans for LifeSports Devotions from Coach BurdenCoach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.comBlogger888125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-52130221886496624772024-03-18T17:04:00.001-04:002024-03-18T17:04:13.626-04:00March 18, 2024 - 10 Feet Tall<p><i><span style="font-size: large;">CREATING A CHAMPIONSHIP CULTURE</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; padding: 0in;">by Dr. Greg Shelley, Leadership Academy Director at
Fordham, Lafayette, and Colgate</span></i></b><i><span style="color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; padding: 0in;">As a coach you wear many hats. </span></i></b><i><span style="color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">You are a
teacher, mentor, disciplinarian, administrator, leader, parent, trainer, and
coach. Still, at the end of the week, you are expected to win . . . and
an important part of winning is developing and maintaining a winning
culture. But for some coaches, the ongoing and weekly pursuit of winning
may deter them from creating the long-term <a href="https://www.janssensportsleadership.com/resources/janssen-blog/6-key-components-of-a-championship-culture/"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Championship Culture</span></b></a> that
is most desired. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; padding: 0in;">Although there are many factors impacting culture</span></i></b><i><span style="color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> (e.g.,
skill and talent, commitment, confidence, personality, coaching style,
character, intensity, toughness, response to adversity, responsibility,
support, accountability, and leadership), the team culture you most desire must
be taught . . . and if you do not take the time to appropriately manage your
team culture, it will likely manage you.</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some teams have a <a href="https://www.janssensportsleadership.com/resources/janssen-blog/what-kind-of-culture-do-you-have-discover-the-7-kinds-of-cultures/"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Comfortable Culture</span></b></a>,
some have a <a href="https://www.janssensportsleadership.com/resources/janssen-blog/what-kind-of-culture-do-you-have-discover-the-7-kinds-of-cultures/"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Country Club Culture</span></b></a>,
and some have a <a href="https://www.janssensportsleadership.com/resources/janssen-blog/what-kind-of-culture-do-you-have-discover-the-7-kinds-of-cultures/"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Championship Culture</span></b></a>,
(i.e., a culture that is value driven and centered on trust, respect, unity,
passion, and a relentless commitment to winning). No doubt, a winning
culture takes time to develop and refine . . . and your culture will ebb and
flow with the changing of personnel and circumstances. Yet, creating
a <a href="https://www.janssensportsleadership.com/resources/janssen-blog/what-kind-of-culture-do-you-have-discover-the-7-kinds-of-cultures/"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Championship Culture</span></b></a> will
take a long-term commitment by you, your staff, and your players. (taken
from Janssen Sports Leadership site)<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I write often about TEAM and CULTURE… so much of the New
Testament is written to the plural “you” called the body… the church… could be called the TEAM. Most of what is
revealed of Go’s will for us as His children… as members of His TEAM… deal with
building a proper TEAM or CHAMPIONSHIP CULTURE! The Greek word for “ONE ANOTHER”
appears 100 times in the New Testament.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">This is on my mind for a couple of reasons… 1. I have been
watching a lot of tournament hoops this past week and just filled out my
tourney brackets for the upcoming March Madness Big Dance – and observing what
the team attitudes/culture is like. 2. As I mentioned in last week’s Game Plan,
I just officiated a wedding and my studies for the challenge to the couple continued
to take me back to God’s direction for a proper TEAM CULTURE.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">So, I started looking more at this idea of the word
champion. Of course, we use it for the winner of tournaments… BUT could it be
that you could win and not be truly a champion? The word has its roots in the
idea of a fighter or gladiator… someone competing for a cause. This is what leads
to ideas like in the intro, that a championship culture will include unity (singular
focus on a goal), passion (a common drive to said goal), etc. AND I WOULD ADD that
a championship culture typically involves a fan base that is committed to this
as well. It boils down to a fan base that makes even road games seem like it is
a home court advantage. A home court advantage is driven by support that makes
the players feel 10 feet tall… the cheering and enthusiasm is uplifting! You an
win simply by having the best shooting night… or lets face it, by having the
better players/athletes…. Thus maybe even being crowned a champion but not
necessarily creating a championship culture.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">For God’s team we are commanded over and over to consider
one another to stir one another up… to lift one another to greater hieghts…
etc. it involves, as the intro talks about, trust and respect… the only thing I
would change in the copied paragraph is that the ‘long-term commitment” is not
to winning but instead to one another and the team’s values… scoreboards are temporal
barometers!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">But quickly back to the importance of the fan base… I
just watched an education Ted Talks with a presenter named Rita Pierson. Ms.
Pierson has been in education for 40 years and you can see she is driven by her
love for the team of kids she gets to pour into. She said this, “every child needs
a champion… an adult who will never give up on them… and insists they become
the best they can be.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words,
everyone needs a biggest fan… one that makes them feel invincible, even when
the scoreboard may show otherwise.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Now to the Scripture that jumped out at me during the wedding
studies. In </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ephesians 5</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">, Paul starts challenging husbands about their role in
the marriage… and he likens it unto Christ’s goal for the church… the team…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ephesians 5:27 that He might present he to Himself a glorious
church, not having spot of wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be
holy and without blemish.</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p> T</o:p>here is a challenge to the team to have a different
culture!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">And this is imagery for a marriage team as well… and how
is that accomplished? Well I’m going to delve into a quick marriage counseling
session.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let each one of you in
particular so love his on wife as himself…</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">You know I have never heard a wife complain that her
husband is too sacrificial to her… that he loves her and thinks of her as much
as he loves himself… never heard a complaint that her husband is her biggest
fan championing her cause…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The verse goes on to say: and let the wife see that she
respects her husband.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The word respects carries the idea of revering… of
looking at with awe… and you know I have never heard a husband complain that
his wife is his biggest fan… or that she cheers him on and makes him feel 10
feet tall…. I’ve never heard a husband say I wish my wife would criticize or
question me more… I wish she would point out more of where my stat line fell
short… (all of these things are the equivalent of a boos!) – never heard a
husband complain that his wife champions his cause</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">A successful team is one that develops a Championship
Culture by Championing for One Another!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Cheer on your teammates today… cheer on your mates today…
(men are especially ego-driven… make your man feel 10 feet tall!)</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-13574473263798930062024-03-10T21:38:00.000-04:002024-03-10T21:38:00.895-04:00March 11, 2024 - Larry Bird Agrees With Me... (at least on some of this Game Plan)<p><span style="font-size: large;">I’m sitting in the airport in Houston following a weekend
lf celebration as I was privileged to officiate a wedding for a dear friend who
is a former apprentice in our Talyor-Made INVESTment Training Camps… it was
great weekend but now I’m not due to land back in FL until 1:30am or so… and
then a bit of drive back to the house. Yet there is work due tomorrow, so taking
advantage of my time in the terminal…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">As I was driving back to the airport today, I started
thinking about all the travel I get to do and my mind wandered back to 5th
grade and the excitement I had when the sheet went up after tryouts for the 6<sup>th</sup>
grade team and I was one of three 5<sup>th</sup> graders that made the “travel
team.” It was so cool getting to load the bus and suit up at other schools to
play. And to this day I love to suit up on the road for ministry “away games.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">As I prepped for the wedding a word that is commonly
fretted over came up… the idea of submission. Before I give you a really cool
definition I read, let me tell you how that fit with previous sports reading I
was doing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Many of you know that I have a very basic philosophy I incorporated
as a coach/AD; it states: “Players Play, Coaches Coach, Refs Ref, Fans Cheer.”
So, it caught my attention when I saw a Larry Bird quote where he said, “One
thing about me is I always say the coaches coach and the players play. Whatever
they tell you, you’ve got to do. You may not like it but you’ve got to do it. That’s
what they do. That’s their expertise.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">This is coming from one of the greatest basketball IQ
guys ever… BUT he is adamant about understanding and playing one’s role! He
went on to say that his role was to win basketball games so he “brought it
every night…laid it on the line every night….’</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I talk often on these weekly Game Plans about the
importance of team and one’s responsibility to the team. As I was preparing for
the wedding ceremony, I found myself in Ephesians. In chapter 5 there are some
very specific role challenges for wives and husbands… and then chapter 6 talks
of role responsibilities for children and parents…. bondservants and masters (employees
and bosses.) Really it deals with attitudes more than actions… attitudes of
submission. There’s that word again…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet these are found in the letter in context that is
dealing with God’s will for how we should look as a team. For the wedding I went
back even further in the letter to the beginning of chapter 4, and in doing so
even challenged the audience to imagine what are team would look like if we lived
according to the Playbook.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ephesians 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,
beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul, after reminding us of all that Christ had done for
us says “therefore” (because of that) “walk worthy of the calling.” So, what does
“worthy” look like”? SUBMITTED</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ephesians 4:2-3 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering,
bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unit<i>y </i>of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I want to be a part of a team like that… one where we are
focused on one another!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ephesians 5:21 Submitting to one another in the fear of
God.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">So here is the general idea of the definition I read and now
challenge the team with… my Coach B maxim… to submit involves willfully placing
oneself under another… IN ORDER TO LIFT ONE ANOTHER UP!</span></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-65700595790447750062024-03-04T12:07:00.000-05:002024-03-04T12:07:00.245-05:00March 4, 2024 - TEAM CULTURE (Responsibility to Teammates and Self)<p><span style="font-size: large;">Paul gives us some great advice for team culture…
</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Galatians 6:1-5</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Brethren </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">(Teammates)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">, if a man</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> (teammate) </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">is overtaken in
any trespass</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> (turns the ball over)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">, you who are spiritual </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">(playing well)
</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">(you are responsible to help
teammates in an encouraging way)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">, considering yourself lest you be tempted</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">
(remembering you are prone to turnovers as well)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bear one another’s burdens</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> (pick each other up)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">, and so
fulfill the law of Christ </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">(build team culture)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">For if anyone thinks himself to be something</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> (thinks he’s
the man!)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">, when he is nothing, he deceives himself</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> (forgets his role on the
team)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">But let each one examine his own work </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">(focus on personal
responsibility to the team)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">, and then he will have rejoicing in in himself
alone, and not in another </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">(boast in being your best, not in being better than
someone else)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">For each one shall bear his own load </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">(you are responsible
for what you bring to the team!)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">. </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-64069979887874857462024-02-26T17:31:00.001-05:002024-02-26T17:31:21.852-05:00February 26, 2024 - Profit or Loss?<p><span style="font-size: large;">This week I am doing a Game Ready clinic at a Christian
school in NC. The content involves both basketball training and also life training
(building off our Game Plans for Life platform.) I love getting to teach in
both arenas… and desire to help grow/mature the players both on and off the court!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Colossians 1:28-29 - Him we preach, warning every man and
teaching every man, that we may present every man perfect (mature or complete)
in Christ Jesus. To this end I also LABOR, STRIVING according to His working
which works in me mightily.</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Years ago we tabbed the name of our training division as
the Total Player Academy… wanting a maturing that, as </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">2 Timothy 3:17</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> states, </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“that
the man of God may be complete, THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED for every good work.”</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> We
want players that make the right play!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Well part of the warning involves taking an honest inventory
of who we are and how we spend our time. (I even have one Game Plan this week titled
“Free Time.”)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">An honest inventory of who we are begins with a simple
question of if one is even on the team. That is then followed with an introspective
look at priorities… It seems that every player I have ever worked with claims
they want to get better… claim they want to win… etc. Well one simple question
I have for players, like those I’m charged with this week, is, “Tell me how you
are spending your Free Time this off-season?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">A player that wants to be a better ballhandler or better
shooter, will not do so spending Free Time on only video games or parties or
whatever… I’ve heard many times in the past that if you look at a man’s bank
account you can see where his treasure is by seeing where he spends his money.
Well, I’m telling you, I can tell where anyone’s treasure is by seeing how they
spend time!!!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also.” Matthew 6:21</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">That is preceded by Jesus telling us to put in the time
on things that matter. He stated </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">(verse 19) “Do not lay up…”</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> (NOTE:</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">this is not a basketball ban to not do
lay-ups… the word has the idea of not storing up or spending your time working
toward.) He says to not pursue things that don’t matter… but instead reminds
that we SHOULD </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">(verse 20) “…lay up for yourselves…”</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> eternal things!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Hoops paraphrase: DO NOT SPEND YOUR FREE TIME ON VIDEO
GAMES; INSTEAD SPEND YOUR FREE TIME ON TRAINING!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Now obviously hoops is not everyone’s priority… BUT DON’T
TELL ME IT IS YOUR PRIORITY… YOUR TREASURE… IF YOUR “BASKETBALL BANK ACCOUNT”
DOESN”T SHOW AN INVESTMENT OF TIME!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Likewise, Believer, I ask what are your priorities? I can
answer for you… where you focus your attention and time are your priorities.
Eugene Peterson, in his paraphrase The Message, shares this Matthew 6 truth
this way: “The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to
be, and end up being.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I realize some are taking this to the ultimate degree of “how
can I focus on things of God all the time?” (First you need to hear some of our
teaching on what a “worthy walk” looks like… in simplicity, all “you do in word
or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through Him.” (Colossians 3:17) HONOR GOD IN WHATEVER YOU ENDEAVOR TO DO!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">BOTTOM LINE: Success or failure in life is often the
product (profit or loss) of time spent! I realize there are at times
extenuating circumstances, and if so, own them and see how you can turn a
profit…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">(Example: when I was 11 years old, I got tendonitis in my
pitching elbow. It was in the midst of the season and I was unable to perform
in my usual manner. BUT I didn’t stop performing… I SPENT MY TIME both in
practice and games playing left-handed… I wasn’t as successful as play with my
strong hand BUT found a product (profit from how I spent my time) of having a
much more coordinated and strong left (weak) hand.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">What are your priorities? What gets your attention? There
is your answer!</span></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-83658333373203662312024-02-19T17:23:00.001-05:002024-02-19T17:23:17.243-05:00February 19, 2024 - Meal P.R.E.P. | Let's E.A.T.!<p><span style="font-size: large;">I was reading in Nehemiah as Nehemiah decided to make
some changes… he had heard that some of his brethren </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“are there in great distress"</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> and that </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and it’s gates are burned with fire.”
(Nehemiah 1:3)</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> So Nehemiah purposes to make a change!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 2 records how he went about making and executing
a plan… and a couple little words appeared a couple of times… </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“I viewed…”</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">
Nehemiah took an honest look at the work ahead of them to rebuild the walls… in
doing so he was taking inventory of what they would need… and stirring up his
brethren to action… he simply pointed out to them to acknowledge the need… he </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“viewed”</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">
and then said to them </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“you see…” (Nehemiah 2:17)</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> And then in verse 19 there is
a consensus… </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Let us rise up and build...” (Nehemiah 2:19)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I realize that is a very fast synopsis of that passage,
but it hits well with this week’s Game Plan for Life!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve been working on my notes and plans for an upcoming
outreach I will be leading at a Christian school. It will involve a basketball/life
camp with the theme of being Game Ready. One of the analogies I am using is
that of doing meal prep… when one prepares meals ahead of time to be able to
quickly/easily access when needed. This is most common when folks see a need
for weight loss or muscle gain or… in other words… something that needs to
change!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">In short, I will be sharing with the students the need to:<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>P</b>lan the<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>R</b>ecipe<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">-and-<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>E</b>xecute the<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>P</b>lan!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I want them to see that doing this will result in being
Game Ready where we can simply say: Let’s EAT!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;"> <b> </b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>E</b>arnings
/ Enjoyment<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b>A</b>fter<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <b> T</b>raining!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The meal is product of mixing together the right ingredients…
putting them to some heat… etc.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">View what is needed for change… and then get busy!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Nehemiah 2:19 </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">ends this way: After stating they would
rise up… </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Then they set their hands to this good work.”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Proverbs 13:4 The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
BUT the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s time for us to do a little “Meal P.R.E.P.” and then “Let’s
E.A.T!”</span></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-64077807100759929632024-02-12T12:01:00.003-05:002024-02-12T12:01:38.151-05:00February 12, 2024 - Do What You Know To Do... (LEADING and LETTING)<p><span style="font-size: large;">Currently Team Burden (my wife and I) are at a “timeout”
in life where we are listening for instruction from “The Coach”… when players
come to a huddle it is with the expectation that the coach will give direction
for when they go back out on the floor/field…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">As a coach, the goal is not always to call or design a
play, but sometimes simply to remind the players what they already know or have
been taught. The work of a pastor (coach) is </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“equipping the saints for the work
of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:12)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">So, there are times, as a coach, one will allow the team
to play free lance… not calling a designed play. But does that mean the players
can do whatever they want? Of course not… they still must play according to the
rules… they still should play according to the team principles that have been
instilled… they still should know, from their training/equipping what are good
vs bad shots… they still know to play together as a unit… AND EVEN THOUGH they
may not have been assigned a specific spot on the floor to run to, they are
trained/equipped to know what kind of spots to run to! I would simply tell a
player that wanted direction, “Do what you know to do…”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, as a coach, sometimes the huddle is for
LEADING (specifically designed plays the coach sees will work) and sometimes
the huddle is for LETTING (reminding the players to trust what they have been trained/equipped
to do whatever the opponent throws at them.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">God, as a sovereign Coach, is fully aware of how the game
is being played… and may I suggest here that sometimes God is “LEADING/CALLING”
us to run a specific play… but other times is simply “LETTING” us choose where
to go on the court, while not forgetting our TRAINING/EQUIPPING.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">So as we (Team Burden) pray and ponder things in this “timeout,”
what we lean upon is that whether God LEADS or LETS us go somewhere, we will
still “do what we know to do!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">CHECK OUT THIS BEAUTIFUL PROMISE:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the
utmost parts of the sea, EVEN there Your hand shall LEAD me, and Your right
hand shall HOLD me.” (Psalm 139:9-10)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">BOTTOM LINE: Even when God LETS us play free lance… He
still LEADS us via His Word!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-17005005372170644392024-02-05T20:09:00.002-05:002024-02-05T20:09:55.418-05:00February 5, 2024 - No Weather Delays (A Buffalo-Mentality)<p><span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday I received an email that was talking about the
crowd that showed at one of our partner churches… in spite of a driving, almost
sideways, rain. The person sending the message stated that she remembered me
preaching at their church about the buffalo…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">If you’ve been reading these Game Plans for Life or reading
our InBounds Illustrated newsletters when they come out, it is not a new
concept to hear about the buffalo. The buffalo is the only mammal in North
America that will turn and run into a storm when comes upon them; thus our
motto, “We don’t run<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from… we run<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>through!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet the email yesterday was a great reminder that circumstances
should not be the guiding factor in what we do: God’s Playbook should be! </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">1
Corinthians 15:58</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> tells us we should be </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“always abounding in the work of the
Lord.” </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">There is not a tag line of “weather permitting” or “if you are
comfortable.” Kind of crazy, I looked up the word “always” in Greek and it
means “at all times.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">In </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Philippians 3:14</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> Paul states </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“I press on to the goal…”</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">
And the crazy thing is that in the Greek. “press on” has the idea figuratively
of one that is running swiftly in a race to reach the goal…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul states in </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Philippians 4:11 “I have learned that in
whatever state I am, to be content…”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I think it is safe to say that we are called to stay
disciplined/committed to the plan that is before us. A Buffalo-Mentality” is
one that understands that the road to victory requires a daily downpayment of
hard work… discipline… commitment. (NOTE: Not talking about the victory of
salvation… the work of Jesus paid that in full! This is about the work of our
commissioning/calling as believers!)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">This isn’t the game of baseball… there are no “weather
delays”!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-62335584983405973282024-01-29T14:41:00.001-05:002024-01-29T14:41:44.519-05:00January 29, 2024 - Get The Bat Off Your Shoulder<p><span style="font-size: large;">Last week’s Bottom Line Question / Challenge: what can
you do today to reach toward where you want to be tomorrow? I have spent a
couple weeks with encouragement to get after it… to “lace ‘em up” and get in
the game… And last week I pulled out a baseball analogy of keeping one’s eye on
the ball in order to make contact… this analogy assumes one thing, that you are
actually swinging the bat!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I can remember as far back as little league baseball and
how frowned upon it was, (and I put that lightly, as my head coach was my dad
and he didn’t frown… he scowled), if we got caught looking at a 3<sup>rd</sup>
strike! The common sentiment was if a pitch is anywhere close to the strike zone
when you have 2 strikes, you’d better be swinging. I can remember hearing often
as a coach would “encourage” to “get the bat off your shoulder!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">In my basketball world I ran into the same thing, where
at times a player wasn’t willing to pull the trigger and take an open shot,
even though the player knew it was the right shot and what we were working for.
(Note: I for sure am not talking about me as a player… I never found a shot I didn’t
want to take… and any of my former teammates reading this are shouting “AMEN!”)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The reason a player watches a 3<sup>rd</sup> strike or
fails to take an open shot often comes down to a horrible mentality to live by…
what-if-I-miss-it is! Well let’s analyze that sentiment… if I swing and miss
the result is a strike… I stand with the bat on my shoulder the result is a
called strike! If I fail to take the open shot, I score zero points for the
team… if I don’t take the shot, I score zero points for the team!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">If I swing or take the shot, I at least give myself a
chance to make contact or to score…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The Scriptures are full of God’s direction… clearly
laying out the desired mission… and most sit around with “what-if-I-miss-it is”
--- listen what the Scriptures say:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do
it, to him it is sin.” James 4:17</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I made a “joke” about never seeing a shot I didn’t like
(and to be honest I seldom struck out looking… I also like swinging the bat)… but
there is always a little truth in jest; I’m sure some folks thought I was a
ball hog… well that may be true, but I also scored a lot of points!!! And even
as a coach I maintained my philosophy that shooters shoot!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">This week’s Game Plan Bottom Line: Get the bat of your
shoulder and SWING! Pull the trigger and SHOOT!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-1323156062352763982024-01-23T00:10:00.001-05:002024-01-23T00:10:55.149-05:00January 22, 2024 - Make Contact... Keep Your Eye On The Ball!<p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Great players become great because they fall in love with
the work!</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Plan the work… work the plan!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">These are quotes from the last couple of Game Plans for
Life… and last week I centered on the “planning” process. I talked of opening a
map and charting a course to a desired destination… a goal. I then reminded us
that in order to get there we would need to zoom in on the map and see the
roadways in order to make a plan. I ended by stating that this week we would
focus on the work… in other words the importance of executing the plan. NOTE:
We run into problems, and can even get lost, when we focus on the destination
more than the next turn to get there!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">It's kind of like a power hitter in baseball… he goes to
the plate envisioning “going yard” (hitting a homerun) and yet strikes out.
Often it is a result of “pulling his head” when he swings and looking where he
hopes the ball is going… while failing to “keep his eye on the ball” and making
sure he makes contact.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Most dreams/goals/destinations are missed because we fail
to “make contact” with the details of getting there!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The first verse I remember memorizing in Bible class
during my freshmen year of high school is </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Philippians 3:14: I press TOWARD the
goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Notice the directional word </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">TOWARD</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">… it involves knowing
where one is going… and the verse before (</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">vs 13</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">) tells us that Paul was “</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">REACHING
FORWARD</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">”… there was movement… action… in the right direction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Over and over the Scriptures talk of the importance of focus
on today… realize today paves a road to tomorrow… make sure you are making the right
turns to reach your desired destination.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bottom Line Question / Challenge: what can you do today
to reach toward where you want to be tomorrow?</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-55903456857328482132024-01-15T13:21:00.001-05:002024-01-15T13:21:24.503-05:00January 15, 2024 - PLAN the WORK!<p><span style="font-size: large;">I ended last week’s Game Plan with the statement “Great
players become great because they ‘fall in love with the work!’” That got me thinking
about the dry erase board I typically keep up in my office… I put a “permanent”
message on it that states “Plan the Work… Work the Plan!” And to be
transparent, this was not a brilliant phrase I came up with, but instead taken
from John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success which has “Industriousness” as one of its
cornerstones. This cornerstone has two parts, work and planning.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">So, with this theme early in the new season, maybe you
are already struggling with meeting your New Year’s resolutions… to that I will
quote Wooden: “Nothing will work unless you do.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I thought about different pictures of this… I envisioned
all the times I pull up “maps” on my trip planning… I start with “goals”, what
destinations we want to reach. This process begins with an overarching view of
the map showing the starting and ending points; BUT THEN I have to zoom in and
determine what roads will get us there. I determine the roads, the mileage, where
we will sleep, where we will eat, etc. There is a lot of planning involved… and
a lot of counting the costs. Then the work begins! Looking at points on a map doesn’t
make one a world traveler!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">All of that planning is followed by fundraising, vehicle maintenance,
booking the lodging, and ultimately putting the key in the ignition for the proverbial
“this is where the rubber meets the road.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Be encouraged this week to figure out your plan… but make
sure you remember that maps include roadways…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus gave a great discipleship lesson in </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Luke 14</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">, which
is a great lesson for goal setting: </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">28-30 For which of you, intending to build
a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to
finish it, lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish,
all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not
able to finish’?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">So, this week’s Game Plan is centered on Plan (Map Out)
the Work… [You “set” goals… you “plan” work!] (Next week I plan to discuss
focus on the work…)</span></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-63864380100970012792024-01-09T11:33:00.002-05:002024-01-09T11:33:55.148-05:00January 8, 2024 - Fall In Love With THE WORK!<p><span style="font-size: large;">Well, my day got rolling around 18 hours ago… and 13 of
the hours were behind the wheel. Therefore, this old coach is tired… and late
getting this week’s game plan typed up and posted. But the bottom line is that
I committed to doing these weekly at the beginning of 2002 and there has been a
game plan every week since. This typically happens following sports stories or
sermons giving me “inspiration”; and usually there is a lot of time with the
idea bouncing around in my head…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the guys that has been quoted the most over the
years is one of my pastors, Matt Brooks. He always seems to have some good
nuggets of truth in his sermons. But today I found inspiration from a different
Brooks… Matt’s son Jaylon… but before I quote him, let me set the stage a bit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I mentioned in the intro that I committed to doing these
game plans as we headed into the 2002 season… I didn’t necessarily call it a
New Year’s Resolution, but it was. And over the years I have mentioned the fact
that most resolutions not only go unfulfilled, but are broken by the time
February rolls in.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">From a tired old coach tonight, can I call you on
whatever your resolutions were for 2024? You may say, “I didn’t make any.” Yet,
I have found that most people think about what they hope to accomplish in a new
season, even if they don’t express it out loud. So, what things do you want to
change? What are your goals?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Entering 2002 my goal was to write a weekly game plan for
the internet… today I drove hundreds of miles knowing I still needed to get it
done for this week… I thought about it quite a bit and was thrilled when Jaylon
gave me some “inspiration.” BUT all of the planning and the best of attention
add up to zero until I got the computer out and started pounding the keys!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Jaylon Brooks: “To achieve different results, you must
consciously choose different ACTIONS. You won’t accomplish your “new year
resolution” without choosing TO DO the things necessary to get there. Goals are
good, but I’d rather fall in love with THE WORK, not the outcome. One ensures
you get there. The other is just a dream.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">ACTIONS… TO DO… THE WORK…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The Apostle Paul (under the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit): </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Be… ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD… (1 Corinthians 15:58)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The Apostle James (under the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit): </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Therefore, to him who knows TO DO good and does not DO IT, to him it
is sin. (James 4:17)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Great players become great because they “fall in love
with THE WORK!”</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-74470731869643510862024-01-01T19:27:00.001-05:002024-01-01T19:27:24.566-05:00January 1, 2024 - Tomorrow's Gains Are From Today's Reps!<p><span style="font-size: large;">“Make each day your masterpiece.” John Wooden</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, here we are on New Year’s Day, and I wonder who
made resolutions? Resolutions are mentally “painted” masterpieces of what we
want tomorrow to look like…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">No need for a long Game Plan this week… just some
encouragement…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Hebrews 3:13 but exhort one another daily, while it is
called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened the deceitfulness of sin.</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Do you want to be successful this year? Remember that
tomorrow’s masterpiece is painted with today’s brushstrokes! If you look at
yesterday, it should be simply to make sure the “painting” has changed…. If you
look at tomorrow, it should only be for perspective of where today’s strokes go
on the canvas.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">MAKE TODAY YOUR MASTERPIECE… if we ignore today, Hebrews
tells us we are going to be deceived!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">TOMORROW’S GAINS ARE FROM TODAY’S REPS!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-62409008774510867962023-12-25T22:14:00.001-05:002023-12-25T22:14:22.788-05:00December 25, 2023 - Get in the Game and Go Tell<p><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtD88Ho0Y7Bdlku1XYG98reA90OdziUjyGY5p3xfba_WNNBhHas6yPTFhQbKHzHRjElGhPtif0ZOeYG54lXM4hxaO8SdAZ0Zkx0HCFfslKR3teh_5e0XeLXLsLKoGpVlZUA4j2SGzT2tEXiXQrFmHbtRE0wcTTJhoJxuzHWYKObZ0_AL3S5v4GpBCroCc" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1131" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtD88Ho0Y7Bdlku1XYG98reA90OdziUjyGY5p3xfba_WNNBhHas6yPTFhQbKHzHRjElGhPtif0ZOeYG54lXM4hxaO8SdAZ0Zkx0HCFfslKR3teh_5e0XeLXLsLKoGpVlZUA4j2SGzT2tEXiXQrFmHbtRE0wcTTJhoJxuzHWYKObZ0_AL3S5v4GpBCroCc" width="253" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">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…<br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I then talked about some unlikely missionaries, centered around
the shepherds’ willingness to “go tell”!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">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.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">For our friends and family to know, they must hear!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">This CHRISTmas, get in the game and go tell those that need
to hear!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-88119634647090116062023-12-18T12:52:00.000-05:002023-12-18T12:52:05.568-05:00December 18, 2023 - The Quiet Zone<p><span style="font-size: large;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjomoO1vA7OH0ErF8FEfesx-gely9FFBRJKT_pushnaIB8nqsh0RGYEhnWnM9gpZSaj9kfLhesZxwG-eVIeOO5Eg-7t-8knE1npLD77ZsvAZsmIp7CJaM9UKiHqTrkZ24nCbGC_HRHZWjU0BprWc1IG-QK_DNNz6MWxw8kYCdDDb3Ld7KYZOiWmPuqtPhg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="620" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjomoO1vA7OH0ErF8FEfesx-gely9FFBRJKT_pushnaIB8nqsh0RGYEhnWnM9gpZSaj9kfLhesZxwG-eVIeOO5Eg-7t-8knE1npLD77ZsvAZsmIp7CJaM9UKiHqTrkZ24nCbGC_HRHZWjU0BprWc1IG-QK_DNNz6MWxw8kYCdDDb3Ld7KYZOiWmPuqtPhg" width="320" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i>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!!!<br /></i></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">“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.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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”!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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”?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">They were told </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Do not be afraid” – Matthew 1:20 / Luke 1:30</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Mary is told she is a </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Favored on”</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> and has </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“found favor
with God” – Luke 1:28 & 30</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">And when Mary felt this was an impossible task, was told
to rely on </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“the power of the Highest</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">”… that He had prepared the way – </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Luke 1:35
& 37</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">A few quick observations about how to handle the pressure…
how to find peace…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Third, in putting together these truths: <b>Peace requires a
contentment that is found in the confidence of knowing who you are and what
your purpose is!</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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)!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">John Wooden said, “Be quick but don’t hurry”; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll add that only happens with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>being “calm in the quick!”</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-6432871167989620492023-12-11T15:37:00.000-05:002023-12-11T15:37:08.106-05:00December 11, 2023 - John Wooden and Truett Cathy In Same Game Plan (This must be golden!)<p><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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 </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.” (Hebrews 10:25)</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> 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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Verse 24</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> and the latter part of </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">verse 25</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> gave the description
as to what </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“assembling”</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> should look like: </span><b style="font-size: xx-large;">And let us consider </b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>(INTENTIONALITY)</i></span><b style="font-size: xx-large;">
one another in order to stir up love and good works… exhorting one another…”</b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Man, a place where I’m going to be encouraged? I want to
go there! Encourage me I’ll be looking!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mark someone today to give encouragement to… even old
guys like me appreciate it and feed off of it!</b></span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-45215161103962699922023-12-04T16:45:00.000-05:002023-12-04T16:45:02.233-05:00December 4, 2023 - The Big Mo (Are You PUSHing Me?)<p><span style="font-size: large;">“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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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?)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">TEAM CHRISTIAN is dependent upon PUSHing one another! It
demands being ACTIVE, not just talking…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Romans 1:12 that is, that I may be encouraged together
with you…</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The word “encouraged” has the idea of being exhorted or strengthened
or comforted… PUSHed!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Romans 15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his
good edification.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the idea of promoting one another’s growth…
PUSHing!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and
edify one another…</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The word “comfort” also carries the idea pf to exhort and
strength ten… the word “edify” to promote growth… PUSH!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you pushing me? I sure hope so…</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2e8F5oFZsjIiDnkcu6tZrIf3iqC483FgF1bcBsY-byJvCK3ph3sypIFXTasITlfdzsE753T0ZF8rieq7YiPDIG5IUlE24vCyxL7Ui3X0eZYi_Ce4nWk8N9hB4KFe99mCM2iK-A8OwMVCjFEg2KbBVbIcSwxSsd7vUPc8JZSqCGxC1BDe3jexU0HhMX4/s2388/are%20you%20pushing%20me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="2388" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2e8F5oFZsjIiDnkcu6tZrIf3iqC483FgF1bcBsY-byJvCK3ph3sypIFXTasITlfdzsE753T0ZF8rieq7YiPDIG5IUlE24vCyxL7Ui3X0eZYi_Ce4nWk8N9hB4KFe99mCM2iK-A8OwMVCjFEg2KbBVbIcSwxSsd7vUPc8JZSqCGxC1BDe3jexU0HhMX4/s320/are%20you%20pushing%20me.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Surround yourself with TEAMMATES that PUSH you.. it will
help you build The Big Mo!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-49807641227818336382023-11-28T19:18:00.000-05:002023-11-28T19:18:02.043-05:00November 27, 2023 - The Design of the Game (Part 3: Biblical Coaches are Decisive and Deliver!)<p><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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…)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguhh-EfWyDk1iJUsF22EjBbGnVszUSBNBSGy0OANyHOVF7s9KuYn6kFSGKoR0LhpCNhvQWU7KLuyX3U8NchzOAhpcds1uotyb8_gFTEuGWOwBd3fpZTkZjcHTKCsM0t1PUom19O2SXyk_3E9IFII-0Gj4dUHMTPworv8_zMnmlIhIfJbScRjZbhVyN9F0" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguhh-EfWyDk1iJUsF22EjBbGnVszUSBNBSGy0OANyHOVF7s9KuYn6kFSGKoR0LhpCNhvQWU7KLuyX3U8NchzOAhpcds1uotyb8_gFTEuGWOwBd3fpZTkZjcHTKCsM0t1PUom19O2SXyk_3E9IFII-0Gj4dUHMTPworv8_zMnmlIhIfJbScRjZbhVyN9F0" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">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…<br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!”)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Well The Playbook (Bible) gives us many leadership
lessons… In </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ephesians 4</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> it says: </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Verse 15b</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">… we should </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"</b><b>…grow up in all things
into Him who is the head – Christ –"</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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 </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>“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)</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">And as for the decision making of leadership, the Head
(Jesus) is clear… </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“<span style="color: red;">But let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’, ‘no’. For whatever is more than these is from
the evil one.</span>” (Matthew 5:37)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">And before you think this is just about the words we
speak, this is Jesus following up the command to </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">“perform your oaths to the
Lord.” </span>(Matthew 5:34)</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> That word “perform” literally means to deliver…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In Biblical leadership “the buck stops” with Jesus and
His word!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In Biblical leadership, leaders are decisive and deliver!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-73590960082623325122023-11-20T13:38:00.001-05:002023-11-20T13:38:39.232-05:00November 20, 2023 - The Design of the Game (Part 2: Play Fast or Play Slow...)<p><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">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.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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 </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Colossians 3</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> 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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Galatians 5:13a For you, brethren, have been called to
liberty (freedom);</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> THIS IS A STYLE STATEMENT… PLAY THE GAME FREE!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Galatians 5:13b only do not use liberty (freedom) as an
opportunity for the flesh…;</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> THIS IS A SUBSTANCE STATEMENT… WE ARE STILL DESIGNED
TO HONOR THE RULES OF THE GAME!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-34598772798622434892023-11-13T14:55:00.001-05:002023-11-13T14:55:26.262-05:00November 13, 2023 - The Design of the Game (Part 1: ATTEND WITH ATTENTION!)<p><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">(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.”)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The reporter responds to “Laurie”: “I’m no expert, but I don’t
think that’s how this thing works.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">This thing called Christianity is not designed to be a “solo
sport”!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some…</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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 </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>“consider
one another,” (v 24) </b></span><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">The ”game” is designed as a team sport!</span></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-90103293800563312982023-11-06T16:03:00.001-05:002023-11-06T16:03:10.180-05:00November 6, 2023 - When I Grow Up I want To Be.... AVERAGE???<p><span style="font-size: large;">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 _______________...</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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” …</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">“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…”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I remember one young lady that came to a Christian school
I worked at when she was in 10<sup>th</sup> grade. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">When </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">John 3:16</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> promises </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">ETERNAL LIFE to those that
believe</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">… 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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="font-size: xx-large;">“THEREFORE, </b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>(because of our Heavenly inheritance)</i></span><b style="font-size: xx-large;">, 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)</b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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)!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>When I grow up I want to be a spiritual giant!</b></span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-50270684741901095822023-10-30T21:37:00.001-04:002023-10-30T21:37:04.949-04:00October 30, 2023 - Gym Rat<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">First note that “being religious” and “being legalistic”
are not synonymous…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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 </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in
vain.” (Galatians 2:21b)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus’s words:</span><b style="font-size: xx-large;"> "If you love me, keep my commandments.”
(John 14:15)</b><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Obedience and Obsessions are driven by love not law…</span><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-36160004478780446752023-10-23T13:02:00.001-04:002023-10-23T13:02:55.770-04:00October 23, 2023 - Raise the Bar! (Part 2 - avoiding mediocrity)<p><span style="font-size: large;"><i>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></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size: large;">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. </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">‘We are more than conquerors through Him who loved
us.’” (Romans 8:37)</span></b></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size: large;">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!!!)</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I love the words “<i>far more</i>” in Grant’s statement…
the reality is that my thought of “raising the BAR,” stems from years of seeing “players” settle for mediocrity!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">So let me give a quick lesson on “legalism.” I am in full
agreement, especially since</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">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 </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">(See Matthew 5:17)</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">, not to abolish it. And he also
explains what the law established was the idea that we should love God and love
others! </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">(See Matthew 22:36-40)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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)!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">This may include giving up some things… it may include
being careful of what “junk food” </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">(see Philippians 4:8) </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="text"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">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)</span></b></span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-28214100612151519852023-10-16T15:22:00.002-04:002023-10-23T11:18:26.692-04:00October 16, 2023 - Raise the Bar!<p><span style="font-size: large;">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<sup>th</sup>/6<sup>th</sup> grade team
than I was with my varsity high school teams... but I also had MUCH HIGHER
EXPECTATIONS of my high school teams!)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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! </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">(Philippians 2:8)</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> 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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness
comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. (Galatians 2:21)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet Paul also wrote these words under the inspiration of
the Spirit:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: x-large;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What then, shall we sin because we are not under
the law but under grace? Certainly not! (Romans 7:15)</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-size: large;">·</span><span style="font: x-large "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span></b></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">For I through the law died to the law that I
might live to God. (Galatians 2:19)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet I also will never shy away from the following call of
Scripture: </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">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)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love the way my dear friend Grant Hawley put it in his
book The Guts of Grace: </span><span><span style="font-size: large;">“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. </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">‘We are more than conquerors through
Him who loved us.’” (Romans 8:37)</span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-size: large;">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!!!) </span></span><span style="font-size: 7pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-30257179482104129662023-10-09T12:50:00.001-04:002023-10-09T12:50:10.386-04:00October 9, 2023 - RULE #1 (Sounds Important Doesn't It?)<p><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">I think you get the picture… whether it is RULE #1 or PLAY
#1, that carries extreme importance!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“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)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“By this all will know that you are my disciples, IF you
have love for one another.” (John 13:35) </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038305512987410123.post-12310065981379905682023-10-02T14:49:00.001-04:002023-10-02T14:49:07.072-04:00October 2, 2023 - A Great COACHING STAFF Is The Key To Victory<p><span style="font-size: large;">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…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">Who have you chosen to be your “COACHING STAFF”? Do you
have those that are trustworthy advisors?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Proverbs 24:6 For by wise counsel you will wage your own
war</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> (you will be the coach of your life)</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">, and in a multitude of counselors
there is safety.</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> (The word safety is better translated victory from the Hebrew... could read, in a GREAT COACHING STAFF there is victory.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: large;">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.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>Coach Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09580867409747702429noreply@blogger.com0